South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-10-14
TELL PURPOSE
OF APPLE SHOW
Indiana Horticultural Society
Explains Reasons for
Yearly Event.

A statement issued by the Indiana
Horticultural society, with head
quarters at Indianapolis. explains
the purpose Of giving an apple show
each year. The statement in full is
as follows:
one of the greatest economic
LEAKS in Indiana agriculture was dis
covered seven years ago when Of
fcers of the Indiana Horticultural
society found that an average of
100000 every year went out of
Indiana TO purchase apples grown
beyond our state borders. At least as
much more left Indiana to buy
stock in western orchard develop
ment schemes and to buy orchard
lands in the Pacific northwest.
AT this time. Indiana had tens
OF thousands of acres of neglected
/ bearing orchards. The fruit from
many of these never reached mar
ket. Leaders in Indiana horticulture
asked the serious question-Why?
Investigation unearthed three start
ling facts:
THAT the Indiana farmer did
not know how to produce high
grade fruit.
THAT the Indiana farmer and
fruit grower, when he grew good
apples. did not know how to grade
and pack these to compete with
western boxed fruit.
"3-That the Indiana public did
not realize the we'll grown HoOsier
apple is better in flavor and in keep
ing quality than the more brilliant
" colored, water-swollen fruit Of
the irrigated west. Nor did the In
diana public realize that this state
presents natural advantages for
fruit growing. equal 10 that of any
other favored state in the Union or
any other district in the world; and
unquestionably superior to the west
which was stealing our fruit trade
Purdue Started Reformation.
AT once the horticultural and
the extension departments OF Pur-
due university started a radical re-
formation. Orchard demonstrations
were held in neglected orchards.
Farmers were shown how TO spray,
prune and cultivate their apple
trees. Several orchards throughout
the state were we'll managed under
the direction Of Purdue university
and served as effective object lessons
TO their communities. This resulted
in an astounding increase in the
production of good apples.
"Still something was lacking.
When the apples were harvested,
often the grower was at loss how
to pack and market them. supple
mentary work was necessary. Here
is where the Indiana Horticultural
society came in the front and, with
financial aid from the state, estab-
Hshed the first Indiana apple show
in 1911. Since then the society has
held five other successful shows
which have out-classed anything
held I'm the entire country except
the national apple show at Spokane
Wash These gave a prestige 70 the
Indiana apple which was new. The
state as whole woke mp 70 re-
discover its own promological pos
sibilities.
THE seventh annual exposition
will be held this year, Nov 2l-2l
at Washington. Ind, in q fruit dis
trict which abounds with profitable
apple and peach orchards under
fair to excellent MANAGEMENT. With
in two weeks after the first an
nouncenent of the show at Wash
ington nearly a car load Of show
fruit was stored for the great apple
festival Considering the live local
interest I'm the show. IL is certainly
safe to forecast another successful
exposition.
Persons interested In eNnspltllE
should write the secretary or the
Indiana Horticultural society. bV-
Kahn Bldg, Indianapolis, Ind