The Lubbock avalanche. (Lubbock, Tex.) 1909-1922, 1920-01-08

The writer had the opportunity VI
visiting one Of me largest nurseries
in operation in the great Southwest
and TO talk 10 the founder Of TINS
nursery. and To be convinced by hlm
that the opportunities for the pro
duction Of fruit in the plains country
from a commercial profit standpoint
u lust as good as Il IS for the trnit
production Of California Upon first
reading this statement the average
reader will probably give u no cred
enee hut Notwithstanding this fact
"a have the theory outlined and sup
ported by twenty-five years actual
experience. as explained by tnis
plains nurseryman. in growing fruit
the reader would see that this state
ment is not in the least overdrawn.
Fruit can be grown successfully
and be made a paying proposition IN
the Plains country stated TINS nur-
servman TO the writer. II have ex-
perimented twenty-five years IN this
section with fruit growing and the
only thing necessary to make TINS an
extensive fruit producing area IS TO
plant the kind Of trees that are adapt
ed to the peculiar soil and climatic
conditions Of this section. and then
20 give them care after they are
planted
aThe farmers on the plains IN the
past who have planted trees Tor the
purpose Of growing fruit have been
very liberal in their planting but they
have not given enough consideration
20 the proper varieties they should
plant. This is not true so much now
as II was a few years ago a> these
farmers are coming 10 the realiza-
ton that they must give more time
and attention to their trees 70 have
them bear successfully Then again
after planting the trees they Will care
for them during the time they really
don't need care and when dry wealth
or comes they leave them to the raw
ishings Of the weather and the insects
which prey upon young trees.
The successful way 10 grow fruit
on the plains - 10 uSs irrigation
methods There is ample water avail
able and to choose the proper class Of
trees I can prove 10 anyone who
might appear skeptical that II these
plans are carried out and the trees
given the proper care that ~ much
profit can be realized from fruit
growing IN the Plains az can be real
ized from the growing u fruit N
California"
II has only been in recent years
that trees have been planted IN West
Texas. Tn until twenty years ago
this section was n part 0f a vast IN
broken prairie, the domain Of the
Whiteface and ruled over by rattle
snakes. prairie dogs and other YER
min and used strictly as grazing
lands There were no trees with the
exception Of a few wild varieties
which grew in the canyons. Up un-
I'll twelve years ago there was not
much interest shown in the raising
Of trees. but with the dividing up of
the grazing lands into farms. and
the building Of commercial centers
and homes came the demand for the
comfort shade trees give and those
farmers who had worked so diligent-
" for the development Of the vast
field Of resources OF the Plains
country began the planting Of trees.
They did Il hoewver in a haphazard
ndn0tTs iuAt - lot fUttnN tudl lttf
we're careless but they did not put in
enough study as TO the varieties OF
trees that should be planted. These
trees however. have made almost a
phenomenal growth until today this
country does not present much Of
the same appearance Il did twenty
years ago.
Then upon the heels Of the plant
ing Of shade trees comes the agita-
tion for the developing Of fruit or
chards The department Of agricul-
ture Is working along this line mater
ially assisted BY the various county
agents working in each county in
West Texas with the result that on
almost every farm today in the
Plains country is found some fruit
trees and the acreage planted 10
fruit trees viii average from one to
five acres.
The fruit industry however is in
the earliest stages OF infancy. As
stated by the nurseryinan in the
opening paragraphs Of this article not
enough attention has been given the
industry except in some rare instan-
ccs and these instances have proven
the adaptability Of the Plains country
for fiuit production. There are sew