Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1920-08-18

| fruit growers were mostly set OF
erafters."
Mr.. Cutting responded briefly to
tie address of welcome. He extend
ed the gratitude of the society and
audience to Mr.. and Mrs. Lomen
for the splendid entertainment they
had provided the visitors, and ex-
planned in his usual clear and elo-
quent way how necessary it is for
all vacations in life to practice
patience. forethought and endur-
ance in attaining fixed results and
pointed to the splendid orchard Of
Mr.. Lomen as evidence of what can
be accomplished when a person in
attaining a certain object struggles
or any obstacle.
Prof. Hovde, of Luther College,
spoke at length on the subject of
Public Spirit" which was very in
teresting. He explained infinitely
how the right kind of public spirit
would develop and take hold, If
selfishness was set aside and in
place let activity, generosity, toler-
ance and common sense rule for the
public good. 1t was an address full
OF noble thoughts and constructive
iceas, which might be applied in
many ways or serve to better our
lives. We regret very much we are
unable to reproduce this highly
educational address in full.
The large crowd present enjoyed
the day immensely going through
Mr.. Lomen's fine orchard which no
doubt is one of the best in this
section of the state. The apple or
chard has about 1000 trees and over
500 Of them are heavily laden with
lncious fruit of many varieties. The
Wealthy and the Northwestern
Greening are two of the leaders
/ They are not only a good cooking
apple, but a good eating apple as
well. AS an illustration of what this
orchard produces Mr.. Lomen expects
to pick 400 barrels of apples this
fall. All Of these find ready mar
ket in this section, as Lomen's ap-
pies are well taken care of and are
keepers. He has an orchard sprayer
tie only one of it's kind in this Sec
ton. 1t is a four wheel affair carry
irg a large pressure tank, with $40
pounds pressure, and it does the
spraying work to perfection, and as
result Mr.. Lomen's apples are
Clean, healthy and good keepers.
Twenty-Five years ago he planted
bis first apple tree and it still
stands in the orchard bearing fine
fruit as regular as ever, and it is a
good strong healthy tree and not
a dead leaf on it. 1t is Longfield
apple tree.
Mr.. Lomen's plum orchard is a
dandy also, with a large variety. and
it will yield well this year. Besides
apples and plums everbearing straw
berries are another feature of this
fine farm home. and they have a
very fine bed Of them. Large and
lucious grapes find space also.
Mrs. Lomen is a great lover Of
flowers and she has lovely assort-
ment, Peoines and Gladiolas pre-
dominating, and they make the sur
roundings of the home very inviting.
The Lomen farm is known as the
Washington Prairie Poultry and
Fruit Farm and it consists of about
l60 acres, and Mr.. Lomen has al
ways made his home on it, being
away for five years from 1879 when
he enlisted in the regular army and
served five years, until 1884, when
he returned and has successfully
| operated the farm ever since. He
has a fine lot of cattle all Holsteins,
besides they raise a large number
CT fancy chickens. Taken all in all
the farm home is one of the model
Iowa farm homes, and it is a real
pleasure for anyone to make a visit
to it.
The meeting Of the horticulturists
Sunday was a most enjoyable and
instructive affair and many were the
expressions of admiration of the fine
OF chard and home of the Lomens.
The orchard will no doubt bear
better this year than for many years.
The trees are loaded now and il
looks as if Mr.. Lomen would gather
500 barrels this fall. All of the APP
pies that drop off the trees goes to
the pigs and they devour a good
many barrels, no doubt, during the
season. A visit to this orchard is
worth any persons time. 1t is only
a fifteen minute ride from town. and
enc can see what a real orchard
looks like.
Last Sunday will be long remem-
tered by the people who visited this