FORTY-SECOND ANNUAL REPORT OF THE NEBRASKA State Horticultural Society Containing all the Proceedings of the Summer Meeting held at Wymore, July 20 and 21, 1910, and the Annual Meeting held at the University Farm. Lincoln, January 17,18 and 19, 1911. By C. G. MARSHALL, Secretary LINCOLN, NEBRASKA Lltt?4«T • ^ ^Nl(;AL LINCOLN, NEB. PUBLISHED BY THE STATE 1911 y LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL. To His Excellency. Chester H. Aldrich, Governor of Nebraska: Sir — In compliance with legal requisition, the annual report of the Nebraska State Horticultural Society for the year 1911, with accompany- ing papers, is respectfully submitted. C. G. MARSHALL, Secretary Nehmftka State Horticultural Society. Lincoln, September 1, 19 T.. (3) •" ^MCAL CONTENTS. PAGE Letter of Transmittal 3 Officers 7 Standing Committees 9 Membership 11 Constitution 19 By-Laws 21 Horticultural Districts of the State 22 Proceedings Summer Meeting 37 Proceeding:s Annual Meeting 75 Secretary's Report 109 Treasurer's Report 116 Miscellaneous Papers 186 Index 293 (5) OFFICERS. President C. S. Harrison, York First Vice-President W. A. Harrison, York Second Vice-President Ed. Williams, Grand Island Treasurer Peter Youngers, Geneva Secretary C. G. Marshall, Lincoln DIRECTORS. A. J. Brown Geneva G. A. Marshall Arlington. J. A. Yager Fremont (7) STANDING COMMITTERS OF THE SOCIETY. SYNONYMS. G. A. Marshall, Arlington, A. J. Brown, Geneva, C. H. Barnard, Table Rock. METEOROLOGY, Prof. G. D. Swezey, Lincoln. ENTOMOLOGY AND ORNITHOLOGY. Prof. L. Bruner, Lincoln. VISITING COMMITTEE TO THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA EXPERIMENT STATION. C. S. Harrison, York. GEOLOGY. Prof. E. H. Barbour, Lincoln. FORESTRY. E. F. Stephens, Crete. VEGETABLE CULTURE. Prof. R. A. Emerson, Lincoln. ORNAMENTAL GARDENING. W. H. Dunman, Lincoln. FLORICULTURE. Ed. Williams, Grand Island, L. Henderson, Omaha, C. H. Green, Fremont. LEGISLATION. Peter Youngers, Geneva, L. C. Chapin, Lincoln, C. H. Barnard, Table Rock. (9) MEMBERSHIP, 1911. HONORARY LIFE MEMBERS. Beach, Prof. S. A Ames, Iowa Brackett, G. B Washington, D. C. Bruner, Prof. L Lincoln Burnett, Prof. E. A Lincoln Campbell, G. W Delaware, Ohio *Crounse Lorenzo Fort Calhoun Earle, P Post-oflBce unknown Garfield, C. W Grand Rapids, Mich. Greene, Wesley Des Moines, Iowa Hansen, Prof. N. E Brookings, S. D. Van Deuian, H. E 3630 13th St., N. W., Washington, D. C. Van Houton, George Lenox, Iowa ACTIVE LIFE MEMBERS. Adams, W. R Omaha Albert, U. G Normal Aldrich, Benton Johnson Aldrich, Carl Jofinson Alexander, A. A '". Palmyra Alexander, G. W Palmyra Allen, George L Spicer, Oregon Anderson, A. N Lincoln Atkinson, J. E Pawnee City Backes, H. J Humphrey Banks, E. H Post-ofRce unknown Barnard, C. H Table Rock Beltzer, L. A Osceola Bessey, Charles E Lincoln Blessing, David S 4 Court St., Harrisburg, Pa. Bliss, D. C Minden Blystone, W. J 33d and Dudley Sts., Lincoln Bowers, W. B Post-ofRce unknown Boyd, Chas J Ainsworth Brown, A. J Geneva Brown, Frank P * Florence Brown, Guy A .' Geneva Brown, J. L Kearney *Deceased. (11) 12 NEBRASKA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. Bruning, W. H Cedar Bluffs Camp, Charles B Cheney Card, F. W 1 Sylvania, Pa. Carpenter, G. J Provo, Utah Chapin, H. A Lincoln Chapin, L. C Lincoln Chowins, Charles E Lincoln Christ, J. W Box 761, Lincoln Christy, G. S Johnson Christy, S. W Glendora, Cal. Colvin, W. E Post-office unknown Coppoc, J. L Chambers Corbin, E. E Grand Island Crawford, William Post-office unknown Cross, P. B Lincoln Damrow, Charles P Post-office unknown Davey, R. H Omaha Davidson, J. R Aurora Davies, William Brownville Davis, W. H Pullerton De Prance, C. Q Post-office unknown Deweber, H. N Pawnee City Dillon, J. W Greeley, Colo. Dole, E. W Beatrice Dovel, O. P Auburn Dugap, John 34 So. Logan Ave., Denver, Colo. Dunkin, J. M Ravenna Dunlap, J. P ." Dwight Dunlap, N. C Kearney Dunman, W. H Lincoln Eckley, Walter Tekamah Edinborough, Philip Lincoln Emerson, Prof. R. A Lincoln Erfling, E. C 1150 Sherman Ave., Omaha Ernst, C. J 1418 So. 10th St., Omaha Ernst, William Tecumseh Pield, B. E Fremont Field, R. B Fremont Floth, Paul Omaha Fox, B. C Lincoln Predenburg, B Manitou, Colo. Frey, C. E Lincoln Prey, C. H Lincoln Frey, H. H Lincoln Prey, Irvin Lincoln Prey, J. B Lincoln MEMBERSHIP, 1911. 13 Gage, J. A Beatrice Gaiser, A Alliance Galbraith, G. B Fairbury Ganson, L. E Kearney Green, C. H Fremont Green, C. H., Jr Fremont Grennell, E. N Ft. Calhoun Guerney, C. W Yankton, S. D. Hadkinson, J. H Benson Haney, Chas 639 No. 14th St., Lincoln Harris, W. R Forest Grove, Oregon Harrison, C. S York Harrison, Harry S York Harrison, W. A York Hartley, E. T Lincoln Heald, Prof. F. D Lincoln Heath, H. E R. P. D. No. 4, Lincoln Helin, J. F 1612 Farnam St., Omaha Henderson, Lewis ' Omaha Hess, Jacob Omaha Hesseltine, Ray W Peru Hesser, W. J Pasadena, Cal. Hogg, J. A Shelton Hornung, Ernest Raymond Hornung, G. J College View Howe, H. R Auburn Hurlburt, C. M Fairbury Jackson, T. C Purdum * Jenkins, W. F Arcadia Jessup, J. G Clay Center Kaar, Theodore 910 So. 13th St., Lincoln Keyser, Val Lincoln Kretsinger, E. O Beatrice Langdon, J. N Seward Leonard, I. N Post-oflBce unknown Loughry, James Geneva Lundeen, N. P Alliance Mackley, W. H Table Maiben, Ben Palmyra Marshall, A. C Weeping Water Marshall, C. C Arlington Marshall, C. G Lincoln Marshall, G. A Arlington Marshall, H. W Arlington Martin, Arnold DuBois *Deceased. 14 NEBRASKA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. Martin, P. R 4622 Boulevard Ave., Omaha *Masters, J. H Syracuse Masters, J. W University Place McComb, H. A Post-oflBce unknown Mcintosh, H. P Alda Meek, James Talmage Meek, John Unadilla Mellor, W. R Lincoln Mergen, Philip Omaha Meyers, M. E Broken Bow Mohler, Wm Palls City Morsch, C. H Greeley Center Mosher, D. C Eugene, Ore. Mosher, P. C Wilber Mott, Bert Hastings Murphey, P. A Exeter Nation, J. W Fremont Neff, J. G Davey Nemechek, Paul Humboldt Nownes, Charles Papillion Parker, C. P Brock Paulson, Paul Omaha Payne, Mrs. G. H Omaha Pearson, James Denton Perin, S. W Lincoln Perry, T. H Elk Creek Peters, R. C 4S22 Cass St., Omaha Peterson, Prank 811 Pirst St. E., Calgary, Alberta, Can. Peterson, John Post-oflBce unknown Pollard, E. M Nehawka Pollard, Isaac Newhaka Randall, J. C Hamburg, Iowa Reed, Mrs. J. H Blue Springs Reed, M. H Post-ofRce unknown Riley, Alfred Greeley, Colo. Roberts, E. A Albion Rosenbaum, H. J Kennard Russell, D. L Lincoln Russell, J. D Lincoln Russell, J. M Lincoln Russell, L. M Lincoln, Sandoz, Jules Spade Saunders, Charles L 211 So. 18th St., Omaha Schamp, L. D Lincoln Schumacher, A York ♦Deceased. MEMBERSHIP, 1911. 15 Shroyer, J. O Humboldt Slayton, George A 192 Hillsdale St., Hillsdale, Mich. Smith, E. E Lincoln Smith, E. H York *Smith, H. C Falls City Smith, H. L Geneva Smith, O. P Blackfoot, Idaho Stahl, J. L Puyallup, Wash. Stenger, Albert Columbus Stephens, E. F Crete Stevens, Frank G Nampa, Idaho Stevenson, J. W North Bend Stilson, L. D York Stouffer, B. R Bellevue Strand, G. A Minden Swan, J. T Auburn *Swan, W. G University Place Swezey, Prof. G. D Lincoln Tanahill, Wm Post-oflBce unknown Taylor, F. W 711-715 Earnest & Cramer Bldg., Denver, Colo. Tester, Harry S 1315 No. 25th St., South Omaha Tiffany, M. D Lincoln Titus, G. N Nemaha Tracy, Charles A Benson Van Metre, C. M Valentine Walker, J. W Crete Ward, James Greeley Warren, G. F Harvard Watt, James R. F. D. No. 5, Lincoln Welch, G. L Fremont Wheeler, D. H Omaha Whitf ord, C. A Arlington Williams, Ed Grand Island Williams, John Tecumseh Williams, L. O University Place Williams, O. A Neligh Williams, Theodore Benson Wilson, A. T Arcadia Wilson, W. H Post-ofHce unknown Woods, A. F Washington, D. C. Wurtzel, John 1 210 Potter St., Lincoln Yager, J. A Fremont Youngers, Peter Geneva * Deceased. 16 NEBRASKA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. HONORARY ANNUAL MEMBERS. Laflin, Mrs Wymore McCandlass, A. D Wymore Reuling, Mrs. J. A Wymore Tanner, T. C Palo, Iowa ANNUAL MEMBERS. Albert, John, Jr Wahoo Anderson, A. C Columbus Anderson, D. E Burwell Andreasen, George Fremont Asendorf, B. H University Farm, Lincoln Ayeres, F. J David City Backes, P. J Osmond Backlund, F. W Stromsburg . Barkley, P. E Coleridge Barrett, G. W Brunswick Beckhoff, A. H University Farm, Lincoln Bennett, E. E Nehawka Berthold, G. E Nebraska City Blodgett, R. E. Beatrice Boyle, V. B Table Rock Brainard, W. N Normal Brebebeck. O. G Humphrey Bridenthal, L Wymore Brinton, C. W R. F. D. No. 2, Lincoln Brugger, M Columbus Bushell, W. H David City Butler, Nellie University Place Caldwell, A. W Elgin Camp, R. H Republican City Campbell, A Gresham Carpenter, R. W Fontanelle Carse, J. F 1000 4th Ave., Council Bluffs, Iowa Chambers, R. T Bennett Charlton, H University Farm, Lincoln Comer, J. H Odell Comstock, Ned Comstock Coupe, H. A Falls City Craig, J. S Leigh Cross, A. W Crawford Cummings, W. J Wallace Cunningham, P. G Columbus Dasenbrock, H Holdrege Davidson, F Holdrege Davidson, W. E Holdrege MEMBERSHIP, 1911. 17 Delano, H. C Arcadia De Vault, W. P Bayard Dickinson, Chas 833 O St., Lincoln Duncan, J. R Peru Erickson, J. E Funk Ethell, D. S Ceresco Fausch, H. R Guide Rock Felby, Robert A Box 617 Grand Island Flood, E. J Newman Grove Flynn, P. J Benson Forbes, W 420 No. 14th St., Lincoln Punk, Lewis Havelock Gardner, Charles F « Osage Gardner, W. H University Place Gingrich, Fred Aurora Goehner, Wm Seward Gould, Ira R Beatrice Gromlich, Howard, University Farm, Lincoln Hancock, John J Inman Heiderstadt, S. H Geneva Herminghaus, E. H 506 So. 10th St., Lincoln Higgins, J. C Nelson Hlavaty, Wm Spring Ranch HofMann, F. W Peru Hooker, A. R Maxwell Howard, R. F University Farm, Lincoln Howard, T. M ScottsblufE Hurley, Frank Elk Creek Isaacs, C. W '. Falls City Keifer, J. W Bostwick Kent, P. R 2510 E. 11th Ave., Denver, Colo. King, H. F Edgar Kuska, J. B 2226 Dudley St., Lincoln Kuska, Val Sheldon Blk., Lincoln Lamb, W. J Beatrice Lasch, A. A 1801 Sewell St., Lincoln Laukota, James Friend Lawson, James W York Liebers, O. H Minden Losher, Samuel O'Neill Lund, Wentzel Genoa McCartney, J. T University Farm, Lincoln McDonald, B. J Emerson Mangold, George M Bennington March, W. T McCook Marshall, Roy E R. F. D. No. 4, Lincoln 18 NEBRASKA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. Mathews, H. L Auburn Maxfield, Don 1815 Prospect St., Lincoln Mieth, F. E Cairo Mockett, Edwin R 2110 A St., Lincoln Moselej', T. W 1626 E St., Lincoln Mulligan, J. T Greeley Murray, C. A Elwood Myers, Wm. H Box 119, Bethany Nelson, H. A R. P. D. No. 3, Oakland Nelson, Leon Station A, Lincoln Nonnamaker, Edward Arlington Osborne, D. H University Place Patrick, Claude Lincoln Persinger, Prof. C. E Station A, Lincoln Pfaender, Max Mitchell Podlesak, Frank Geneva Poitevin, Ant Norden Possen, R. J University Farm, Lincoln Renard, E. J Arlington Renner, Fred University Farm, Lincoln Ritchey, H. W 4704 No. 24th St., Omaha Roberg, S. A Bradish Rogge, Willis Sterling Roman, I. M 3860 Davenport St., Omaha Russell, A Tecumseh Sackett, T. L Tamora Scofield, H. L 2450 So. 17th St., Lincoln Shumate, W. W Weeping Water Sidders, W. F R. F. D. No. 5, Lincoln Smith, S. A College View Squires, D. H Ord Strietz, Charles Millard Sundean, H. E 1844 P St., Lincoln Sutter, George Liberty Swanson, Charles Newman Grove Tanner, T. C Palo, Iowa Trotter, H. E Primrose Vasey, D Liberty Wendell, Charles Orchard Westgate, V. V • University Farm, Lincoln Wilcox, A. W North Platte Wilcox, E. M 3261 R St., Lincoln Wilcox, F. L Arborville Williams, F Tecumseh Williams, R. L University Place Willms, Sam Millard Yensen, Joseph Laurel Young, Andrew, Jr Craig Yule, F. G 145 No. 33d St., Lincoln CONSTITUTION. ARTICLE I. — Name. — This association shall be known as the Ne- braska State Horticultural Society. ARTICLE II. — Object. — This society shall have for its object the pro- motion of pomology, arboriculture, floriculture, and gardening. ARTICLE III. — Membership. — The membership of this society shall consist of four classes, viz., active, associate, annual honorary, and life honorary. The active membership shall consist of persons practically engaged in fruit culture, forestry, floriculture, or gardening, who shall be admitted to life membership on the payment of a fee of $.5 at one time; to associate membership by the payment of a fee of $1 annually. The honorary members shall consist of such persons as may be elected at any meeting of the society by a two-thirds vote of the members present, and shall have all the privileges and benefits of the society, except those of voting and holding ofiice, which privileges shall belong exclusively to active members and to associate members who have been members of the society for twelve months and who shall have paid their second an- nual dues. ARTICLE IV. — Officers. — The oflScers of this society shall be a presi- dent, first and second vice-presidents, secretary, treasurer, and board of directors of seven members, said board consisting of the ofiicers enumer- ated in this article, excepting a secretary, and three additional members. The officers, with the exception of the secretary, shall be elected by ballot at the annual meeting of the society in January. The secretary shall be elected by the executive board. The term of office of these officers, with the exception of directors, shall be for a period of one year, commencing on the first day of June following. One director shall be elected at the January meeting, 1906, for one year, one for two years, and one for three years, and afterwards every year one director to serve three years. ARTICLE V. — Duties of President. — It shall be the duty of the presi- dent to preside at all meetings of the society, appoint all committees not otherwise provided for, countersign all orders drawn on the treasurer by the secretary; in conjunction with the secretary he shall arrange all pro grams for the meetings of the society, and perform such other duties as the society or board of directors may require. ARTICLE VI. — Duties of Vice-Presidents. — The vice-presidents shall superintend all exhibits of the society, and in case of vacancy in the office of president at any meeting of the society or board of directors, shall per- form all the functions of that office in the order of their rank. ARTICLE VII. — Duties of Secretary. — The secretary shall keep an accurate record of the proceedings of all meetings of the society and board of directors, draw all warrants on the treasurer, and keep an a(^ (19) 20 NEBRASKA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. curate record of the same as countersigned by the president, prepare for publication and edit all reports of the society requiring publication by the statutes of the state; in conjunction with the president prepare all pro grams and make all other necessary arrangements for all meetings of the society. ARTICLE VIII. — Duties or Treastjber. — The treasurer shall be the custodian of all moneys belonging to the society, and shall pay from such funds all warrants drawn on him by the secretary and countersigned by the president. ARTICLE IX. — Duties of the Board of Directors. — The board of dl rectors shall have general management of all the affairs of the society, for which no specific directors are otherwise provided in the constitution and by-laws. ARTICLE X. — Bonds of Officers. — The president and secretary shall each give a bond in the sum of $5,000 and the treasurer in the sum of $12,000 for the proper performance of his duties, which bond must be ap- proved by the board of directors. ARTICLE XI. — Salaries of Officers. — The president, vice-president, treasurer, and members of the board of directors shall receive such per diem per day for their services in attendance upon the meetings of the society as the society or board of directors may from time to time deter- mine. The board of directors shall pay the secretary an annual salary of $1,000 if they deem best, in consideration of his keeping an open oflSce and giving his whole time to the work, spending at least eight hours a day in his office. It shall be his duty to put out each year a creditable annual report, issue monthly bulletins to each member, prepare articles at least once a month for the leading papers, doing also his utmost to secure new members. This to be done with the advice and direction of the executive board. ARTICLE XII. — Reports of Officers. — The president, secretary and treasurer shall each present an annual report in writing at the January meeting of all the business matters pertaining to their respective offices during the annual term expiring at that time. ARTICLE XIII. — Meetings. — The society shall hold two or more meet- ings each year. The annual meeting shall be held in Lincoln on the third Tuesday in January, as provided by statute, and the other meetings shall be held at the same time and place as the annual exhibition of the Ne- braska State Board of Agriculture. ARTICLE XIV. — By-Laws. — By-laws not in conflict with the provision = of this constitution may be enacted by the society at any regular meeting. ARTICLE XV.— Amendments. — The constitution may be amended at January meetings of the society by a two-thirds vote of the members pres- ent, such amendments having been presented in writing and read before the society at a session preceding the one in which the vote is taken. BY-LAWS. iii BY-LAWS. 1. All the officers of this society shall be elected at the January meet- ing, except the secretary, who shall be elected' by the Board of Directors. 2. All officers of this society shall assume the duties of their respective offices on the first day of June following their election, and continue in office for the period of one year, or until their successors are elected and qualified. 3. The amount allowed the secretary for express, postage and station- ery shall not exceed $150 per annum, and it shall be the duty of the board of directors to employ a competent stenographer to report the proceed- ings of the meetings of the society, whose fee shall be paid by the society. 4. The first business of the society shall be on each morning the reading of the minutes of the previous day's proceedings, and submitting the same to the approval of the meeting. 5. There shall be appointed by the board of directors nineteen district directors, one from each horticultural district in the state. Also a standing committee of three on synonyms. Also a standing committee of one on each of the following: Meteorology in its relation to Horticulture, Entomology, Ornithology, Geology, Forestry, Vegetable Culture, and Ornamental Gardening, 6. These by-laws may be amended at any general meeting of the so- ciety by a majority of the members present. 22 NEBRASKA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. HORTICULTURAL DISTRICTS OF THE STATE. REPORT OP COMMITTEE ON REDISTRICTING THE STATE. We, your committee to whom was referred the matter of redistricting the state and revision of the list of fruits and ornamentals recommended for general planting in Nebraska, beg to submit the following report: For District No. 1, comprising Richardson, Nemaha, Otoe, Johnson, and Pawnee counties, we recommend the following for general planting: APPLES: Summer— Duchess, Cooper's Early White, Cole's Quince. Early Harvest, and Sweet June. For second choice we recommend Red Astrachan. Autumn— Wealthy, Maiden's Blush, Famuse, Dyer, and War- field. Winter — Grimes' Golden, Winesap, Jonathan, Gano, Ben Davis, Salome, N. W. Greening, Missouri Pippin, and Virginia Beauty. BLACKBERRIES: Snyder and Early Harvest. CHERRIES: Early Richmond, Montmorency, and English Morello. CRAB-APPLES: Whitney No. 20, Hyslop, and Siberian. CURRANTS: Red Dutch, Victoria and White Grape. GOOSEBERRIES: Downing, Houghton, Industry, and Red Jacket. GRAPES: Concord, Worden, Moore's Early, Niagara, Moore's Dia mond, and Woodruff Red. PEACHES: Alexander, Early Rivers, Triumph, Hale's Early, Russell, Champion, Crosby, Hill's Chili, Heath Cling, Salway, and Wright. PEARS: Kieffer, Bartlett, Sheldon, and Seckel. PLUMS: American — Forest Garden, Wild Goose, and Wyant. Jap- anese — Abundance and Burbank. RASPBERRIES: Cumberland, Kansas, Gregg, Nemaha, Turner (Red), and Cardinal (Purple). STRAW^BERRIES: Senator Dunlap, Splendid, Bederwood, Crescent. Gandy, and August Luther. For District No. 2, comprising Cass, Sarpy, Douglas, Washington, Burt, Dodge, and Saunders counties, we recommend the following for general planting: APPLES: Summer — Duchess, Yellow Transparent, Cole's Quince, Dyer. Sweet June, Red Astrachan, Red June, Chenango, Strawberry, Early Pen- nock, Early Harvest, American Summer Permain, Benoni, and Summer Hagloe. Autumn — Wealthy, Utter's Red, Maiden's Blush, Ramsdell Sweet, Fulton Strawberry, Flora Belle, Plumb's Cider, Famuse, Warfield, Porter, Fulton, and McMahon's White. Winter — Ben Davis, Gano, Winesap. Windsor, Jonathan, Grimes' Golden, JAnet, N. W. Greening, Salome, In- graham, Black Twig, and Isham Sweet. For second choice we recommend Missouri Pippin and Iowa Blush. (23) 24 NEBRASKA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY, APRICOTS: Alexis, Budd, and Moorpark. BLACKBERRIES: Snyder. CHERRIES: Early Richmond, Montmorency, Englisti Morello, and Dyehouse. CRAB-APPLES: Whitney No. 20, Hyslop, Florence, and Martha. CURRANTS: Victoria, Cherry, White Grape, Fay's Prolific, and North Star. GOOSEBERRIES: Downing, Ploughton, and Champion. GRAPES: Concord, Worden, Moore's Early, Agawam, Brighton, Pock lington, Moore's Diamond, and Woodruff Red. PEACHES: Alexander, Early Rivers, Triumph, Russell, Champion, Bokara, and Wright for general planting in Cass and Sarpy counties, and for trial in balance of district. PEARS: Kieffer, Flemish Beauty, Sheldon, Duchess, and L. B. De Jersey. PLUMS: American — Wild Goose, Wyant, Wolf, Stoddard, Hawkeye, DeSoto, Forest Garden. European — Lombard, Shipper's Pride, Green Gage, Shrop, and Damson. For trial, Japanese — Burbank, Abundance, and Wickson. RASPBERRIES: Nemaha, Kansas, Palmer, and Cumberland. STRAWBERRIES: Senator Dunlap, Splendid, Bederwood, Crescent. Sample and Warfield. For District No. 3. comprising Stanton, Thurston, Wayne, Dakota, Dixon, and Cedar counties, we recommend the following for general plant- ing. APPLES: Summer — Yellow Transparent, Duchess, Cooper's Early choice. Red Astrachan and Sweet June. For trial. Summer Hagloe. Au- tumn — Wealthy, Utter's Red, Flora Belle, Famuse, and Ramsdell Sweet. For second choice, Maiden's Blush and Plumb's Cider. For trial, Warfield and McMahon's White. Winter — First choice for entire district, N. W. Greening, Salome, and Janet. First choice for south half of district, Ben Davis, Gano, and Winesap. Second choice for entire district, Iowa Blush and Missouri Pippin. For trial, Windsor. BLACKBERRIES: Snyder. CHERRIES: Early Richmond, Montmorency, and English Morello. For trial, Terry, Baldwin, and Ostheim. CRAB-APPLES: Whitney No. 20, Hyslop, Florence, and Martha. CURRANTS: Victoria, White Grape, Cherry, and Fay's Prolific. GOOSEBERRIES: Downing, Houghton, and Champion. GRAPES: Concord, Worden, Moore's Early, and Pocklington. For trial. Brighton, Agawam, and Moore's Diamond. PEACHES: Alexander, Triumph, Champion, Bokara, and Wright for trial only. PEARS: Kieffer, Flemish Beauty, Sheldon, Duchess, and L. B. De Jersey for trial only. PLUMS: American — Wyant. Wolf, Wild Goose, Forest Garden, and DeSoto. European — Lombard, Shipper's Pride, and Green Gage. First HORTICULTURAL DISTRICTS OF THE STATE. 25 choice for south half of district, Wild Goose. For trial In entire district. Japanese — Burbank and Abundance. RASPBERRIES: Nemaha, Kansas. Palmer, Columbia, and Cumber land. STRAWBERRIES: Senator Dunlap, Splendid, Bederwooa, Crescent. Sample, and Warfield. For District No. 4, comprising Gage, Jefferson, Saline, and Lancaster counties, we recommend the following for general planting: APPLES: Summer — Yellow Transparent, Duchess, Cooper's Early White, Early Harvest, Red June, and Sweet June. Autumn — Wealthy, Maiden's Blush, Famuse, and Utter's Red. Winter — Ben Davis, Gano Winesap, Jonathan, Grimes' Golden, Missouri Pippin, and N. W. Greening. BLACKBERRIES: Snyder and Early Harvest. CHERRIES: Early Richmond, Montmorency, and English Morello. CRAB-APPLES: Whitney No. 20, Hyslop, Florence, Martha, Red and Yellow Siberian. CURRANTS: Red Dutch, Victoria, and White Grape. GOOSEBERRIES: Downing, Houghton, and Industry. GRAPES: Concord, Worden, Moore's Early, and Niagara. PEACHES: Alexander, Early Rivers, Triumph, Hale's Early, Russell. Champion, Crosby, Hill's Chili, Heath's Cling, Salway, and Wright. PEARS: Duchess, Flemish Beauty, and Seckel. PI..UMS: American — Wyant, Hawkeye, Wild Goose, and Forest Gar- den. Japanese — Burbank. RASPBERRIES: Kansas, Palmer, Gregg, and Turner. STRAWBERRIES: Senator Dunlap, Splendid, Bederwood, Crescent, and Gandy. For District No. 5, compromising Thayer, Nuckolls, Fillmore, and Clay counties, we recommend the following for general planting: APPLES: Summer — Duchess, Cooper's Early White, Cole's Quince, Early Harvest, Red June, and Sweet June. Autumn — Maiden's Blush, Wealthy, Famuse, Dyer, and Warfield. Winter — Ben Davis, Gano, Wine sap, Jonathan, Grimes' Golden, Janet, and Missouri Pippin. BLACKBERRIES: Snyder. CHERRIES: Early Richmond, Montmorency, English Morello, and Dyehouse. CRAB APPLES: Whitney No. 20, Hyslop, Florence, and Martha. CURRANTS: Cherry, La Versailles, Victoria, Prince Albert, London Market, Red Dutch, and White Grape. DEWBERRIES: Lucretia. JUNEBERRIES: Dwarf. GOOSEBERRIES: Downing and Houghton. GRAPES: Concord, Worden, Moore's Early, Duchess, Agawam, and Brighton. PEACHES: Amsden, Alexander, Hale's Early, Early Rivers, Russell, Cooledge, Champion, Triumph. Heath Cling, Wright, Smock, and Hill's (ihill. 2 26 NEBRASlvA SXATK HORTICULTUEAJ> SOCIETY. PEARS: Flemish Beauty and Bartlett. PLUMS: American— Wild Goose, Minor, Forest Garden,. Wolf. Wyant, UeSoto, and Hawkeye. European — Lombard. RASPBERRIES: Kansas, Palmer, and Nemaha. STRAWBERRIES: Senator Dunlap. Clyde, Bederwood, Crescent, and VVarfield. For District No. ti, comprising Seward, Butler, Polk, York, and Hamil- ton counties, we recommend the following for general planting: APPLES: Summer — Yellow Transparent, Early Harvest. Cooper's Early White, Red .Tune, Duchess, Summer Queen, and Sweet June. Au tumn — Wealthy, Maiden's Blush, Utter's Red, Patton's Greening, Wolf River, Peerless, and Snow. Winter — Winesap, Missouri Pippin, Ben Davis, N. W. Greening, Janet, Salome, Walbridge, Ingram, M. B. Twig, Gano, Jonathan, Iowa Blush, Grimes' Golden, York Imperial, Minkler. and Rome Beauty. APRICOTS: Russian. ASPARAGUS: Conover's Colossal and Palmetto. BLACKBERRIES: Snyder. CHERRIES: Early Richmond, Dyehouse, Large. Montmorency, Eng- lish Morello, and Ostheim. CRAB-APPLES: Whitney No. 20, Florence, Martha, Golden Beauty, Myslop, and Transcendent. CURRANTS: Victoria, Cherry, Versailles, and White Grape. DEWBERRIES: Lucretia. JUNEBERRIES: Dwarf. GOOSEBERRIES: Downing and Pearl. GRAPES: Concord, Worden, Moore's Early, Elvira, Niagara, Wyom- ing Red, and Pocklington. PEACHES: Alexander, Early Rivers, Triumph, Hale's Early, Russell, Champion, Crosby, Hill's Chili, Wright, and Bokara. PEARS: Flemish Beauty, Seckel, Duchess, and Lincoln. PLUMS: American — Wyant, Wolf, Weaver, DeSoto, Forest Garden, Stoddard, Cheney, and Hawkeye. European — Lombard. German Prune, and Tagge. Japanese — Burbank and Wickson. RASPBERRIES: Cumberland, Kansas, Gregg, and Ohio. RHUBARB: Linnaeus and Victoria. STRAWBERRIES. Senator Dunlap, Warfield, Sample, Aroma, and Haverland. For District No. 7, comprising Colfax, Platte, Boone, Nance, and Mer- rick counties, we recommend the following for general planting: APPLES: Summer — Yellow Transparent and Duchess. For second choice. Sweet June. For trial. Summer Hagloe. Autumn — Wealthy, Ut ter's Red, Ramsdell Sweet. For second choice. Plumb's Cider, Flora Belle, Famuse, and Maiden's Blush. For trial, Warfield. Winter — Ben Davis, Gano, Winesap, Janet, N. W. Greening. For second choice, Iowa Blush, and Missouri Pippin. For trial, Salome, Black Twig, and Windsor. APRICOTS: Fully as hardy as the hardiest peaches. HORTICULTURAL DISTRICTS OV THK STATK. 27 BLACKBERRIES: Unsuccessful except in damp seasons and favored localities. Snyder, and for trial, Stone's Hardy. CHERRIES: Early Richmond, Montmorency, English Morello. For trial, Dyehouse, Baldwin, and Terry. CRAB-APPLES: Whitney No. 20, Hyslop, Florence, and Martha. CURRANTS: Victoria and White Grape. GOOSEBERRIES: Downing and Houghton. GRAPES: Concord, Worden, Moore's Early, and Pocklington. For second choice, Elvira. For trial, Moore's Diamond and Brighton. PEACHES: Alexander, Triumph, Champion, Bokara, Russell, an-I Wright for trial. PEARS: For trial only, Kieffer, Sheldon, Flemish Beauty, and L. B DeJersey. PLUMS: American— Wild Goose, Wyant, Wolf, Forest Garden. Euro pean — Lombard, Shipper's Pride, and Green Gage. For trial, Japanese — Burbank and Abundance. American — Stoddard. RASPBERRIES: Nemaha. Kansas, and Palmer. Successful only In damp seasons or favored localities. STRAWBERRIES: Senator Dunlap, Warfield. Crescent, and Beder wood. For trial. Sample and Splendid. For District No. 8, comprising Madison. Pierce, Antelope, and Knox counties, we recommend the following for general planting: APPLES: Summer — Duchess and Yellow Transoarent. For second choice. Red Astrachan and Tetofsky. For trial. Summer Hagloe and Sweet .Tune. Autumn — Wealthy and Utter's Red. For second choice. Plumb's Cider, Flora Belle, Snow, Ramsdell Sweet, and Maiden's Blush. For trial, Warfield and McMahon's White. W^inter — First choice for en- tire district, N. W. Greening. To be added for south half of district, Ben Davis, Gano, and Winesar). Second choice for entire district, Iowa Blush, Missouri Piunin, and Walbridge. For trial in entire district, Windsor. BLACKBERRIES: Snyder. CHERRIES: Early Richmond, Montmorency, and English Morello For trial, Terry and Baldwin. CRAB-APPLES: Whitney No. 20, Hyslop, Florence, and Martha. CURRANTS: Victoria and White Grape. For trial. Cherry, Fay's Prolific, and London Market. GOOSEBERRIES: Downing, Houghton, and Champion. GRAPES: Concord, Wcrden, Moore's Early, and Pocklington. For trial, Moore's Diamond and Brighton. PEACHES: For trial only, Alexander, Champion, Bokara, and Wright. PEARS: For trial only, Kieffer, Sheldon, Flemish Beauty, and L. B. DeJersey. PLUMS: American — Wyant, Wolf, as first choice for entire district. Second choice for entire district, DeSoto, Forest Garden, and Stoddard. First choice for south half of district. Wild Goose. For trial in entire district, Burbank, Lombard, Shippo^r's Pride, and Green Gage. RASPBERRIES: First choice for river counties and for trial in bal 28 NEBUASKA STATE HORTICULTUEAL, SOCIETY. ance of district, Nemaha, Kansas, Palmer, Cumberland, and Columbia. For trial in entire district. Cardinal. STRAWBERRIES: Senator Dunlap, Sample, Warfield, Bederwood Splendid, and Crescent. For district No. 9, comprising Holt, Boyd, Keya Paha, Brown, and Rock counties, we recommend the following for general planting: APPLES: Summer — Duchess, Yellow Transparent, and Summer Hag ioe. For trial. Red Astrachan. Autumn — Wealthy and Utter's Red. Foi trial. Maiden's Blush and Plumb's Cider. Winter — Salome, N. W. Green ing, Janet, Iowa Blush, Winesap, Walbridge, and Ben Davis. BLACKBERRIES: For trial only, Snyder. CHERRIES: Early Richmond, Montmorency, English Morello, and Terry. CRAB-APPLES: Whitney No. 20, Hyslop, Florence, and Martha. CURRANTS: Victoria, White Grape, Cherry, Fay's Prolific, and Lon cion Market. GOOSEBERRIES: Downing and Houghton. GRAPES: Concord, Worden, Moore's Early, Pocklington, and Moore's Diamond. Grapes should be covered in winter to insure success. PEACHES: For trial only, Alexander, Champion, Bokara, and Wright. PEARS: For trial only, Kieffer, Sheldon, Flemish Beauty, and L. B. DeJersey. PLUMS: American — Wyant, Wolf, Stoddard, DeSoto, and Forest Gar den. RASPBERRIES: Kansas, Palmer, and Nemaha. STRAWBERRIES: Senator Dunlap, Splendid, Bederwood, Crescent, Sample, and Warfield. For District No. 10, comprising Howard, Greeley, Wheeler, Garfield. Valley, Sherman, Custer, Loup, and Blaine counties, we recommended the rollowing for general planting: APPLES: Summer — Yellow Transparent, Early Harvest, Cooper's Early White, Duchess, and Sweet June. Autumn — Wealthy, Maiden's Blush, Utter's Red, and Patton's Greening. Winter — Missouri Pippin, Ben Davis, N. W. Greening, Salome, Walbridge, Janet, Gano, Jonathan, Iowa Blush, and Grimes' Golden. APRICOTS: Russian varieties. ASPARAGUS: Conover's Colossal and Palmetto. BLACKBERRIES: Snyder. CHERRIES: Early Richmond, Large .Montmorency. English Morello. Baldwin, Dyehouse, and Ostheim. CRAB- APPLES: Whitney No. 20, Florence, Martha, Golden Beauty and Hyslop. CURRANTS: Victoria, Cherry, Versailles, and White Grape. DEWBERRIES: Lucretia. JUNEBERRIES: Dwarf. GOOSEBERRIES: Downing and Houghton. UOUTICULTUKAL OISTUICTS OF THE tsXATiji. 29 GRAPES: Concord, Worden, Moore's Early, Elvira, Niagara, and Wy- oming Red. PEACHES: Alexander, Triumph, Russell, Bokara, Hill's Chili, Crosby, and Wright. PEARS: For trial only, Flemish Beauty, Seckel, Duchess, and Lincoln. PLUMS: American — Wyant, Wolf, Weaver, DeSot.o. Forest Garden, Stoddard, Cheney, and Hawkeye. Japanese — Burbank and Wickson. RASPBERRIES: Cumberland, Kansas, Gregg, and Ohio. RHUBARB: Linnaeus and Victoria. STRAWBERRIES: Senator Dunlap, Sample, Warfield, Aroma, Haver- land, and Crescent. For District No. 11, comprising Hall and Buffalo counties, we recom mend the following for general planting: APPLES: Summer — Yellow Transparent, Early Harvest, Cooper's Early White, Red June, Duchess, and Sweet June. Autumn — Wealthy, Maiden's Blush, Utter's Red, Patton's Greening, Wolf River, and Snow. Winter — Winesap, Missouri Pippin, Ben Davis, N. W. Greening, Janet, Salome, Walbridge, M. B. Twig, Gano, Jonathan, Iowa Blush, Grimes' Golden, and York Imperial. APRICOTS: Russian varieties. ASPARAGUS: Conover's Colossal and Palmetto. BLACKBERRIES: Snyder. CHERRIES: Early Richmond, Large Montmorency, English Morello. Baldwin, Dyehouse, and Ostheim. CRAB-APPLES: Whitney No. 20, Florence, Martha, Golden Beauty, and Hyslop. CURRANTS: Victoria, Cherry, Versailles, and White Grape. DEWBERRIES: Lucretia. JUNEBERRIES: Dwarf. GOOSEBERRIES: Downing and Houghton. GRAPES: Concord, Worden, Moore's Early, Elvira, Niagara, Wyom ing Red. and Pocklington. PEACHES: Alexander, Early Rivers, Triumph, Hale's Early, Russell, Champion, Crosby, Hill's Chili, Wright, and Bokara. PEARS: For trial only, Flemish Beauty, Seckel, Duchess, and Lincoln. PLUMS: American — Wolf, Weaver, DeSoto, Forest Garden, Stoddard. Cheney, and Hawkeye. European — Lombard, German Prune. Japanese — Burbank and Wickson. RASPBERRIES: Cumberland and Kansas. RHUBARB: Linnteus and Victoria. STRAWBERRIES: Senator Dunlap, Sample, Warlield, Aroma, Haver land, and Bederwood. For District No. 12, comprising Adams, Webster, Franklin, Kearney Phelps, and Harlan counties, we recommend the following for general planting: APPLES: Summer — Yellow Transparent, Early Harvest, Cooper's Early White, and Duchess. Autumn — Wealthy, Utter's Red, and Plumb's 30 NEBRASKA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. Cider. Winter — Winesap, Missouri Pippin, Ben Davis, N. W. Greening. Salome, Gano, Jonathan, Iowa Blush, Grimes' Golden, and .Tanet. APRICOTS: Russian. ASPARAGUS: Conover's Colossal and Palmetto. BLACKBERRIES: Snyder. CHERRIES: Early Richmond, Large Montmorency, English Morello. Baldwin, Dyehouse, and Ostheim. CRAB-APPLES: Whitney No. 20, Florence, and Martha. CURRANTS: Victoria, Cherry. Versailles, White Grape, White Dutch and Fay's Prolific. DEWBERRIES: Lucretia. .lUNERERRIES: Dwarf. GOOSEBERRIES: Downing and Houghton. GRAPES: Concord, Worden, Moore's Early, Elvira, Niagara, Wyom- ing Red, and Pocklington. PEACHES: Alexander, Early Rivers, Triumph, Hale's Early, Cham pion, Crosby, Hill's Chill, Wright, and Cooledge. PEARS: For trial only, Flemish Beauty, Seckel, and Kieffer. PLUMS: American— Wyant, Wolf, Weaver, DeSoto, Forest Garden Stoddard, Cheney, Hawkeye, Wild Goose, Robinson, and Pottawattamie ■Tapancse — Burhank and Wickson. RASPBERRIES: Cumberland and Kansas. STRAWBERRIES: Senator Dunlap, Sample, Warfield, Aroma, Haver land, and Crescent. For District No. 13, comprising Furnas, GosTier, Frontier, and Red WIl low counties, we recommend the following for general planting: APPLES: Summer — Duchess and Cooper's Early White. Autumn — 'Wealthy and Maiden's Blush. Winter — Winesap, Missouri Pippin, Janet, Ben Davis, and Gano. APRICOTS: Russian. CHERRIES; Early Richmond, Dyehouse, Large Montmorency, and English Morello. CRAB-APPLES: Whitney and Florence. CURRANTS: Victoria, Cherry, Versailles, and White Grape. GOOSEBERRIES: Downing and Houghton. GRAPES: Concord and Elvira. PEACHES: Alexander, Early Rivers, Hale's Early, Triumph, Russell. Champion, Hill's Chili, and Wright. PEARS: For trial only, Seckel, Sheldon, and Flemish Beauty. PLUMS: American — Forest Garden, Hawkeye; and Minor. Japanese — Burbank. STRAWBERRIES: Bederwood, Warfield, Crescent, and Senator Dun lap. For District No. 14, comprising Dawson, Lincoln, and Keith counties, we recommend the following for general planting: APPLES: Summer — Duchess, Early Harvest, and Yellow Transparent HOKTICULTUUAL DISTKH'JS UK TIlK STATE. 31 Autumn — Wealthy and Utter's Red. Winter — Ben Davis, Winesap, Janet. Missouri Pippin, and Jonathan. BLACKBERRIES: Snyder. CHERRIES: Early Richmond, English Morello, and Montmorency. CRAB-APPLES: Whitney No. 20, Hyslop, Florence, and Martha. CURRANTS: Red Dutch, Victoria, and White Grape. GOOSEBERRIES: Downing and Houghton. GRAPES: Moore's Early, Worden, Elvira, and Concord. PEACHES: Alexander, Early Rivers, Champion, Crosby, and Wright. i^LUMS: American^ — Wyant, DeSoto, Forest Garden, and Hawkeye. European — Lombard. RASPBERRIES: Cumberland and Kansas. STRAWBERRIES: Senator Dunlap, August Luther, Splendid, Beder wood, and Crescent. For District No. 15, comprising Hitchcock, Hayes, Perkins, Chase, and Dundy counties, we recommend the following: APPLES: Summer — Duchess and Yellow Transparent. Autumn — Wealthy, I'tter's Red, and Famuse. Winter — N. W. Greening, Ben Davis, Gano, Janet, and Winesap. ASPARAGUS: Conover's Colossal. CHERRIES: Early Richmond, Montmorency, English Morello, and Dyehouse. CRAB-APPLES: Whitney, Hyslop, Florence, and Martha. CURRANTS: Red Dutch, Victoria, Cherry, and White Grape. GOOSEBERRIES: Downing and Houghton. GRAPES: Moore's Early, Worden, Elvira, and Concord. PEACHES: Alexander, Early Rivers, Russell, Hill's Chili, and Wright. PLUMS: American — Forest Garden, Hawkeye, Wolfe, and DeSoto. RHUBARB: Linnaeus. STRAWBERRIES: Bederwood, Warfield, Crescent, and Senator Dun- lap. For District No. 16, comprising Logan, Thomas, Hooker, MePherson, and Grant counties, we recommend the following for general planting: APPLES: Summer — Duchess. Autumn — Wealthy. Winter — Walbridge, Iowa Blush, and N. W. Greening. CHERRIES: Early Richmond and Montmorency. CRAB-APPLES: Whitney, Hyslop, Florence, and Martha. CURRANTS: White Grape, Victoria, and Cherry. GOOSEBERRIES: Houghton. GRAPES: Concord. PLUMS: American — Stoddard, Cheney, DeSoto, Forest Garden, Wolf, and Wyant. For District No. 17, Cherry county, we recommend the following for general planting on dry land with good care: APPLES: Summer — Duchess. Autumn— Wealthy. Any varieties rec- ommended for Districts 3. 8, or 9 will do well in most places in District 17. 32 NEBRASKA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. CHERRIES: Early Richmond, Montmorency, English Morello, and Dyehouse. For trial, Early Morello and Terry. CRAB-APPLES: Whitney No. 20, General Grant, and Virginia. CURRANTS: White Grape. Victoria, and London Market. GOOSEBERRIES: Houghton. PEACHES: Alexander and Wright. PLUMS: American — Wyant. Stoddard, (Cheney, and Hamer. STRAWBERRIES: Crescent, Bederwood, and Warfield. For District No. 18, comprising Box Butte, Dawes, Sioux, and Sheri- dan counties, we recommend the following: APPLES: Summer — Duchess and Wealthy, with good care. Any vari- eties recommended for Districts 3, 8, and 9, will do well in most places for District 18, under irrigation. CHERRIES: Early Richmond, English Morello, Montmorency, Dje- house, and Terry. CRAB-APPLES: Whitney No. 20, Hyslop, Florence, Martha, and Transcendent. CURRANTS: Victoria, White Grape, White Dutch, and Red Dutch. GOOSEBERRIES: Houghton. PEACHES: Alexander and Wright. PLUMS: American— Wyant, Stoddard, Cheney, and Hamer. Euro- pean — Lombard and Shipper's Pride. RASPBERRIES: Cumberland and Kansas. STRAWBERRIES: Senator Dunlap, Sample, Warfield, Bederwood, Splendid, and Crescent. For District No. 19, comprising Deuel, Cheyenne, Scott's Bluff, Banner. and Kimball counties, we recommend the following for general planting: APPLES: Summer— Duchess, Yellow Transparent, and Cooper's Early White. Autumn — Wealthy. Winter — Ben Davis, Gano, Janet, Grimes' Golden, Iowa Blush, and N. W. Greening. CHERRIES: Early Richmond, Montmorency, and English Morello. CRAB-APPLES: Whitney No. 20, Hyslop, Florence, and Martha. CURRANTS: Red Dutch, Victoria, and White Grape. GOOSEBERRIES: Downing, Houghton, and Smith's Improved. GRAPES: Concord and Moore's Early. PEARS: Flemish Beauty, Bartlett, and Kieffer. PLUMS: American — Forest Garden. Wolf, Pottawattamie, DeSoto, Cheney, and Stoddard. RASPBERRIES: Cumberland and Kansas. STRAWBERRIES: Warfield, Senator Dunlap, Brandywine, Gandy, and Crescent. LIST OF ORNAMENTALS. 33 LIST OF ORNAMENTALS INCLUDING TREES. SHRUBS, ROSES. VINES. BULBS, ETC.. WHICH APPLIES TO THE ENTIRE STATE EXCEPT WHERE OTHERWISE SPECIFIED. Snowball. Hydrangea Panlculata Grandiflora. Syringa, all kinds. Weigelia. Variegated and Rosea. Flowering Almond. Lilac, all kinds. Spireas as follows: Van Houtii. Arguta. Thunbergii. Collossa Alba and Ruberea. Anthony Waterer. Biimalda. Billardii. Prunifolia. Bulbs and Tubers, Pseonias. Dahlias. Tulips. Gladioli. Lilies. Tuberoses. Hardy Shrubs. Golden Leaf (Aurea). High Bush Cranberry. Altheas. Caragana. Moss Acacia. Yucca Filamentosa. Forsythia. Purple Berberry. Golden Leaf Alder Tamarix Amaurensis. Dogwood. VVahoo. Rosa Rugosa. Rechtol Flowering Crab. Phlox. Oriental Poppy. Columbine. Gaillardia. Bleeding Heart. Golden Glow. American Ivy quefolia). Honeysuckles. Wistaria. Perennials. Iris. Larkspur. Foxglove. I Cannas. Caladium. Climbers. (Ampelopsis Quin- Trumpet Vine. Clematis. Bitter Sweet. Crimson Rambler. White Rambler. Wichuriana Creeper. Climbing Roses. Prairie Queen. Baltimore Belle. .34 NEBRASKA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. Harrison's Yellow. Persian Yellow. JAixerabourg. Crested Moss. JvsK Roses. Madam Plantier. Moss Roses. Glory of Mosses. White Moss. Hybrid Perpetual Roses. Alfred Colomb. Anne De Diesbach. Margaret Dickson. Baron De Bonstetten. .Mabel Morrison. Prince Camille de Rohn. Tom Wood. Marshall P. Wilder. Coquette Des Alpe. Thurlow Weeping Willow. Teas Weening Mulberry. General Jarqueminof,. .John Hopper. Ulrich Bruner. Paul Neyron. Magna Charta. Madame Chas. Wood. Fisher Holmes. .Jules Margotten. Mrs. .John Lang. WEEPTifG Trees. Camperdown Weeping Elm. Cut T-.eaf Weeping Birch. Hackberry. Sycamore (S. E. part) Carolina Poplar. European Mt. Ash. Black Walnut. Butternut. Ash. Soft Maple. Elm. Berberry. Japan Quince. Splrea. Osage Orange. Honey XjOcust. /:ir/]. Ash. Soft Maple. Catalpa Speciosa. Walnut. Ornamental Shade Trees. Russian Mulberry. Catalpa Speciosa (S. E. part). American Linden. White Birch. Horse Chestnut (S. E. part). Sweet Chestnut (S. E. part). Russian Olive. Oaks. Hard Maple (extreme east) Ornamental Hedge. California Privet. Tamarix. Common Hedge. Russian Mulberry. F'oREST Trees. Honey Locust. Russian Mulberry. Osage Orange. Box-Elder. 1-IST OF ORNAMENTALS. EVEROnEENS. Black Hills Spruce. Ponderosa Pine. Pungens. Austrian Pine. Englemon Spruce. Scotch Pine. Douglas Spruce. White Pine (extreme east). Concolor. Balsam Fir. Respectfully submitted, G. A. MARSHALL. Chairman. G. A. STRAND. A. J. BROWN, C. H. BARNARD, W. G. SWAN, G. N. TITUS, E. P. STEPHENS. H. S. HARRISON, W. F. JENKINS, Committfv. P.ROCEEDINGS. Proceedings of the Summer Meeting of tlie Nebraska State Horticultural Society, held at Wymore. July 20, 21. 1910. SUMMER MEETING. PROCEEDINGS. The summer meeting of the Nebraska State Horticultural Society convented at the Armory, Wymore, Wednesday, July 20, 1910, with Pres- ident Harrison in the chair. The following program being carried out: Wednesday, July 20, » 10 A. M. Arranging fruit and floral displays and renewing acquaintances. 2:00 P. M. Invocation Rev. E. F. Gates Address of Welcome Hon. Adam McMullen Response Pres. C. S. Harrison Music Wymore Male Quartet The Home Beautiful Mrs. J. A. Reuling, Wymore Discussion A. D. McCandlass, Wymore Question Box. 7:00 P. M. Automobile trip about the city of Wymore and through the city parks. Thursday, July 21. 9:30 A. M. Music Burnham Orchestra Ornamental Shrubs. .Philip Edinborough, Supt. City Parks, Lincoln, Neb. Hints on Landscaping W. H. Dunham, Landscape Gardener, University of Nebraska Conservation C. S. Harrison, Yoxk Question Box. 2:00 P. M. Music Wymore Male Quartet Forestry Mrs. W. A. Harrison, York Fruits for the Farmer's Garden G. S. Christy, Johnson Reports from District Directors. Question Box. WELCOME. HON. ADAM M'MULLEN. Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen: I am very glad, indeed, to extend to the members of this society a welcome to Wymore. We are honored in having you hold your summer meeting with us. Our mayor, (39) 40 NEBRASKA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. who is engaged in the ice business here, would have oflRciated in this position in person, but explained to me that he wanted the meeting to be a success in every way and therefore wanted to avoid all suggestions of a frost. I think that was carrying his business ideas too far. When I was asked to speak to you this afternoon, I was told that I would be put down for the opening address. As I knew very little about the subject of horticulture and its allied branches, I began to post up. T subscribed for a farm journal and I have been reading it carefully for the past few weeks. I have been perusing all the seed catalogues I could find at home so as to read up on floriculture. I tried to locate my her- barium that somebody borrowed of me when I was under Doctor Bessey at the University, but I could not find it. I got all the facts that were compiled in the newspapers containing an account of the Pinchot- Ballinger controversy so as to learn all about the subject of forestry. Altoeether. I selected what I considered a fund of valuable information. i had arranged it in elegant and interesting order, when one day I met Mr. McCandlass on the street. I asked him how long he expected me to talk in this opening address. He said: "Oh, a couple of minutes — Three minutes. Just extend a welcome, giving them the keys of the ( ity, and then sit down." You can imagine how I felt after having worked so hard to prenare myself for this occasion. I feel one consola- Mon and that is that this society will miss more than I will. However, you are here more for work than recreation. I am sorry that we have so few thines in Wymore in the way of public institutions to show you. If you had met with us a few years ago, we might have taken you south of here and shown you one of the largest peach orchards ♦here was then in the state, and, possibly, in the West. But that orchard has nov/ gone to decay and back to the farm. We have in Wymore, in t-mbryotic state at present, a park system of which we feel rather proud. The origin of the system is due entirely to the interest and enthusiasm of our fellov-townsman, Mr. McCandlass. We believe that the day is not very far distant when our arrangement of parks will be a credit to his foresight, to the city of Wymore and southeastern Nebraska. The work of this society, in my judgment, cannot be overestimated in the West and particularly in the state of Nebraska, which, up to the present time, has been purely an agricultural state in the sense that work has been placed unon the soil for the purpose of gaining financial returns. But in the future more thought and attention will have to be given to floriculture as well as horticulture. In order to make the state uni- !orm we should have flowers and trees; and when that time comes, such men as Morton, the father of Arbor Day, and Pollard, the man of orchards, will be given due credit for the work they have done. If my time was not limited, T would now be giving my speech proper, but as r have been cut off — The President: Go ahead, go ahead. I will conclude by again extending to you a sincere welcome, with the hope that yoii have a profitable and pleasant meeting. If your ses- RESPONSE. 41 sions are not largely attended, it undoubtedly will be because the farmers are very busy at this season of the year. But I assure you that the people of Wyraore are with you so far as their hearts are concerned, and we hope you will have a very successful session. [Applause.] RESPONSE. PRESIDENT HARRISON. This incident reminds me of a country church where they had pur- chased an organ set to play forty tunes without stopping. There was no one who knew how to regulate it or to stop it after it had once started. So upon this Sunday, after it had been started and they could not stop it, the minister appointed a committee to set it out upon the lawn. I thought our speaker here would not be troubled that way. We would have liked to have had him go along and give us two or three tunes at least. Now, I w^ould say that your beautiful city has quite a reputation on account of its parks. The park system is immensely important in con- nection with a village, hamlet or city. It is a new idea comparatively, ft was only a few years ago that a city with parks was hardly thought of. Chicago was parkless for a long time. Central Park, New York, they have been adding to it for some time. Boston has a system of parks and a most magnificent one of 150 acres. Then there is another large park connected with this by a splendid boulevard. That contains nearly a western section of land. Then there other parks in connection with that. The idea of bringing the country right into the heart of the city and giving the people a chance to rest is one of the great things of the present century. In Boston T have watched the poor women coming into the park with that tired look with sickly looking children. Only five cents brings them to the gate of a most magnificent park, and they go and sit there and rest. What is wanted for this seething population of overworked men and women is rest. Sometimes they do not overwork — they don't exactly dodee it, but there are those who do work and they worry. Once in a while a man thinks he doesn't have to work, and he lives by his wits and his capital. But those who work so as to be tired out need a good fomfortable seat in the park to rest, and a seat in a beautiful home. We did not think much of this when we were plowing up Nebraska prairies and making tremendous efforts simply to pay for the farm. But those frontier days are past. We are entering upon a new de- velopment altogether. Years ago men came to this great country plod- ding along with an ox team at the rate of thirty miles a day. Now you go around the country like a king iu a steam car at the rate of irom thirty to fifty miles an hour. Fifty years ago I commenced work way up in Minnesota. They sent me up there — I used to be a minister: you wotjld hardly believe it, perhaps, but it is a fact — and I used to rough it. and T broke my arm in iireparlng trees to build a log house. 42 NKBKASKA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIBlTi. 1 was compelled to get the help of a young man, and with that young man and my poor arm we built a log house so as to get a place in which to live. We had an ox team with which we rode around. Recently I went on a visit there, and they took me around in a palace automobile and gave me a ride on a steam launch. Those pioneer days are past and we are on the verge of an era of advancement, an era of parks, an era of lovely homes and luxuries. We are on the verge of a most magnificent development all over the country. Think of a beautiful home richly adorned and tastefully arranged. Think of one such home and its influence. Think of a farm put to its very best — that is the ideal — we want farms put to their very best. Beautiful homes and sur- loundings will add thousands of dollars to the value of the farm. A farm in this condition surrounded by a beautiful home would be a sort of mecca to which people would flock. What one man can do another can do and then others would see what they could do, and, in this way, this influence would spread so that the whole section would soon be beautified. Surely this influence would still further spread so that the whole township would be put to its very best. All this is within the range of possibility. You would then see people coming in for hundreds of miles to look at those things. So, I say, we are right on the verge of a stupendous development. It is coming. While it Ms possible that many of us will be silent when it comes, yet I tell you the time is coming. People will then remember some of the things I have uttered. The works published by me will live after me. I repeat it, my friends, that we are on the verge of a new era, an era of beautiful parks and beautiful homes. [Applause.] The President: We will now listen to a paper entitled "The Home "Beautiful," by Mi's. .T. A. Reuling, of this place. THE HOME BEAUTIFUL. .MRS. .T. A. REULING. WYMORE. Our city's welfare is our just concern and who promotes that best, best proves his duty. Literally speaking not every one can own the "house beautiful," but <;very one may own the "home beautiful," the home of well kept lawn and garden, showing care of trees and shrubs. Each one of us is a unit in the community of which we may be a part, responsible in a way for our own door-yard, our own street, our own town. A well kept lawn is the foundation for the home beautiful. The care of this means ozone for the lungs, red blood, sound sleep and health. Next to bodily health the influence of the open-air work makes for goodness, for it is easy to be good in an environment of beauty and neace. It is not at all necessary that the lawn be a large one, or that the house be fine or artistic. The satisfaction of caring for and having done something well is universal. Competitive achievement is more THK HOME BKArTTIKUK. 43 pleasurable than achievement without competition and tor this reason prizes offered to children for the best kept lawns or flowers often .prove a benefit even if there be but one or two to be the win^iers. ^(jij^, the prizes, it is well for the defeated to have been in the race and a^ain. it has a tendency to the co-operation of those who may live on a certain street or square and may extend to that much to be desired quality, "civic pride." With a well kept lawn comes a desire for cleanliness, and cleanliness, you know, is next to Godliness, but unlike it, cleanliness s largely a matter of education. Many people are inclined to think this education a function of the public schools, but I contend we have already put too many such duties on our overworked and underpaid school teachers and that the work shall be done by individual members, along the line of settlement work, that a lawn well cared for has its influence on every citizen and has a tendency to make us better members of our community. To borroAv from a well known author, each well kept lawn added to a community "is like another lighted candle added to a room." We are all imitators and the examples set by such surroundings will prove an inspiration year after year. The growing of a few annuals in well chosen places with attention to the massing of colors adds much to the appearance of the horne beautiful. In our soil I have found that salvias, petunias, and nastur tiums thrive exceptionally well. Cannas, especially the hardier and coarser leaved varieties, are easily grown and the bulbs with little care may be kept from year to year. But it is hardly necessary to depend upon seeds and bulbs when Nebraska offers such a wealth of vines, shrubs and flowers that may be had for the seeking. In this day of conservation would it not be well for us to make use of nature's gift to us here in Nebraska, the home beautiful. We have. I am told, eight varieties of lilies in our state. The common wood violet makes ah effective border and shows much improvement in color and size with some little cultivation. Our wild roses found in every part of the state are easily transplanted and are effective in beds or borders. The morning glories, that so soon become troublesome weeds, may be- come ornamental by judicious care. And too, our Nebraska emblem, the goldenrod, is well Tii^orth transplanting. The woodbine and the wild grape may be used on arbors and to clothe unsightly sheds and fences. and for backgrounds and hedges, the elder and the sumac give a pleasing touch of color. Situated as it is, Nebraska has been particularly endowed in the varieties of flowers and vines, the states east of us have con- tributed to her wealth, the plains of southwestern Texas and New Mex- ico, as well as the Dakotas, and tile Rocky Mountain states have given us of their best so that Nebraska affords an unique illustration of the flowers of all these neighboring states. Witb this natural wealth of plants all that is necessary to have flowers and shrubs is a visit to our woods and fields to find well rooted plants. Besides giving us a greater knowledge of our own flora we are conserving our natural resources 44 XKBRASKA STATE FTORTICrTLTURAI. SOf:rBTY. The trees selected for the home beautiful must depend largely on the size of the lawn, and here I wish to urge the planting and protecting of our native trees. The several varieties of elm, the hackberry, the ash, ihe honey locust and the basswood furnish abundant varieties for the lover of native trees. Nebraska claims sixty-four varieties of native trees and while possibly there is no place in the state where all these species grow together, Gage county is exceptionally rich in the number found. The Blue river served as the great common carrier in the ages past, the great highway for the migi'ation of plant life, from Missouri and Kansas. After all, is there anything better to find out, than what is going on in the world about us? The love of beauty is growing and although it was once thought to be the prerogative of the rich, is now known to be the right of every citizen. Civic consciousness is awakening and women are beginning to acknowledge that city keeping or home keeping is closely allied to house- keeping, that environment subtily moulds our temperaments and makes us creatures happy and contented or otherwise. We have the possibilities of an ideal environment within our town, an excellent system of parks, wide streets, good walks and an abundance of trees and by our individual efforts first and then by the united efforts we will have and are having a Wymore, the home beautiful. DISCUSSION. LED BY A. n. M'OANDLASS. Mr. McCandlass: Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen — Like Mr. McMuUen, I make no preparation for this address. In fact, I make it a rule never to make any such preparation. Without preparation I feel that I can draw freely from matters and things incident to the occasion and the subject. But this subject is so interesting to me, and as the society has honored my home town with their summer meeting, I made up my mind that I would make some preparation for the meeting. So I got up early last Sunday morning so that T would not miss preparation and the church, too. You all remember that story of the spider that changed the destinies of all Europe. Some fellow who was incarcerated in a cell saw a spider crawling up the wall and falling down time after time took courage from this and succeeded. I am not so well posted in history and cannot speak his name just now; and, then, whenever I ask a friend about anything it is more than likely he does not know any more about the matter than I do. But the fact is that in this case it was not a spider that interfered with my plans. I arose in the morning all right. In getting my own breakfast I found the sugar bowl full of ants — the ant is closely allied to a spider, anyway, so I had to go to work and clean out the sugar bowl, and then the next thing was the pantry, and in so doing I had to make a trip down cellar, I don't remember just now what DISCUSSION. 15 for, but I found paper had been chewed up into mice nests. After I had the pantry cleaned out I had to clean out the cellar, so that, as a matter of fact, I did not get to go church, neitner did I prepare the talk thai 1 was to give here today. In arranging the program 1 had the presence of mind to put Mr. McMuUen down for the opening address, expecting that he would talk all the afternoon, and in that event, I would not have to say anything. In this case, again, my presence of mind did not avail me anything, it didn't work out to do me any good. There were some Jews that went down to Florida during the winter and got mixed up in a railroad wreck, but none of them got hurt very badly. But representatives of the railroad interviewed them soon after- wards, and Jacob said he would settle for $500. Little later on he heard that Isaac had settled for $2,500, so he went around to see him. He says: "Isaac, how is this? I heard you got $2,500. I settled for $500." Isaac said: "When that car turned over I had the presence of mind to kick Rachel in the face. So I had some damages coming." I told the committee that if they would hold their summer meeting here we would have a house full of people at the meetings — have a band out to meet them and all that. At that time I was park commis- sioner of "VVymore and everything was going along smoothly. I thought we could do it. But I have been removed as park commissioner — I have been removed twice. Every time they remove me they put three men in my road— that is, they try to. They used to say "it took two tailors to make a man;" but there it is again about history, and I can't give it straight — but it takes two men to fill a position here. We have two park commissioners. One has lost interest in horticulture. They are overlooking one-half of our interest. We have got our saloons, too. We have been working to get rid of them for a good while, but they slipped in on us this spring. But we have a wonderful sentiment in favor of parks. We have embarked on the greatest park system ever known. Down here by the depot there Is a plot of ground consisting of several lots. I have been preaching this park matter for a long time, and when the question carhe up as to what they should do with that plot of ground, or how to get rid of it, someone said: "Oh, go up and ask McCandlass, that crazy old fool! He will take it for a park." So they didn't have to come up and see me. The idea had got started. I drafted the ordinance and it has been read the first time. The people are in favor of it, and we are going to take that and plat it for a park and add it to the park system of Wymore. We will move the depot farther along toward the west, and we will have a park there of 700 or 800 feet long. The council meets tonight and I believe it will adopt the ordinance. It will be a great improvement to the city, and it will have a great tendency to give our town a horti- cultural beauty to people who pass through here on the cars. Some of you have seen some of our beer houses and I know you have expressed 46 MBBRASKA STATE HORTICULTURAI/ SOCIETY. yourselves concerning them. But it is wonderful how the interest in parks continues to grow when you Icnock out saloons, and as the saloons gOj^out we knock in the parks. That is my experience. Parks are more permanent and don't have to be knocked out but we knock in one every yea,r. They are like plants; it don't hurt them to get wet. I am credited with having started the park system. After I had lived here about twenty years I discovered there was something wrong with the town. I could not think what it might be, except it might be pretty close to Blue Springs and not far from Lincoln. I got to looking around, but could not think of anything or any way to help the town out; we had tried almost everything. But the park idea was suggested. There was a fellow who got behind with his taxes and the question arose as to what we should do in the matter. I said take the ground for a park and use it for a park. They accepted and acted on my advice and are using it today as a park. We have plenty of nice homes. I was pleased with Mr. McMullen's address. He might have said home beautiful, as my friend Gates would have said, but beautiful in a literary way it may be a plain little cottage of a poor man, a man who works ten hours a day and is stubbing along trying to raise his family, yet around that little home there will be a climbing vine at the end of the porch, there will be a beautiful foliage around a circle bed in the driveway, and even the back yard may be ornamented. It is not absolutely necessary that the back yard shall be a dumping ground. We have just commenced our work in Wymore along the lines of beautiful homes. We had to get some parks first, because we didn't know how else to dispose of these patches of ground, so we will now get the beautiful homes started. There is one started in our part of town. Near that park you could not buy one of those lots there for $400, and now there is getting to be some beautiful homes near that park. If I was going to speak of beautiful homes and describe them according to the inmates of loving parents, thrifty and studious, with a loving family growing up around them, I could describe hundreds of them. If I was going to describe beautiful homes according to architectural beauty, I could describe but very few. If I was going to point out tp you homes made beautiful by flowers, trees, ornamental gardens and that kind of enterprise, I could show you hundreds of them in Wymore, although we are not noted for fine houses or rich people. We have neither in Wymore. We are a plain, hard-working people, industrious but poor. As I said, we are making a beginning along the lines of beautiful homes. We have a cemetery association here composed principally of ladies who have taken hold of the cemetery work. Since they have come into it the association has improved wonderfully. It is quite a respectable place now, and is becoming more beautiful every day. It does not take money, as Mrs. Reuling said, to make a beautiful home, but It does take education to make it. You must know how to beautify. DISCUSSION. 47 There is one place where our common school system is weak, they don't teach it in our schools how to make a home. The foundation and sta- bility of our country and government is in the home, and there is where the ornamental decorations of our homes should be taught. Children should be taught to beautify the home; then, when the future generation comes on, we would have beautiful homes indeed, homes filled with music, books, and homes where the wife would be a helpmeet as well as a companion, and homes where love and honor would stand forever at the threshold. [Applause.] The President: That closes our program for this afternoon, but T see Mr. Gates in the audience and we would like to hear from him. Rev. Mr. Gates: Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen — I did not come here expecting to speak. If you were to ask me how to build a church, perhaps I could give some information upon the subject, but as to how to make a home beautiful, my experience has not been exten- sive because it has been along the line of improving somebody else's property; it has been the property of the church that I have had any hand in. I believe we can tell a great deal of the people who live in a town or community by the taste that is manifested on the outside as well as on the inside of the home. "We can go by the different homes in a town and note the way the lawn is kept, the way the trees are put out and trimmed, and the flowers that are planted — we can tell a great deal, at least of the individual taste, of those people. To me those things are significant of character or the lack of character. I am just a little bit partial toward that individual who is careful of the keeping of the outside conditions of the home. I think he will be careful, also, in matters of honor, and matters of his own individual staBding in the community and he is apt there to exercise care. I think these things are catching. Let the property be fixed up on the corner and it won't be long until each property along that street has been transformed by improvement and fixing like the property ad- joining it. If you will excuse a little bit of personal reference, I will mention that about two years ago — I bought the worst looking piece of property for the church in the town where I was then located. It had an old, dilapidated looking house, said to be the oldest in the town. It was in an old town in the northern part of Indiana. I- purchased the three lots and house. It had in it large black walnut sills and beams. The frame was made just like they used to make the timber for barns of that day, 12x12, and these were of solid black walnut. I tore down the house, and put up a modern church, and built a parsonage alongside of it; and graded the lawn, put in cement walks; put up a retain wall, put in nice beds of flowers with foliage of cannas and made the lawn heautiful, T tried to work two hours a day to keep that lawn beautiful. 48 NEBRASKA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. Well, it was not long before every other property on that street was graded and the lawns beautified, and it was the nicest street in the town inside of two year?. At first it was the worst, dilapidated old place, the most forlorn in the town. I am glad for having the privilege of speaking to you and of meeting with you. I have no prepared speech, and do not care to encroach upon your time. [Applause.] The President: We are very glad, indeed, to have our brother speak. There is one thing I would like to emphasize and that is that we do not use our inheritance. We do not use our own property — we do not reach out and take our own. When a person does that he is astonished to find out how much belongs to him. I like the idea that Paul presented to us. You know that when that man started out he was a home mis- sionary society, a foreign missionary society; he was a theological pro- fessor; he v^s a minister and he was a teacher, all combined in one. If he had started out on the present regime he would have needed several thousand dollars back of him. He was all gathered together. He had a thorough training, and he started out not only to support himself but to support his co-laborers. He used to work day and night. Paul, with that kit of tools, could defy the whole army of Satan, and shake all Asia. If he had not had an education at hand, an educated brain as well as an educated heart, he would have made a failure of it. But because he reached out and took the whole thing in he became the sublimest success. I like the style of that man's preaching. I built, or helped to build, sixteen churches, and I moved around considerable. I never lived in a parsonage but once. I built ten houses for myself. The idea of a man sitting down with dyspepsia and preaching dys- pepsia sermons I do not admire. He had better move around and have a little life in him. That is the way to do. There is a slogan I want people to take up and carry on this great work — the common people, the homemakers, the farmers and everybody else. "Beauty is wealth," mark that; therefore, raise a whole lot of it and be rich. It may be very difficult indeed for a person to gather four or five thousand dollars to build a magnificent home. If you only knew it you could have a beau- tiful home for your own care. Some years ago, after preaching over forty years, with nerves all gone and this body fit for the ash-pile, be- lieving that Osier was going to chloroform me, all men over sixty years old — I was a man all broken down, just making a living but with lots of experience, broken in health and wealth, with the wolf at the door and nothing to go on, what was I going to do! I made up my mind that with heart within and God o'erhead, I would go ahead and do something. So I commenced ornamental horticulture. Out of my head and with nothing in my hands but the assistance of the great Counselor I went to work and succeeded. As I said, you may not be able to get three or four thousand dollars to put into a fine home. Perhaps you could put a few hundred dollars — DISCUSSION. iU five, six, or seven; then, you have got all those resources of your own, intelligence and all those things which God has so richly provided right at your hands that don't cost anything — you can have one of the most beautiful homes outdoors you ever saw, and it would all belong to you, too. Remember, I said beauty is wealth — why, one single carnation sold for .$30,000, and that was the beginning of its history. Then, there is the peony; there is money in the growing of these. We have heard of the wealth of India and the treasures of the mine. They are nothing com- pared with the wealth and riches that is all around us. You have heard of that carpet of jewels made of sapphires, rubies and all the treasures of India gathered together in one magnificent -carpet. You can have a carpet far richer in beauty that that — yes, millions of people can have it. It may not wear as long, perhaps, but while it lasts, oh, how beau- tiful! Just think of it, beauty is woman's anyway. She suffers and she pines for it, and sometimes she even dies for the lack of it. I met a lady in Minnesota a few days ago. She was telling me of the desolation of that way off Dakota farm where she nearly died. But her husband went into the nursery business on a small scale and began to get flowers and that woman has been dwelling in Elysium ever since. She has be- come ten years younger. They kept .adding little more and little more to their business. Suppose you have a humble home. You might better go to work and adorn it than to wait for a larger one. Suppose, for instance, you get peonies. They continue a long while in bloom. We have many varieties. For some we have paid $5 and even SIO. They multiply very fast and from a small planting in ten years there ought to be something like a thousand. Then, there is the syringa and the honeysuckle. There is one which is a marvelous plant from Manchuria. It is very vigorous and grows up straight and is compact. Suppose you have a flower garden and 'surround it with varieties of honeysuckle. There are many beautiful flowers that will grow readily with very little care. Then, there are those phloxes. I have spent many years in the grow- ing of phloxes and have published a work on phloxes so that if any man, woman or child cares to they can produce even finer ones than I have. I have succeeded in getting thirty different varieties. I have made in- structions so plain in this manual than any child, even, if direction^ are followed, can grow them with success. The children are delighted with the beauty of those creations of their own. One gentleman said that from some seedlings there was one flower he would not take 310, and that from another he was selling at 50 cents apiece. With a little care and research you will get at the fountain head. This study is one of the most beautiful experiences that you can have and you don't know when to stop. You are in the very land of Elysium, the land of delight. Commence raising phlox and when you 50 . nkbraska statk horticultural society. get some new creations \ou ?re fascinated with them. You look at theni one day, and the next day, and then yon raise some more and you want to visit these, and then you are in the edge of the unknown and out of the invisible, and there comes to you forms of loveliness which youi- eye has never seen, and you can originate new ones. You don't have to pay a high price for them. Perhaps 25 or 50 cents apiece will give you a good start. Don't rest with one or two specimens. A lady once said she only wanted three. I said you want more. Plant an abundance. Surround yourself with plenty of these things. You can so arrange it so as to have a procession of beauty from early spring until late fall. First of all, the tulips; then comes the columbines which use up all the colors of the rainbow; then those oriental poppies, mixed with some single flowers, nine inches across with their bloom of scarlet; then a little further on the peonies come in bloom, vieing with each other as if on dress parade. Go out and see them drill; they are like so many maidens each trying to see which can put on the most beautiful garment as if preparing for their nuptials. These annuals are very beautiful. When you plant them they stay planted. Y^ou can depend upon them year after year. Next in this beauty procession comes the phloxes. They commence blooming in July and continue blooming until frost. So all along your pathway you can follow up this procession of beautiful blooming flowers by a tasteful arrangement of the lawn. Thirty-five dollars will fix up that yard and make it a fit accompaniment to the flowers to make that home beautiful, and in that way will have the appearance of a two or three thousand dollar mansion. A house will begin to depreciate, and if you put in fine furniture it will soon begin to depreciate and afterwards will be second-band. But if you plant trees and adorn your lot and lawn it will ever be on the increase in value. I have known many instances where the owner would not accept $100 apiece for his trees, and some trees that $500 would not buy. A lot and a home under these conditions grows in value. Surrounded by such* an ideal home you will not want any vacation — the only vacation you will want will be time to go out and enjoy them. The President: I notice by the program we have a number entitled ■'Question Box." What is your pleasure concerning it? Mr. Green: As far as the question box is concerned we had that for the benefit or anyone in the audience who might have some questions he or she might like to have settled or discussed. In such case they could write whatever they wish to have answered and hand it in and have it discussed at the next meeting. If anyone of you think of any- thing you would like to know about, just write it on a slip of poper and bring it in at the next session and it will then be taken up before the meeting closes. Mr. Yager: I would not think that the party would need to go to the formality of writing out his question. If anybody present would like any information on any point, he might ask it now. QUESTION BOX. ol QUESTION BOX. Mr. Youngers: 1 am somewhat interested in columbines. 1 believe iu this part of the state there is a white columbine. I have been trying to get some, as there is none in our neighborhood. President: There are some in the eastern part of the state. Mrs. Reuling: What color? Mr. Youngers: One variety seems to be purple and another lavender. Mrs. Reuling: I believe I saw some in here some years ago. Mr. Yager: In regard to the columbine, we have a columbine on the Platte river that we think exceeds in beauty our tame columbine. We have successfully transplanted it from along the Platte river into our gardens and it grows better than the tame. The President: What color is it? Mr. Yager: Well, I would have to say I could not tell just now exactly, but I think it is purple. We think they are very fine. We do not get as many colors as you do in the tame, but they bloom longer. They are in bloom now, and we think a good deal of them.. In this connection I will say that I am more and more impressed with the fact that people oftea- times overlook many of the wild native varieties that are found growing in our own neighborhood and locality that are so well suited to their locality in their haste to get something better, longing for and willing to accept anything except the things at home. The President: Yes, and I would mention as an illustration the wild snapdragon which grows along the Platte. I . have seen it growing very large and beautiful. I gathered seed and planted. It is quick in culti- vation. Mr. Youngers: There is the crimson hibiscus that I have seen grow- ing along the Elkhorn river. The President: There are three or four kinds of hibiscus. Mr. Brown: There is a verbena growing along the Solomon river. 1 have relatives there and they tell me it is getting to be quite a pesi. That is where I first saw it, west, on the Solomon river. And there is a'bellflower that very much resembles the county bell or the campanula. There is the v,ild cactus that grows all over the country. The flower is handsome. It is a mass of white flowers. It is a profuse grower; it makes a very good flower. It has a long beard. In e^rly spring we have a nice line of anemone. There is another flower; it is yellow, that we see growing in the native sod; it is not so beautiful, but if brought out it will do well in cultivation. You might secure some of them. One of the handsomest and nicest things I ever saw is Snow on the Mountains. President: It used to grow around Council Bluffs. Mr. Brown: Generally, all over the West and in the western part of the state. I have seen it in Illinois; there they call it the spider plant; it grows about four feet high; I don't know the color. The President: It is a deep blue, I think. Mr. Brown: We see it growing in the western part of the state, out to the mountains. 52 NEBRASKA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. The President: In Illinois we used to make blue ink of it. Mr. Yager: There are a whole lot of these things, and I don't see why we don't take some action towards securing these plants. This society is sort of nursery of our state and should take some action towards securing all these different kinds of flowers and bringing them down to Lincoln and putting them in charge of this man here (Mr. W. H. Dunham) at the State Farm. It would certainly be a good move. We would have something to show the people in order that the people might be informed. There are plenty of people who don't know of the existence of many of the plants and flowers around them that would be a benefit to them in the way of ornamenting their homes, and it would be of great benefit to the state in general. The President: I agree with Mr. Yager. I visited Shakespeare Gar- den at Cambridge, Mass., and saw many flowers there of very rare speci- men. Mr. Dole: There are flowers here for everybody, and hope you will avail yourselves of the gift and will wear them on the street; and when the question is asked, "Where do these flowers come from?" let it be known that they came from the State Horticultural Society. The President announced a meeting of the Forestry Association for 9 o'clock sharp Thursday morning. On motion, the convention adiournrd until Thursday morning at 9:30 o'clock. THURSDAY, JUI;Y 21, 9:30 A. M. Vice-President W. A. Harrison called the meeting to order and an nounced that the first order of business would be a paper on "Ornamental Shrubs," by Philip Edinborough, superintendent of city parks, Lincoln. ORNAMENTAL SHRUBS. PHILIP EUIABOKOUGH. SUPERINTENDENT OF PAUKS. LINCOLN. In the few remarks that I may make on ornamental shrubs suited to this climate, and there is a great variety to choose from, I should like first to make a plea for some of our native shrubs. Take the Rhus or sumac family — our common sumac is not half appreciated. Take a large mass of them, with their bright, green foliage and masses of orange red berries, making a beautiful effect, that cannot be produced with anything else, well repaying the little cost and trouble of planting. Add to this the glorious fall effect of all the tints of the rainbow, and many more besides, making it one of our most useful shrubs. Its more aristocratic brother, the cutleaf variety (Rhus Lancinata) is superb with its finely divided leaves, but as it does not grow as tall, if planted in the former group, its place is in the front. Another member of the family (Rhus Cotinus^ tb(> mist shrub or smolu^ ORNAMENTAL SHttUBfcJ. thi tree, is perhaps not quite so well known, but is a very desirable shrub, with its somewhat ovate, shiny pea green leaves. And large panicles of mistlike flowers in early June, making it very desirable, either in a group or a single specimen. The common elder (Sambucus Canadensis) is well worth growing for background, especially if enlivened with its golden brother (aurea). This latter makes one of the finest yellow effects that I know of in a large shrub, planted in a group or mass. The Symphoricarpos, or Snowberry, I will only touch upon, simply saying that the red berried (Vulgaris) and the white berried (Race- mosus) are both desirable and not used enough in our planting. The next family in hardiness and general usefulness, I think, is the spiraeas. First, without a doubt, is Van Houttei. In hardiness it is able to stand the most severe of our winters without killing back a particle; will stand about as much general hardship and abuse as anything we have, and will almost always give us a mass of white, the end of May or early in June for about fourteen days. It is well worth growing, if it never had a bloom at all, for its drooping, graceful habit. Anthony Waterer, I think, is the next most desirable of the spiraeas. Bearing flat heads of bright, rosy crimson flowers in abundance from the middle ot June until frost, if we take the small trouble to pick off the flower heads as soon as they commence to fade. It is quite a dwarf, hardly ever exceed- ing two feet, but is one of the best shrubs we have for foreground in shrub borders, or wherever a dwarf shrub is suitable. Spiraea arguta, one of the earliest, with snow white blooms, makes a solid mass of white. It has one small defect, that of portions of the bush dying back in spring. But those should be cut out, and being a rapid grower, quickly recovers. Spiraea sorifolia, or Ashleaf spiraea, is very line in foreground. Its finely cut foliage, almost like a ferm, setting off to the best advantage its large fejpikes of white flowers. Spiraea Douglasi is the most useful of all the upright pink varieties. Its foliage is a somewhat darker shade of green than most of the others, setting off the rosy pink blooms to perfection. Of about seventeen other varieties of spiraea, I will only mention one now, Opulifolia. It is a strong, rampant grower, with flat heads of white flowers. It is very useful, but has none of the neat graceful beauties of the other five mentioned. The common lilac, we are all well acquainted with. It has little to recommend it except its persistence in growth. When the season is favorable- for bloom, it is a beautiful sight, but unfortunately it gets damaged with late frosts, making it very uncertain whether we will see it in its beauty for four or five years in succession. Besides this, about the time you think you have a nice bush, along comes Mr. Borer and before you know it, has destroyed several of your main shoots. There are, I believe, about sixty improved varieties, more or less distinct, but I will only mention four or five. The old Persian is a vigorous grower, although with more slender twigs, smaller leaves and small purple flowers, generally much better than the common. White Persian, very . 54 NEBRASKA is'i'AXK HOKTlCULiTUKAl. SOCIETY. I ■ Similar to the purple. Rowen, much like the Persian, except the foliage Is rather large and the flowers are reddish purple. It is a free bloomer. White Rowen, not a very good white, almost pink, but is a good free bloomer. Siberian White I like, as far as I have seen it. It is not a very good white, but is a free bloomer. The only other I will mention is the Japan tree. This is perfectly hardy, and makes a gi-and display toward the middle of June, with its grayish white blooms, making a very pleasing white mass. This should be planted more freely. The Philadelphus, more generally known as syringse, are so desirable that they are, and should be, used freely in either large or small plant- ings, grouped or singly. They always make a pleasing picture, will stand lots of neglect and come out smiling with a grand display of pure white flowers. French Mammoth, one of the best, I think, grows five or six feet tall. Grandiflora is very similar, with large flowers and sweet perfume. Gordons is much later, is very fine and vigorous. Lemoines erecta is very sweet, with white clusters of flowers. This should be planted freely. I will just mention the Lonicera, or bush honeysuckle. Marrowi, like some other early grown shrubs, are somewhat neglected. Manchurian and Tartarica Grandiflora are splendid, planted and trimmed for hedges, mak- ing a very pleasing effect, or planted back of dwarf shrubs and allowed to grow in their own sweet way to hide any unsightly objects, are a decided success. The Privet, or Ligustrum. Go slow on Ovalifolium (generally known as California privet), unless you are prepared to take a setback every hard winter. Ligustrum Ibota is better, but last winter proved a hard trial for it. It killed back badly, but recovered so that now you would hardly know that it almost lost caste as a hardy shrub. The Swedish privet did still better and in ordinary winters does not kill back at all. But the thing that surprised me most was the little Golden, quite dwarf, rarely exceeding thirty inches in height, stood the winter almost perfect. Merely the very tips being touched and is now in all its golden glory, the best yellow, dwarf shrub we have. Of the Viburnums, our old-fashioned snowball (Viburnum Sterilis) is a favorite everywhere. Viburnum Opulus, or high bush cranberry, is a very strong grower, with dark green foliage, large clusters of white flowers in flat heads, followed in the fall with masses of bright red berries, which are edible somewhat like our common cranberries. Vib. dentatum is a very pretty bush variety, with clusters of white flowert early in June, followed In the fall with bluish blackberries. Vib. Lantana has a rich, green foliage, which hangs on well into the winter. White flowers and berries, which change to pink, red, and black as they ripen, make it very desirable and useful both for groups or single specimen. Vib. Tomentosum, a single Japan variety, with white flowers in flat heads in May, followed with small, scarlet berries turning to black. I have no doubt that some of the other varieties will do well here, but will only recommend those of which 1 am sure. ... ORNAMENTAL SHUUBS. 55 Siberian Pea Tree (Caragana arborescens) is a hardy, very desirable, rail shrub, somewhat similar to a Laburnum, with bright, yellow flowers early in May. Its long, composite pea-shaped leaves and erect habit, makes a very pleasing combination. It is a good shrub for grouping and should be used much more freely than it is. The Japan quince (Pyrus, or Cylonia Japonica), this should be in every collection, growing three to four feet high, with bright, red flowers, in early spring. It is very useful in masses, single plants, or ornamental hedges. Burning-Bush (Euonymus Wahoo) is one of our best shrubs to pro- duce a fine, tall effect. Its mass of orange red pods of seed makes it v'ery striking. The Flowering Almonds must not be left out. Although they kill back enough to make them a dwarf shrub with us, they almost always retain enough growth to give us a good showing of bloom, early in the spring. The old favorite, hydrangea (Paniculata grandiflora), is too well known to need much space here. Its large heads of white bloom in August, changing to pink in September, recommends it. Its earlier flowering brother (Arborescens grandiflora) is perhaps not so well known. It is a wonder, commencing to bloom in .lune, with immense heads of pure white and keeping it up until Paniculata is in bloom. To do their best, the hydrangeas must have rich soil, plenty of sunlight and moisture. I came near leaving out one of the best classes of shrubs that we have, the Berberis. The erect growing kinds (Vulgaris) and (Perpurea) are very similar in growth and habit, but the beautiful purple color of the one makes it much more desirable. They are fine, single, in mass or in a hedge, but best of all three is the dwarf (Japan Thunbergei). Its spreading habit, rich shining, small leaves, white flowers in May and purplish red berries in the fall and winter makes it, I believe, the be^^t dwarf green shrub for massing, or for a dwarf hedge, that we have, dnp . of the best effects of the kind I ever saw was a solid mass of it on each side of steps leading up to a residence. I will mention the dogwoods (Cornus) long enough to say that aftef. giving us a fine, vigorous, healthy, green shrub through the summer and Iheir various colored leaves in the fall, they liven up the landscape with bright colored wood all through the winter. The bright red twigged (Stolonifera), I believe to be the best red, and I have just gotten ac- quainted with its exact counterpart, except that the twigs are a bright clear yellow. I have been looking for a long time for shrub with yellow wood as good as Stolonifera is a red. This fills the bill. The king of all the light feathery foliage is the Russian Silver Tam- arix. I don't understand why we don't see much more of it planted. It has bright silvery gray foliage, will grow freely in most any good ground, as a specimen can be trimmed to most any shape and makes a very pretty hedge. The sprays of the foliage, or its pretty pink flowers, can be used 56 NEBRASKA STATE HOKTlCULTUBAJj SOCIEXX. to good effect with cut flowers, or if allowed to grow, in its own wild grandeur, will give a fine variety to background. The Altheas are not quite so good to get established, but generally, after they get to be some age, they do well. I would advise buying plants from a good reliable firm that have them established, and pay a little more for them, than to buy very small plants shipped in from the East and try to get a start with them. They are such a grand shrub when in full bloom in August and September when most of our other hardy flowers are scarce that they will repay a little extra trouble to get them established. If you have a corner tor them, sheltered from the northwest, so much the better. Although there are a number of other shrubs that do well with us, there is not time in one paper to try to describe them all. I have tried tc keep to some of the most hardy and easily grown for I think there is much more pleasure and satisfaction in a healthy, thrifty looking plant of any kind (even if they do not cost so much, than in something you have to putter and fuss with to keep it in existence, spending a lot of time over it and then have it die, and then decide that shrubs are no good and will not grow for you. Plant shrubs, plenty of them. We can make a beautiful landscape with comparatively few flowers but we must have shrubs. There is not another thing that will give a cozy, homelike appearance to a residence, whether a cottage or a palace in the city or on the farm, like a liberal use of shrubs. The Chairman: Is there any discussion? DISCUSSION. Mr. Youngers: 1 don't exactly get the name of that privet. Mr. Edinborough: I don't know it by any other name. It is one of the Japanese variety. It will certainly bear all the expression I could give it in praise. I think it is the best. It did not kill back six inches. Mr. Brown: What we need is an ornamental hedge that will stand the winter, I saw in Fremont last summer a hedge of spiraea, I saw two of them, one of a new growth, and the other ready to bloom. I thought the new growth the handsomer of the two. Mrs. Harrison: I have not had very good luck with the privet. Mr. Edinborough: After I got it started it went right on and did well. It is the northwest wind and frost that is bad for it. The Chairman: If there is no further discussion, we will take up the next paper, which is on "Hints on Landscaping," by Mr. W. H. Dunman, landscape gardener. University of Nebraska. HINTS ON LANDSCAPING. W. H. DUNMAN, LANDSCAPE GARDENER, UNIVERSITY ni NKURASKA. Some of the greatest triumphs in landscape gardening have been achieved in knowing exactly what to leave alone. How far the idea HINTS ON i,.\.vds(;apin(^. o* (if harmony in composition iu landscape is dependent upon association is hard to say. We who have not the genius of the late F. L. Olmstead, that great master of landscape construction, will do well to follow nature in planting for ■harmonious effects. With your permission I will quote the M^ords of Mrs. Van Rensselaer: "If now we ask when and where we need the fine art of gardening, must not the answer be, 'whenever and wherever we touch the surface of the ground and the plants it bears with the wish to produce an organized result that shall please 'the eye.'" The name we usually apply to it must not mislead us into thinking that this art is needed only for the creation of broad landscape effects. It does not matter whether we have in mind a great park or a small city square, a large estate or a modest dooryard, we must go about our work in an artistic snirit if we want a good result. Two trees and six shrubs, a scrau of lawn and a dozen flowering plants may form either a beau- tiful little picture or a huddled disarray of forms and colors. The development of the grounds about a house should be primarily laid out for use and convenience. It must be borne in mind that places differ much in climate, soil, in the requirements of the owner and in the amount to be expended. It would therefore seem futile to lay down any hard and fast' rules for design, for that which would be suitable for a plain would be unsuited for a hillside. When cost is not an item of consideration, a complete plan should be made by a skilled landscape gardener who is willing to incorporate as far as possible the trees and plants desired by the owner. Many individuals who have a snecial love for nature and have studied the effects of varying forms, size and colors of different trees and shrubs are qualified to make a satisfactory plan for themselves. Once a definite plan is decided unon do not change any detail as it may destroy the unity of the whole scheme of orna mentation. Do not make the mistake of spending too little for outside features, so that your nlace is in dans-er of lookine stinery, noor, .snorty or tasteless. On the other hand, do not be tempted to s^end too much as some of the wealthy do, for statuary, marble fountains, Greek god- desses and such like. A hanpy medium ous'ht to be about seven or eight Iter cent of the total cost of your house for outside ornampntation. After deciding where to build your home, "hich should be located at some distance from the street or highway, where one is less troubled by dust and noise and also eives you a better onoortunity for natural and beautiful decoration, with your greater extent of lawn, you can use larger trees and shrubs for ornamentation. Before any decoration of tht grounds can be begun, see that all debris is removed from the land. A common error is to allow the contractor to leave broken bricks, stone, old mortar, shavings, etc., around the house to h° covered over with five or six inches of good soil. Under such conditions a good lawn is impossible; when dry weather comes along your grass burns un and i^ M constant source of Avorry. Have your ground slone from the hous*^ in all directions to insure drainage from the house. The first question in planting should be whether privacy is wanted 58 NEBRASKA STATP: H0RT1CULTURAI> SOCIETY. or a fine effect from the street. If the first is desired, th;. simplest method would be to plant a hedge of privet, osage or mulberry. A modi- fication of this is to plant an irregular screen of mixed trees and shrubs and herbaceous material^. This last is a better plan as it gives oppor- tunity for a greater variety of ornamental plants. Shrubs are seldom used too much and on a small place they may be used in great profusion because they take up little room. Two methods of grouping are commonly practiced, i. e., first, the grouping of many flowering varieties in one mass whereby some kinds may be in bloom at all times from April to November, and, second, the arrangement of large masses of one species or variety. The former will generally give the most satisfaction on small grounds, but on spaces of considerable extent by planting many specimens of one kind of a group will give the most pleasing results. Another use of shrubs judiciously .planted to obliterate some of the unpleasant features of the grounds, is irregular grouping along the walls, and massing in retreat- ing angles of a building with its smooth surfaces and rectangular lines arising abruptly out of the lawn; they help to break the line of demarca- tion. Curves in walks and drives are made to appear more natural by groups of shrubs and at points where the temptation to cut across to shorten distance on the lawn, they are very useful. Some shade about the house is necessary for comfort during the hot summer months and for shelter in the winter. Do not plant trees too close to the house — forty feet is close enough. Any large established trees should be retained where they do not interfere with your scheme of ornamentation, for the most quickly growing trees that we have will not reach the size to afford much shade under fifteen years of age. On the small place do not plant tall trees on the inside, leave these for the street line. Instead of planting short lived trees, such as willows, poplars, birches, Scotch pine and many of the weeping and variegated varieties, use oaks, lindens and fir concolor. After you have your trees and shrubs planted for a background, do not forget the hardy herbaceous plants. This class of plants afford more beauty and pleasure for the least expenditure of time and money. For the small ])lace the mixed arrangement of planting will be the most "suitable. Summer flowering plants, such as coleus, geraniums and cannas, should not be planted in the middle of an open lawn— these can be used to advantage with a good background, along the borders of walks, or close up to the veranda. These plants produce effect during the entire season, blooming soon after setting out and continue until frost. For the bright eft'ect and the pleasure of watching these plants grow they should be encouraged in the right place, which is not the middle of a lawn. Do not make the mistake of overcrowding your lilants; most persons want everything in the nurseryman's catalogue. Have your place supplied with plenty of water so that the plants can get an abundance when necessary and plenty of food material, then Buccess is almost rertain. < DISCUSSION. 59 The main drive to the housi' should proceed as directly as possible and still be gracefully curved. The best view of the house should be carefully treated. Walks should be designed to fit the actual demands of the place. Where the grounds are small and the distance is very short, straight lines are preferable. Drives and walks are necessary evils — they add no landscape beauty to the place, 1 ni must be tolerated because they are needed to get about the grounds. Ideal effects are not to be attained by the amaleui- without observa- tion and study. Take a good illustrated garden magazine, get outside and study good plantings in our public parks, private grounds, and if possible see such places as the Arnold Arboretum near Boston. DISCUSSION. A Member: I would like to ask if there is anyone in the room who has had any experience with that Schwedlerii maple. Talk about orna- mental trees for foliage, we want something more on the foliage line, if we can get it; and if it is hardy it will be of great benefit for Ne- braska. Don't you have some of those maples in your parks here with purple leaf? Mr. McCandlass: We have some purple-leaved maples in the parks, but they are very slow to start, and have not done much in the time they have been planted. I believe the leaf is green in the spring, but in the fall it turns purple. C. S. Harrison: I think it is one of the very finest trees, but it wants the very best of culti^ation and care. When it leafs out in the spring it looks like a bank of peonies against the sky. As the leaves get old they turn to a somewhat purplish green. There are three va rieties and they are variations of the Norway maple. Mr. Edinborough: I would like to mention that I have been trying to get information concerning that maple for several years. We had a meeting in New York last September at which there were representa fives from all the states and there were several questions asked con- cerning this and the only answer I could get was that it was about as hardy a maple as anything we have. I was somewhat surprised at those reports, which were from ail over the country. I tried last season with a few plants to get them started, but was not able to do so on account of their being so many changes in the season. Next year I shall make an effort to get that branch established. Mr. McCandlass: Here, I think is a good chmce to make a sug- gestion. This society ought to have a committee on resolutions in re gard to getting matters enacted into law, a provision for the collecting of these different classes of plants and trees that we have in Nebraska, and be formulated or classified so that they may be known by English names. So many of our names of plants and trees and shrubs are given in another name, some kind of Latin, Indian and Choctaw conglomera- tion. I don't understand it and they are names, the most of them such ♦ id NKBKASKA STATK HORTJOlH/i'lUtAL SOCJKIN. words that no American can pronounce even if he could spell them. I notice that in all the catalogues that I have received about the planting and raising and care of plants, and in conversation upon this association I don't know what is meant. Now, the writer of this article speaks about a purple-leaf maple. I have some white pines in my yard — 1 don't know what you would call them — no doubt it w'ould be some hor rlble cognomen. But this is where the trouble comes in with horticulture and floriculture and all other kinds of culture; they don't use the Eng lish language. It is very embarrassing. I know these species when T see them and by seeing them, but I would like to call them by their English names. I hate to show my ignorance. So I wish you would consider this matter when you come to get your catalogues printed that you give the English of these names. If you want to sell me something, say, for instance, a Carolina poplar, don't sell me a cottonwood. Don't call it by some other name. Call it by what it is. I have been fooled so many times by these horticultural names, and I am beginning to feel revengeful — but pardon me, I am interrupting the program. Mr. Brown: This matter of which Mr. McCandlass speaks comes about from evil associations, I am afraid. Western people are anxiou? 10 use the English language in their catalogues, but these names come from the Eastern people. In order to know just exactly what we are getting from the East when we order goods, we have to use the so called scientific names. If we w^ere to order, for instance, honey lo- custs by another name than that which is given in their catalogue, we would be abpt to get the ordinary black locust. The gentleman spoke about Carolina poplar. The Carolina poplar is different from the cotton wood. There is nothing allied to it nearer than second or third cousins. 1 never Saw Carolina poplar come from seeds, and I never saw one that grows with open shaft. It is always pyramidal in form. A Member: Carolina poplar is the male plant of the Eastern cotton- wood. It is a different cottonwood from what grows in the West. Mr. Edinborough: It seems to me as a reason for the use of these botanical names is that they are international and have to be, on that account, but in local matters these names seem to get badly mixed up One catalogue may take a name one way and another fellow will give the same thing by another name so that there is just about as much difficulty in botanical names as in any other. The Chairman: If there is no further discussion on this subject, we will now listen to a paper by our President, C. S. Harrison, entitled "Conservation." CONSERVATION. <. s. HARRISON, YORK. When the Creator turned this great land over to us it was a region of surpassing beauty. For lont-; millenniums he was at work, employing the highest art and skill lor its adornment. The whole country was lanscape on a most magnificciit scale ;ind with a far-reaching fore CONSERVATION. 61 thought loi' the future. Everything was provided for. It was the patient work of ages to spread a thin layer of soil over the rocks and on the hills and mountain sides, and then fasten it there with trees, shrubs and grasses. .Mighty rivers flowed to the sea fed by thousands of streams which sang merrily on their way. These streams were care- fully protected, forests, bushes and rank vegetation prevented the washing of the soil, while at the sources of all these rivulets there was the most careful planning to retain the waters. Dead leaves, decay mg trees, mosses and the accumulated deposits of the ages all were like vast ?Donges to retain the waters so the streams would have an even How. iMighty forests weri.' planted. They grew and decayed, and so as the centu.'cs passed the land grew richer and richer. How artisiically all was arranged. There were often delightful parks in the forests, and when the woods edged upon the prairies there were tall trees in the background, shrubs to the front, then the ffower sprinkled carpet of green. Go into the forests, the great temples of God. What massive columns upheld the dark gree.'i canopy. Look where you would, in woodland, plain and mountain, the ages of the past had made preparations for the ages to come. Then came the two brothers, graft and greed. With no appreciation whatever of the plans of the Creator. They were ready to kill the finest horse if they could only get his hide. They would burn down a man sion if they could only get the nails. A careless government which to- day from its owu natural resources could have had income enough for current expenses, allowed billions to be taken and destroyed. One or the moit beautifi'i sights on earth is a splendid forest. One of the saddest syei fades is to see that same fcrest the prey of the ax and fire. Those blackened stumps, like the gravestones of departed grandeur. If the lumberman had planned for the most speedy and utter ruin he could not have prepared a more complete system. He took only half of the tree and le*'t the rest to dry for the great tinder-box. The fires came. All that dead rubbish was ready for them. Not only was the dead brush burned, b.it the age lori'j deposit of dead leaves, rotten logs and rich mould planned to feed the soil for the coming eons; all were destroyed and a garden of Eden became a blackened wilderness. How the ruin has spread. Within the memory of man the mighty forests of In- diana and Ohio were chopped down and burned. If left until today they would be worth more than all the crops grown there since their destruc- tion. Take Arizona for instance. The forests have been cut from the mountains, the rubbish inviting the fires, and the fires never miss an in- vitation. Greed drove in great flocks and herds of sheep and cattle. They have destroyed "the herbage which fastened the thin layer of earth to the rocks. TJie floods came and ripped the earth from the mountain sides and whirled avalanches of mud into the fertile valleys, often plow ing out great guUeys twenty and thirty feet deep through the rich soil and all hurried on to fill the river beds. Now when the floods come there 62 NRBRA>>KA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. IS nothing to detain them and the people of Texas must suffer from the vandalism of Arizona, just as the people of our southern states must lose millions from the rapaciousness of Northern lumbermen who for the dollar for today would mortgage the whole future of those who must suffer from their greed. Go into Colorado and vandalism is there. The mountains are robbed of their beauty. The upland pastrues are overfed and you have desola- tion instead of beauty. A pioneer in the Rockies said: "I think we early settlers should have great credit in coming in here and starting things.'" I replied: "If you never had seen this country and had left it today as God made it, it would be worth five times as much as it is now." Our railroads are great civilizers, but the fires set by the engines leave a track of b3,rbarism behind them. See how it is in Washington and Oregon. The lumber barons who have wrought such ruin at the North are now at work among the grandest forests ever grown. They seem to concentrate all their energies there to complete the work of ruin. Every device is resorted to to get possession of lands which belong to the people. Take the Appalachian mountains. The forests are being cut down, the beautiful rivers are filled with rubbish, sand and stones are carried onto fertile valley farms. In a short time eighteen millions of damage was inflicted and congress looks on in indifference and the horror grows. When you come to the farm you see also a terrific waste. In the East the earth is washed away and the rocks and stones are left, no thought or care taken to save the soil. Many beautiful regions where heavy crops were grown are now deserted and you can buy farms for balf what the buildings cost. There are no richer lands on earth than the great prairies of the West, and here in God's richest garden there have been two sources of disaster. The first is cropping lanQs without remuneration, raising wheat year after year with no manure, till some of the richest farms of Minnesota are now so reduced they will hardly raise chicken feed. This system of waste applies to rich level lands. There is a double system applied to hillside lands — robbing the soil and allowing it to wash. I have known the richest soil to be swept away by a single heavy rain, so the whole furrow would be gone and you could see the plow marks. Stand by any of our streams after a heavy rain and you will see the very cream of our field going to the Gulf of IMexico. It is waste, waste everywhere. Most feeders will have their feed lots perched on some steep hillside if they can find such a place, so that the richest fertilizer the world produces can be utterly swept away without any trouble on their part, and they keep on growing twenty- five bushels of corn to the acre, when by saving the manure and plowing their land deep they might have 100 bushels. Our coal lands with their marvelous deposits have been well-nigh given away. I have seen veins of coal eleven feet deep which the wise United States government sold for $10 per acre. Streams with water- falls that were gold mines havp been parted with for a song. CONSBRVATKJX. <>H What wond'T in the ini()st of all this ruin that "Great Heart ' sho''.'d arise. He looks on the past and then on the present, and then Into the future and he asks himself what will become of this nation 200 years from now. On the ordering of Providence when a tremendous crisis comes there is always a man to meet it. This time it was Gifford Pinchot, by education one of the best foresters the world has produced. A man of means, he is not hampered in his work. He is ready to to sacrifice thousands for the future. He might have made judicious investments in the great West he knew so well, so he could have become a billionaire. He could have taken his chances in an unguarded mo- ment and captured forests, water powers and coal lands. No man since the days of Robert Morris, who furnished the sinews of war for Wash- ington and then died in a debtor's prison, has done more or made greater sacrifices than Mr. Pinchot. Though for the present he has lost his position, he is yet a king, independent of throne or crown. Few men have shown such a fearless persistence in the face of the most determined opposition. There were thousands of men who had pet plans for the future. They wished to put their hands on the nation's wealth. Little cared they for the future. Cattlemen and sheepmen, who for years had been allowed to ruin young forests and destroy pastures by overfeeding, these rose in arms, and what a clamor they raised. There was no way of fiehting fires. The cattlemen wanted fires. Some of the cowboys had it worked down to the fine arts. Here was a tract they wanted burned. They might be caught. One takes a mag nifying glass and sets it so the focused rays next day would li^ht on dry feavps and other combustibles. The sun does its work and the innocent cowboy nrovps an alibi, for he is fifty miles away. I met a range rider in the Rockies and had a long talk with him. He would say to stock owners: "You can put only so many head on this ranee and you must pay for it." "Not much; we have had this range and we are going to have it." He would tell them: "I represent the United States govern- ment. You cannot afford to have a war with ninety million peonle." Often his life was threatened. All manner of trumped no charges were sent on to Washington and sometimes he had to face fire both front and rear. But these heroic men, like the mounted police of Canada, have convinced the ranchmen there was a law in the land and it must be obeyed. In a terrible time like this, when most of our northwestern forests are tinder boxes, what could be done without our range riders and their system of fighting fires? Sometimes they are at it for forty-eight hours without letup. One man found two of them lying on the ground in the deep sleep of utter exhaustion. They lay as they fell and the ants were running over them. Perhavs these men took a little relaxation and then the cry goes up: "See those lazy fellows and the waste in the forest service." No figuring, you understand, of the waste of the fires and the ax. All manner of abuse was heaped on the chief forester, but there was a vision before him. one nf ruin and desolation, and he 04 NEBRASKA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. wrote, talked and pleaded till the tide turned and a great victory was won. A crisis came and issues involving hundreds of millions. The forester broke a piece of red tape and he must go. No matter that be stands for a great principle. No matter that he has given his means and his life to a great cause. "Just look at that piece of red tape; can't you see it is broken?" But. thank God, the nation is fully aroused and our forestry system is established. You can readily see the clashing of interests. Leading men in our Pacific coast cities want the bars thrown down. The future may care lor itself. They want the coal dug and the water powers to be exploited, and flocks and herds to have free range. It all makes business and we want business now. There never yet was a national park laid out or a forest reserve made but what there was a tremendous protest. . When the government made a reserve near Cass Lake, Minnesota, a howl, long and deep, went up. When we tried to have a park in the Wet mountain valley and could have gotten a bill throueh congress for one of the publimest resorts, Colorado congressmen sat down on it. But slowly and surely the people are going to rule. This country is going to be saved. Not only conserved but made more beautiful and attractive. THE PAKT NEBRASKA MUST PLAT^ The rich soil of Nebraska is hunery for trees. In 1872 there was not a tree or shrub on the townsite of York. Now it is called the forest city. We have single trees that would make over 1.000 feet of lurnber. Timber pays. In scores of instances men have cut |!!00 worth of cotton- wood lumber per acre, besides the firewood, which was enous-h to cover the cost. The land was left all the better because it was subsolled by those vigorous roots. The sidehills must and will be defended from erosion and washing. You see farms with deen gullies nlouehed throueh the cornfield too deep, almost, to get a team across. Sometimes a erain of sense will come to the owner and he will dumn in a load of straw which stons the wash. One year we had a fearful dust storm in the snring and in some cases entire furrows on the hills were blown away. In one instance the rich soil of a neighbor drifted three feet deep on one of my hedges. I told him I wished he would lariat his farm and keep it at home. Groves and windbreaks are needed to ston the fierce gales which for ages have swent over our prairies. Buffet cror>s can be sown on the long sloning sidehills. I once saw In the Renubllcan valley a large field of alfalfa whif'h was catching the wash from the long slones above it. The time will come when instead of the man moving his barn to get away" from the manure pile he vill get a snreader and put it on his farm. The man who feeds cattle will learn sooner or later that corn fed manure is worth a small gold mine and it will pay to save. People are waking up to tbeir possibilities. The boys of the future are going to show their fathers how thines will be done and that farmine will pay. Two boys in North Carolina raised 125 bushels of corn per KORKSTRY. (i5 acre where their neighbors were raising twelve. A boy near West Point last year raised 114 bushels where the neighboring men were getting forty. Never yet has an acre of rich land west of the Missouri river been put to its best. The possibilities of our state are astounding. The time will come sooner or later whdn more will be raised on forty acres than the present system gets from 100. The roots of corn have been known to go down six feet where they had a chance, yet you see men plowing three inches deep for corn. The sidehills will not always be planted to corn which gives such a chance for washing. They will be planted to trees which will be mulched with straw or else sown to grass which will be well manured. The strangest thing is that men will not plant trees, i'here are millions of acres that are sometimes subject to overflow which for thirty years have raised nothing but weeds and which might be put to raising houses, barns and woodpiles. Better restore the old wood shed and raise your own fuel and give the coal barons the go-by. A farm is an empire of itself. If the farmei raises everything he needs he will grow rich. The nation whose imports exceed the exports is growing poor. For the last few years the balance of trade was in our favor. The past year we were about 150 millions short and if this keeps up we will have trouble. The farmer who buys more than he sells will soon raise a big crop of mortgages. True conservation makes us work the land to advantage and save it as one of God's best gifts to man. So stand up for Nebraska and make it one of the most brilliant stars in our national constellation. AFTERNOON SESSION, 2 P. M. Mrs. F. C. Laflin favored the convention with a song, entitled "The Magic Month of May." The Chairman: The next number on our program is a talk, or paper, by Mrs. W. A. Harrison, of York. FORESTRY. MRS. W. A. HARRISON. YORK. The subject assigned to me is rather an ideal one. 1 have changed the title so as to read "Women in Forestry." Woman's interest in trees is inherited. Her belief in her naturally religious make-up that God's first temples were the groves. President Roosevelt sounded the key- note of the subject in his speech on "Conservation," when he said: "The Ufe of the state and the nation depends on the preservation of our forests, which is an imperative necessity. We have come to see clearly that whatever destroys the forests, except to further agriculture, threatens our well-being." He found listeners in the Federation of Wo- men's Clubs. The "Cry of the Pines" all over the land was "The Trees are Dying," and that one piece of silver was buying the life of a tree. H6 NEBRASKA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. The cry that the great pines say to each other, 'Sister, the ax has scarred me, tool ]\Iy brother, we die, we die," found women anxious to arrange to stop the depredation, to further the reforesting of the wastes and to help in carrying on the work of proper foresting. Eight years ago the women took up the work, believing that they must do something to preserve our forests. They found how lamentable was the neglect of our country of her best assets. .Japan has practiced forestry for a thousand years. France commenced in the time of the great Napoleon. Germany has a forestry law that whoever cuts a tree must plant three; but our first reserve was made under President Cleve- land. Having found the needed work, woman's first question was what to do. She saw wise legislation was needed. She saw that every state, whether wooded or destitute of trees, should have intelligent laws pro- viding for a due proportion of forest area. "When we saw that legis- lation was so tied up and the question not coming to a vote we realized the importance of this burning question. We saw that something must be done which would make it possible, after five years' work in congress, to pass the bill providing for the protection and salvage of the White mountains, which were being denuded at the rate of 300 acres a day. When the bill had carried unanimously in the United States senate and had a clear majority for its passage in the house, it should have been allowed to come to a vote. There are different problems for each state to solve, and one of the greatest is the protection of the water sheds. We will not have any real water sheds until we get trees planted. Western Nebraska is desti tute of trees. We should also have the help of the landscape gardener in beautifying the ground close to bridges. We recommend the uniform planting of trees, and in trying to interest towns and cities to uniformly plant trees along the streets, thus beautifying the city. Boys and girls should be taught how to plant trees and shrubs for beauty. Some one in the state of Delaware wanted two rows of trees planted across the state. The same thing has been recommended for Nebraska. I am not pre- pared to state the value of such a proposition nor the beauty of it. Woman has started a campaign of publicity and education. She is reaching the people through the press. The Nebraska committee recom- mended and secured speakers at chautauquas and lecture courses to speak on conservation. She has now a movement on foot to have forestry placed in the text-books of our schools where possible. A concerted movement this year is to be brought about in the entire country. Another thing, every farm should have its wood lot, its own proper tion of trees. Especially is this true of the sandhill country. Give the sandhills plenty of trees — that is Father Harrison's recommendation; and then every city should have its parks. The great need of Nebraska is trees. Something we must have is a state forestry association. We must secure legislation along the line of forestry. We must have con- servation. Horticulture needs conservation. DISCTTSSION. 67 It is desired that women shall join in ihis grand organization to help carry on this great and good work. If it is accomi)lished, it will hp through the aid of the women. It rests upon the women of this state to see that Nebraska shall become the beautiful state she should be. Woman recommends the safeguarding of the source of streams. That every village should have its park board, and to urge uniform planting of trees on streets and roadsides, so that our country shall then be "God's beautiful out-of-doors." "Come, let's to the fields and the meads and the mountains. The forest invites us, the streams and the fountains." We have the most glorious out-of-doors there is in our whole land. Tjet us strive to make it a place of beauty, so that it may be enjoyed forever. [Applause.] DISCUSSION. Mr. Brown: Mrs. Harrison has certainly struck the right note so far as this state is concerned. You will bear me out in the statement that I have made this statement before this society annually for the last two or three years, concerning this forestry problem. We have a great West that has no trees. The people out there are missing great opportunities. Wherever you find pine trees planted you will find a garden spot. If you ever succeed in starting a pine tree growing, that pine tree is there today. We have this question to solve, the adaptability of the different varieties to that county, and an organized effort should be made by the legislature to ascertain that information. Mr. Yager: A great many times, while in attendance unon these meetings, I have felt a tinge of dispair. Many times T have attended our meetings in anticipation of great crowds that I exnected to throng our hall. I have been disappointed only to find a few hundred present. For this reason I have sometimes disnaired, but when talking last evening with Mrs. Harrison she said that there were either eight or eighty thousand club women in the state of Nebraska who are talking about helping us in our society work and the promotion and the pro- mulgation of the things for which we stand. I say I feel encouraged because if we get even eight thousand Nebraska women behind us to inish our cause and encoura-Je us in our wor'-, there will be lots of things done. The point or suggestion that she makes of putting forestry in- struction in our school text-books, we can hardly imagine how far-reach- ing that will be if accomplished. If it becomes a national idea — if that is the thought of Mrs. Harrison— (Mrs. Harrison: Yes, that is the idea.") — It will certainly prove to be a great impetus to furthering the knowl- edge of forestry. I wish to compliment her unon her remarks, and will say that I will now go home more than nleased and with a large amount of enthusiasm on the subject of forestry. Mr. Dole: On the subject of forestry the auestion of moisture has much to do. T was impressed with that fact this summer in Michigan. The farmers there were complaining of drought, the forests having fiS NEBRASKA STATK HORTICl'LTr KAI. SOCIIfiTY. been out off years a.i^o. T asked, "Why don't you replant?" The ans'ver was: "Tt took too long to raise a crop of trees, because the farn fv could not afford to nut so much money into trees and wait so long t-r a return." T .said then, "Why not have the s-overnment do it?" An.i the answer to that was: "We cannot trust th^ government with tha< work." Then, how are we eroing to get a forest planted? Tt seems *n me the only practical method would be to set aside forest reserves in every townshio and lei these reserves be owned by stock comnanies. and let farmers or peoui-' ,SLke stock in proportion to the acreage of land that they own. ct this be sufficient to plant it to forests. Employ a forester to take care of it. Later on, as the forests become large, they may be thinned out, some of the wood can be sold, and in that wav some returns would be made on the investment. In this way the burden is not upon any one shoulder and the forests would be sufficient to make a material effect upon the climate. Of course, this plan mieht denend upon the leeislature to some extent, but in this way every farmer would sret a benefit. Mr. Brown: That would be all rieht, but you will have to educate the man to it. or the farmer, uo to tJie point where he will be led to believe that there will be m-ofit in the undertaking. If you can do that, it undoubtedly will be a success. If you will send for and read "Forest Bulletin No. 27," you will ?:ei some facts that will open your eyes. You must create tniblic sentiment, as has been suggested. This will be done by publishing forestry facts and principles in our text-books. In that A^ ay this problem would be solved. We might not live to see the benefits of it, biit the coiuins: generation would. Mr. McCandlass: T wish to comnliment Mrs. Harrison upon her splen- did paner on forestry. Ei-^-ht hundred thousand club women in the United States working for the interests of forestry would be doing a grand work. Take the case of our own cemetery here in Wymore. neglected for so many years — so much so that people were reluctant to die. We turned this cemetery association over to the ladies and I must say that the results have become a great credit to the city under their manaerement. A few days ago I read an account of the erection of the first monu- ment in the state of Nebraska dedicating the line of the old Oregon trail. This monument was erected through the efforts of the "Daughters of the American Revolution" at the city of Kearney. That trail is the longest graveyard in the world and the scene of more revolting murders and bloodshed of men, women and children than all the battles of the Civil war. This trail has just been marked out for the benefit of pos- terity. That thoueht was by the ladies. Personally, I owe an obligation to the ladies of the city of Wymore, because when I met resistance in my work that I have attempted here in the way of planting trees and parking to beautify the city, I have always had the support of the ladles. So T wish to say that if you can get the ladies Interested in any line of work, that work will progress and go forward. I'HiriS KOK THK hWKMKKS (iAI{|ii:\. «9 I wish tu add, also, for your information, tliat our city council, at its meetine; held last evening, passed an ordinance to take over the block or plot of ground down here near the depot for a park. When you come again, as I hope you will, we will have a park down there. I wish to take advantage of this opportunity to express my gratifi- cation with the splendid work that the women in this country are doing for the uplifting of the world. The Chairman: Our next number is by Mr. G. S. Christy, of .Tohn son, entitled "Fruits for the Farmer's Garden." FRUITS FOR THE FARMER'S GARDEN. G. S. CHRLSTY. JOHNSON. It requires some time and exnense to furnish a good fruit garden for the home and the question naturally arises, will it pay? Yes, in the added pleasures and comforts of the home and it will doubly pay in the saving of doctors' bills. Fevers kill many people in every new country as they lack the fruit acids as a system corrective. Fevers incident to smallnox and measles have killed more Indians than the white man's bullets. They are not fruit eaters. When it Is generaaly understood that the fruit garden has to do with health of the family as well as the pleasure and comfort, there will be more atention given ' Session. 9 : 00 Co-operative Spraying Prof. R. F. Howard. Uni. of Nebraska, Lincoln How We Grow Apples Henry C. Smith, Forest Hill Fruit Farm, Falls City Tendencies in Horticultural Practice Val Keyser, Lincoln Horticultural Suggestions J. A. Yager, Fremont Question Box. Thuesday Afternoon. APPLE JUDGING CONTEST. 2:00 Pro Rata Premium ^ $100.00 Open to members of the society who have not been members for more than three years. Four plates each of ten standard winter varieties will be used for this contest. The contestants will rank the four plates of each variety 1, 2, 3, and 4, according to their merits and note the apples of each variety substituted. The premium money will be prorated among those scoring more than 60 points out of a possible 100. Any one may become a member by payment of $1 for annual membership or $5 for life membership. ADDRESS OF WELCOME. DR. E. MEAD WILCOX, UNH^RSITY OF NEBItASKA. Mr. President, Members of the State Horticultural Society, Ladies and Gentlemen: I am a beginner in the art of making addresses of welcome and so I shall afford you neither the luxury of an oration nor trouble you with the length of it, such as formerly accompanied an address of this character. My immediate predecessor, in welcoming the State Horticultural Society to the city of Lincoln and to the University has set an example which I feel that I can scarcely imitate in either sound sense or authorized statements of profit to the society. There are three items missing from addresses of this sort: According to my knowledge of the olden times it appears to have been, in a measure, the intention that all men engage in one sort of horticultural work — garden- ing. So man and his first wife were established in the Garden of Eden, and we find they proved somewhat of a failure, and that original horti- cultural enterprise collapsed, more or less, and man was sent out to ac- quire some more knowledge, and to engage in some more simple occupa- tion, altogether more primitive. So horticulturists have been looking for knowledge all these years, and I am accustomed to say to myself, and sometimes I have gotten bold enough to say it out loud, that in many ways this is the most intelligent body of men that could be gathered together in any city — a representa- tive gathering of people engaged in horticultural work. I think you will find the fact is quite close to being true to say that horticulture is A I (DRESS OF WKLCOMK. 73 identified necessarily with ihe acciuireinent of irutli, and so to welcome it to any part of the University is to aslc it to partake further of that upon which it already knows or depends and thai is upon knowledge and upon the search for new truth. Now, botany and horticulture stand in close relationship, and so anyone ideutifipc! with botanical work feels that he is welcoming, in a measure, an older brother, when a botanist stands before a gathering of horticulturists and extends the glad hand. In fact, they are now becoming so closely identified that they have reached the stage where they may be called twin brothers, so that when you start out to separate them them you will find it a very serious problem. On one hand we find the botanist doing nothing but horticultural work; on the other hand we have a number of horticulturists doing botanical work. The point of view has changed largely. What satisfied the botanist twenty- five years ago would not be satisfactory at the present time; what sat- isfied the horticulturist twenty-five years ago would be of no value today, at least unsatisfactory. It is not broad enough. Botany of old itself named plants; someone has said they hunted plants very much as you might hunt rabbits. For example, you might chase it into a hole and then photograph the hole. Botany chased plants into names and then went away with the names, and I presume you have seen fellows come back from the University and throw names around indiscriminately and you would think his knowledge was very profound. Of old, botany distinguished new aames of a very tew plants, but botany has grown from the study of names to the study of the behavior of plants; the mere name doesn't imply anything. You may introduce Jones to Smith and not know either one— in fact, you may not care to know them — you simply sic Jones on Smith and assume no responsibility, you know their names, so possession of a name does not necessarily imply pos- session of any knowledge. To know the names of 100, 200, 2,000, or 5,000 plants does not necessarily imply any knowledge of botany at all today. So horticulture has also grown side by side with botany. Some thought it was making progress slowly, perhaps traveling on several roads at the same time rather than moving in one direction, but it has made great progress. I can remember very distinctly of succeeding, in a measure, to a chair that had been held by a professor of horticul- ture. This professor had all his trees tagged with nails on which he hung horseshoes, because he was convinced that was an easy method to supply iron to build up the constitution of those trees. There was another professor of horticulture found later who had tied sacks of fertilizer around the trunks of the trees because he wanted to keep it where it would do the mcst good. He wanted to get it right in the middle of things — to save time, in other words. Then there are horticulturists who think or consider that they have done their duty when they had planted a few hundred kinds of vege- tables and watched them grow one summer and see that they are gathered and stored away waiting to measure them and thinking they 80 NEBUASKA STATIC ilOK'I'l (;U LTUHAL SOCIKTV. had some sort of knowledge of the varieties which should be grown. The next year more seeds were planted and very diffeient results secured which did not agree with those of the preceding years, so the work was never done, and you couldn't expect to finish it. It was really a horticultural merry-go-round on which they were riding and they could not tell when they went past one what scenery they had seen the preced- ing years. They could not tell that they had ever been upon that road be- fore. Some of the more brilliant minded horticulturists have seen the way out of the wilderness. We botanists congratulate ourselves that the wa> out leads toward where we had already pitched our tents and had for years been at work. In other words, the horticultural people are appreciating more the need of investigation, and particularly along strictly botanical, lines. I want to indicate what some of these directions are in which work is being done, and more work is being done because I am welcoming you to an institution which is related to you in- the capacity of a productive machine, in a way, to discover some of these things you want to know, in a way which you cannot discover because a large establishment is required that must have co-operation and division of labor, and to do what the old horticulturist thought he could do more satisfactorily is now done by experts employed tor that purpose. I want to indicate some of the directions in which work is much needed. You will see all these directions lead toward what we have been calling pure science. One of the first is knowledge of breeding, V. hich in the last ten years has received a stimulus, employed in new- directions, and you might say a new science has been created, and plant breeding, as we know it today, was practically non-existent ten years ago on account of new methods of work that Lave been introduced. In fact, the whole idea underlying the methods of breeding has been fun- damentally changed. Where ten years ago a "man to breed plants had to depend upon his memory to ascertain the facts, he would be con- sidered an utter scalawag today; now he must depend on written records to show in which direction he was going from year to year. That is one direction in which scientific work is needed. There is still another side which should be very highly developed, and that is our knowledge of the nutrition of plants. All nurserymen, in fact, need to know more about that than botanists could tell them, so we must push the work in that direction, because on that depends the successful propagation of plants. So that again is one of the direc- tions in which the work must be pushed on. In the old horticultural meetings two subjects were always dis- cussed — insect pests and diseases of plants. I can remember when I was not over ten years old, and I presume these subjects were discussed pre- vious to that. The old meetings were full of discussions of that kind. Of course, a great deal of progress has been made. We can hardly realize how far we have advanced. Such a proposition as spraying has practically gotten out of the control of the botanist, even out of the control of the scientist. We now look upon it as an ordinary operation ADDRESS Oh' WKLCOMi;. 81 like plowing. I do not see much more need of having a luot'essor of spraying than a professor of plowing. They are farm operations, ordi- nary, essential operations. Back of all the spraying lies what might sometimes appear to be dull and uninteresting study of disease. It is because before we can tell you what to do for them, we must know something about the trouble and perhaps we can tell you then. In many cases we cannot because studies here, there and other places must be carried on and become acquainted with, and general conclusions drawn and further detailed studies made which .may involve years of work. Hasty conclusions based on an afternoon's nap or dream are no longer accepted at the value which they formerly were; we do not appreciate what a horribly credible crowd of people we are getting to be. Results of twenty-five years ago were accepted as gospel truth, not based on anything in particular. We frequently built a building bot- tom side up in those old days and drew our conclusions afterwards. In other words, we threw the roof up in the air and when we had leisure time we built something under it to support it. Now we proceed In exactly the opposite direction, by building the foundation first; that foundation consists of pure science. Nature gives to horticulture that pure science which is botany, so they are there classed together. One very characteristic thing about the botanist and horticulturist is their natural modesty is always shown. Cgesar claims that all Gaul was divided in three parts. The nurseryman has all three kinds of gall (Gaul); they have both soft galls, hard galls, and hairy -root galls, all three kinds, but we don't show it to any great extent. I think as a matter of fact the horticultural needs are not as a rule properly presented to the people. I remember in my first little effort to organize a horticultural movement which was in trying to organize a closer inspection work in Alabama, or at least to direct it along useful chan- nels, I was called before a committee of the Legislature. There was a bill up for consideration and there was a man in that Legislature who had been in the house for ten or twelve years, off and on, who made the startling statement that he did not think there was any sense in having any legislation designed to assist horticulturists and nurserymei. because there was not any in the blooming state. Of course, as a matter of fact, the largest in the world are located in the northern part of the state of Alabama. The active insnector will burn up more stock there than the average state will produce, so I am inclined to think that, although the horticulturists are in possession of all gall (Gaul) they haven't been displaying it to any great extent; so that horticultural interests and their value, their general value, the value of horticultural work in a community or commonwealth is not appreciated as it should be, not by any means. I have been surprised frequently at what you get when you come down to hard figures with reference to some of those propositions. How many of you are aware that last year there was over 7,000 acres of cabbage planted out in Nebraska? About 7,000 acres of nurserv stock? 82 NEBRASKA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. Scattered around over the state soiT'etbing like 110.000 acres of potatoes. Tn fact, that industry has become so lars-e that horticulture has disnn-ned it and called it a field cron and diimned it out of the g'arden. Now we con)e down to trees. Tn 1910 there were about R, 500, 000 annles trees in this state, 3 700.000 according to the best statistics; 161.000 near trees: 1.400.000 peach trees; 647.000 plum trees: over 700.000 cherry trees. Quite a nice little sho-^insr and not at all to be ashamed of. Then there are some nut trees — 318.000 scattered about over the state. So on the side of oomoloe^y we could cite the above, for g'arden horticulture or limitpd field cultivation. Horticulture is of consequence, so anything th'it will tend to promote horticulture is worth while beine: promoted. There is a ?reat deal more in eardenine: anfl in the cultivation of plants than financial returns. Horticulture is better than profits, there is always a lookine: to the future and retainins: their youth. An old man who has devoted his life to horticulture has devoted his life to an ennobling callinsr. We say the aei-iculturist is the noblest of all: then for the part of the horticulturist in some ways it is the noblest part, because you have the esthetic side all the time, besides the money-making side. So the horticulture people should not be ashamed to proclaim from the house tops, if necessary. I think what they .want, what anybody wants, they ^et in the long run. Even children do that; I find that true with my little limited experience with the family that even the ladies — and, by the way, what has happened to the ladies — I think T used the plural to commence with, I think I should correct that — they always take a live interest in horticultural work. I notice according to our proeram another phase coming to the front and that is the specialization in horticulture. Here comes the florists by themselves to discuss their special problems. I know they occasionally propo>ind problems that are rather hard nuts to crack, such as diseases and difficulties in growing crops. All these problems demand an immense amount of attention; some are coming to be expensive prob- lems to solve. They are coming to demand a large equipment of men and apparatus and patience on the part of those who are seeking the results and on the part of those who are waiting for those results. So 1 coneratulate you on having returned in a measure to the occupation originally laid out as a calling for mankind. It would be absurd for me to welcome you to the University, of which I assume you are already a part, because it is the people's University and T have already explained you are the people, and since you are here in your own institution it is unnecessary for me to extend any special welcome, but I do extend it most heartily to you and I hope the meetings may be most i)rofitable, interesting and encouraging from every point of view. Chairman Williams: Dr. Wilcox, on behalf of the society, I wish to thank you for the kind remarks and address of welcome you have given us this afternoon. We all appreciate meeting here in Lincoln once a year, as our work, both of the florists and fruit-growers, is along experi- ■rHE KETAIL FLORIST. H'S mental lines, we are only too glad to get back once lU a wnue and profit by one another's experience. I believe our meetings which we have been holding here once a year have been very profitable to all who have attended and I hope that this one will be the same. Chairman: Our progiam consists mostly of papers by the florists this afternoon, and as the Florists Society is an auxiliary of the society, I will call its president, Mr. Irwin Frey, to the chair. STATE FLORISTS' SOCIETY. Chairman Frey: The first thing we have on the program is a paper on the subject of "Chrysanthemums," by Mr. Harry Hunt, of Kearney, but as Mr. Hunt is unable to be with us today on account of sickness, I will call on Mr. C. H. Green, of Fremont, on the subject of "The Retail Florist." THE RETAIL FLORIST. CHAS. H. CREEX, FREMONT. Had I been called upon some twenty years ago to talk to you about the retail florist, I would have approached the subject with the perfect confidence of the boy who went to work in the greenhouse one Monday morning and that same evening one of the men said to him, "Well, Roy, how do you like the florist business?" "Fine," said Roy, "fine, I'm glad 1 learned it." So it was and is, or was, with most of us, I suppose. When we have scratched a little on the surface of floriculture, or any other big subject for that matter, we conceive the idea we have gone to rock bottom and fondly imagine we can give the older and wiser heads unlimited beneficial, even if unsolicited and unheeded, advice. As we delve deeper and the impossibilities begin to appear where at first we saw only possibilities and probabilities, we begin to acquire knowledge that is really useful and valuable. Now what is a retail florist? The man who has a little space under a stairway or on a corner of the sidewalk in a big city will tell you that he is a retail florist. That man, a step higher, with a window and space for his refrigerator in a drug store in a side street admits he is a retail florist. The man who conducts the grand, marbled, mirrored, silver plated, plaie-glass establishment on the best corner in the heart of the re- rail dry goods section of the big city, often paying a rental greater than the gross income of a really prosperous florist in a city of the second or third class, knows that there is really only one retail florist and he is it. These people are dealers only, as they, almost without any exception, buy their flowers and plants from the growers or wholesale commission men. Those of us who supply the floral wants of a community with stock which we have ourselves produced, who have cared for oui' blooming and other bedding plants all along the way from the propagating bed to the flower garden, who have watched over our cut flowers from the soil to the social event, sick room or cemetery, and in doing so have 84 NEBRASKA STATE HORTK.'ULTUKAL SOCIKTV. incidentally actually performed or at least personally directed the multl tudinous duties necessary to the successful achievement thereof. We fondly hope we have earned the proud title of retail florist, but when the livery stable keeper or the hardware man comes to the green- house with his wife in the. spring for a dozen geraniums and a couple of dozen pansies for the flower bed by the porch, and solves for us offhand half a dozen problems that we have been worrying about for quitf^ a while, we wonder. It is not my intent icm at this time to enter into details of the methods of conducting a retail florist's btisiness. A great many people imagine that raising flowers is a nice comfortable occupation for an old lady to spend her time at. This is true up to a certain extent, but doubt not that flower growing on the scale that is necessary as a bus- iness proposition is a man's size job. Neither \s it so remunerative that there is a mad scramble to get into it by speculation who want to get rich quick. I believe that any retail florist will agree with me that it requires more ability to separate a dollar from the general public by this means than by any other known method. Well, maybe not to get it, but to keep it. Still there are compensations. There is in itself an attraction about the business that is so resistless that once a man becomes thoroughly interested he usually makes it his lite work. The retail florist in a community not so large but what he is" per- sonally acquainted with all or 'most of his customers, is a spectator to many interesting incidents. The language of flowers is becoming more and more used in daily life and a beautiful expressive language it is. How can one better express the sentiments appropriate to any occa- sion than through the medium of a bunch of fresn, fragrant flo\\ers'.' Never fear that that message will not be understood, be it joy or grief, sympathy or congratulation, or penitence. ' Many an incident we note that is beautiful to see. And many a one that is so ludicrous that we grin inwardly for a week. For instance, Johnny Jones stops sending flowers to his regular Susan Sue, and has them delivered to some swell girl who is visiting here. Pretty soon we notice orders from that other fellow going to Susan. The visiting girl goes home. Then one day Johnny orders a great big bunch of violets sent to Susan Sue. Could anything be plainer? Preferment, fascination, jealousy, encouragement, penitence and reconciliation, expressed as unmistakably as if bawled out from ihe housetops. The census estimate of the gross business of the retail florists of the United States for the year 1900, shows a total of nearly $20,000,000. Thinl. of it, you florists, when you arc hustling to get the amount of your month's coal bill together. Nor is this vast sum representative of any- thing like the amount of business done during 1910, for the business Is really in its infancy and is increasing by leaps and bounds. As the THK f'LORISTS' AI>VKK'HSINO;. 85 newer portions of this great land arc settled and the first improvements are made and the burden of debt is lifted from these new homes, the desire for some adornment and beautiful surroundings that is the her- itage of every rightly constructed human being is manifested by nothing more than by the fioweis, fruits and foliage which surround them. The retail florist, to succeed, must be progressive, energetic and strictly up-to-date. He must anticipate the ever increasing wants of his trade, and be able to supply the demand for the new, novel and different in the right way with the right stock and at the right time. The extent to which you have succeeded in doing this, Brother Flor- ist, you have an easy way of ascertaining. If your annual trial balance does not look 'as good as you think it should, the sooner you find out the reason the better. Remember that fashions change in flowers the same as anything else. While it is not wisdom to grab at every new idea that comes along, a careful consideration of them will enable one to select such of these as may be profitably adopted. Success or lack of it depends not so much upon the great things of our business as upon the seemingly unimportant details. A satisfied customer is the besi» advertising medium and more so if possible in our business than in any other as the intrinsic value of our products depends so largely on their beauty and power to please. To really be a successful retail florist you must, as the poet has so aptly written, "Give to the world the best that you have And the best will come back to you." Chairman: A burning question in the minds of florists of today is where we can get the most, so to speak, for our money in advertising, so we have had Mr. Henderson, of Omaha, prepare a paper on adver- tising, as we thought he had had more experience than any of the rest of us in that line. THE FLORISTS' ADVERTISING. l.OUIS HENDEK.SOX. OMAHA. To advertise is to give publicity, to make known our goods, our wants and what they are. We are living in a time of progress, in a time of improvement, in a time when our business has grown to a gigantic proportion. The capital invested is far beyond the dream of the florist of less than half a gen- eration ago. We are in a time oT competition when we strive to outdo the other in results. We must keep up with these times to accomplish the best results. If we do not it is merely a question of time when we will be dropping off by the wayside to the survivor of the hustler. How shall we do this if not through publicity? Some may say I don't need to advertise, my goods speak for themselves, they are of good quality; once had, the customer always comes back and brings another. 86 ^•KBEA^5KA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. This may be true, but if you have something good keep it not to yourself, but push it along and let others know of it even if you are the only florist in the community. Don't sit and wait for the customer to come, as if to say they have ro come to me whether I advertise or not. Advertising is a reminder. Give it all due attention, it is very inter- esting when once gotten into. Its cost must be, like all other things, in proportion to the size of your trade. The advertisement should be changed from time to time even if it consists of the merest heading and short sentence as a reminder of the various flowers in season, and the joy and pleasure that can be obtained at very reasonable prices. Many a person would, in all probability, never think of buying a flower had he not been reminded by a little advertisement in some paper, program or some other way by some florist who may be struggling hard to make an honest living by selling nature's most beautiful emblems — messengers, conveying greetings of love, joy, congratulations or sympathy from heart to heart. • When a man starts in the florist business, the newspapers, of course, will make an announcement that "so and so" have started in the florist trade, but this is not enough. In the first place, this man's ability, his personality, character, even dress and appearance, is a walking adver- tisement of what he is about to accomplish. He must make himself acquainted and be popular and his goods of first quality and in demand. He must put up a neat, clean show win- dow with up-to-date goods artistically arranged, which will attract the attention as a reminder to the passer-by. He must be pleasant, courteous and generous, and by all means prompt. All these things are great advertisements as well as the qual- ity of his goods and the way they are put up. A neat advertisement or label on his boxes, his name in some trademark, not gay and gaudy, but something that appeals to refinement. His delivery boys should be neat and tidy, his wagons or automobiles pleasing and up-to-date, in order that wherever they pass they will be pleasing reminders of flowers and the beautiful. He must keep his name before the public through the newspapers or in many other ways in order that the public may familiarize themselves with the same, and when in need of flowers will remember where to go. Next comes the advertising man or a committee with a program of some entertainment to be given in some church or theatre, or social function in the community. They want an advertisement to help pay for the printing of the program. They as a rule always come to the florist. They may be your customers and it would seem to be wasting money to give them an ad. However, you are wise if you cheerfully give them an advertisement. This same committee as a rule are the leading flower buyers in the community and you have advertised your- ?flf to the committee and they will remember you. I'.rLBs. 87 However, don't be entirely content with the trade that you have. There is always room for more. And more help to your working force, extend your advertisements farther and farther as your business grows. • Send out circulars, catalogs and calendars to all your friends and to the flower-buying people as well as others. It will help to cultivate in them a love for flowers and nature's beauty. One florist can not do this all alone; we should all help boost and advertise. There is plenty of i-oom for us all, and plenty of work to do ai home and in our society, as individuals or as a unity. Nebraska is the very place to do this, with its energetic people, fertile soil, pleasing climate, abundance of sunshine, great factories and railroad systems, its beautiful valleys, rivers and trickling streams. Make Nebraska a garden of flowers. Then advertise and let the world know that right here in our realms has been established or found the "Lost Paradise," the "Garden of Eden." Chairman: I do not know of anything else we could mention in the advertising line but what Mr. Henderson's paper has covered it fully. If there is any part of advertising that he has not covered fully that any member would like to suggest we should like to hear it. Our next topic is "Bulbs," by Mr. J. E. Atkinson, of Pawnee City. BULBS. J. E. ATKINSON, PAWNEE CITY. I do not like to begin a paper by apologizing, but I have been having the worst kind of a siege of the "grippe" and ought to be home now. T kept putting off writing this paper until yesterday evening, and have not read it over since I wrote it, and possibly cannot read it now. Further than this, it is not intended for the florist, but is intended to get the ordinary housewife and homemaker to plant bulbs; there is nothing in it that is new to the florist and possibly nothing new to the ordinary citizen. Of the many plants grown for their flowers, none produce more beau- tiful or more delicately fragrant blossoms, none are so easily cultivated and cared for, none are so sure to succeed under widely varying or ad- verse conditions, and none are so generally satisfactory in the hands of the unskilled as those commonly known as bulbs. Broadly speaking, and for convenience of description, bulbs and bulbous plants may be placed in three general classes: Summer bloom- ing bulbs, hardy bulbs, and bulbs for winter blooming in the house. Bulbs commonly known as summer-flowering will not stand severe freez- ing, but must be taken up in the fall and stored in a f.ost-proof cellar. They are as easily kept as potatoes, require no more care or labor in their cultivation, and make a most gorgeous display of colors and color 88 NKBRASKA STATE HORTU'lJLTdRAl. SOCIETY. combiuations during Ltie summer and autumn. Among the leading kinds are gladioli, dahlias, cannas. tuberoses, and several of the amaryllis family. They may safely be planted about corn-planting time, and any good garden soil is suitable, although cannas are partial to a very rich soil, and must have it, and plenty of moisture, to be at their best. If you are not growing summer-flowering bulbs you are not living uu to your opportunities and privileges as a Nebraskan. Hardy bulbs are best planted in October. They do not require a very rich soil, and are easily cared for. After planting, it is well to cover the beds with leaves, straw or coarse litter, which should be re- moved early in the spring. After blooming they may be taken up and stored in dry soil, or they may be left in the beds year after year. Hardy bulbs are especially useful for outdoor planting as they bloom at a time when the yard and garden are utterly bare and destitute. They make a cheerful display in early spring when flowers are most needed, and a few of them will transform an otherwise bare, bleak yard into a veritable bit of Eden. Crocuses, snowdrops and scillas appear as soon as the snow is gone or the frost is out, and are followed by jonquils, tulips, narcissus, hyacinths, Lily of the Valley, etc. Thes'^ and many others are perfectly hardy and may stay in the ground from year to year, producing an abundance of chastely beautiful and exqui? itely fragrant flowers, and eventually forming large clumps that musl be divided to continue to do well. The hyacinth is an exception, rarely blooming freely more than three or four years in Nebraska. They, however, are so sweetly perfumed, so delicately beautiful, and sure to bloom, that we can well afford to plant anew each year. In fact, it pays to plant some of the hardy bulbs every yeai\ for it seems impossible ever to have too many, and they succeed so well they always exceed our expectations and are a continual source of surprise and pleasure. We might mention many other bulbs that are hardy and beautiful, including several kinds of lilies, but while many of these are simply magnificent, and well repay the little extra care they require for best development, yet as they do not succeed at all times, in all hands, under all sorts of conditions, it seems better to omit them and recommend only those that do well for everyone, at all times, undei- almost all conditions. The last class, bulbs for winter blooming in the house, is perhaps the 'nost important of all. from the florist's standpoint. Practically all of the hardy, and many of the tender bulbs respond readily to house culture in winter, but there are a few that are so easily cared for and so sure to flower freely, that failure with them is almost impossible. Perhaps the best known and most popular of these is the Giant .Var cissus, or Chinese Sacred Lily. It blooms equally well in soil or water, three to five weeks after planting, and when done flowering may be throv.n out, as it is useless for fufther forcing. Others of the narcissus family that always do well are Paper White, Rugulosus. Emperor. Von BULBS. 89 Sion, Trumpet Major and Golden Spur. All will bloom better when grown in soil than water, and all, except Paper White, may be planted out for permanent beds another year, or may be forced in the house again if the bulbs remain solid. For house culture nothing surpasses the hyacinth. They may be had in all shades from pure waxy white to yellow, from light blush to dark red, and from delicate porcelain blue to indigo and dark purple. Their large spikes of fragrant flowers are like nothing else in cultiva- tion and must be seen to be appreciated. The miniature, or Dutch Romans, are like the regular Dutch hyacinths in all respects except that they are earlier, and the flower spikes are somewhat smaller and more delicate. Single varieties are more satisfactory for the house than are doubles. Hyacinths bloom freely and somewhat earlier in water, but are much better and keep longer when grown in soil. So long as the bulbs remain solid, without splitting up or dividing, they are good for further blooming and may be planted out permanently or grown in the house another season. Tritileas are small bulbs of the easiest possible culture that are con- stantly in bloom during the winter. Allium Neapolitanum is a grand bulb for winter, and is certain to grow and bloom splendidly in any window. Its flowers are beautiful and lasting and the bulbs are cheap in price. The Ornithogalum is a sure and showy winter bloomer that never fails and requires little care. The flowers are very durable, and the bulbs are good year after year. If there is one most desirable bulb for the house, sure to succeed and bloom elegantly for anyone in any situation, pleasing to all for its refined beauty and fragrance, easily grown and universally admired, it is the Freesia. Plant five or six bulbs in a six-inch pot of rather light soil, and you will become an enthusiast. Many ladies aspire to grow Easter lilies, and a few succeed. Most of them fail because lilies cannot thrive in the dry, dusty atmosphere of a living room. The kinds surest to succeed are varieties of Candi- dum and Longiflorum. To do well they must have plenty of moisture in the air while growing. Given this, they are magnificent and well worth the little extra care they need. Just here, it may be well to say that many of the choicest lilies that often fail with ordinary outdoor cul- ture will do well if planted in large pots in the fall, kept in the cellar over winter, and planted out, pots and all during the summer. Give plenty of moisture while growing, and you will feel amply repaid. Re- pot in the fall and proceed as before. The common Calla, as a winter bloomer, is too well known to re- quire description or comment. It is of the easiest culture, so easy in fact, that many get only a magnificent growth of leaves, with but few flowers. The bulbs should be dried off in summer and repotted in Sep- tember in small pots of very rich soil. Give an abundance of water, 4 90 NEBRASKA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. see that the drainage is good, and be sure the pots are not too large. A large bulb will bloom freely in a six-inrh pot, while if planted In a candy bucket it may give only a grand display of tropical foliage. The writer once crowded an extra large bulb having three eyes, into a ten- quart pail, and this plant produced twenty-eight perfect flowers during the winter; the record, so far as we know. There are many other winter blooming bulbs of the easiest possible culture, but this paper is already too long. There is one, however, the queen of all, producing all winter long, numerous strikingly hand- some flowers of the most delicate and beautiful shades, white, pink, rose, blush, crimson, etc., and with foliage so prettily marked and beau- tiful that it would be a desirable ornamental plant, even if it never bloomed at all. This is the cyclamen. Probably no pot plants are so universally satisfactory. They require a light porous soil containing plenty of sand or coal ashes, and the bujbs should be set on the surface, rather than in the soil. As a rule, it is better to procure cyclamen bulbs already started, than to get dormant ones, as they do not all start readily under ordinary living-room conditions, although they do ex- ceedingly well when once started. In general, winter blooming bulbs should be planted from September to .January in pots or boxes of light soil which just covers the bulbs. The soil should be firmly pressed about them, they should be thoroughly V atered, and set in a cool, moist, dark cellar to form roots. On this depends, to a great extent, success or failure. During this time do not keep them soggy wet, nor let them get dust dry. The time required varies from a few days for sacred lilies, freesias and alliums, to six weeks or two months for hyacinths and Easter Lilies. In most cases when top growth begins to show they may be brought to the light, and will bloom in due time. Planted and brought to light at different times, it is easy to have a succession of lovely flowers to brighten the home all winter. And how they do cheer the dull, dreary days, and make "home" worthy of fhe name even though it only be a shanty or a sod house. Plant plenty of flowers, for they have a refining and uplifting ten- dency, and help to make truer, better nobler men and women. Es- pecially, plant plenty of bulbs, they are so little care, so sure to bloom and ])lease you, so inexpensive, and many of them have beauty and fragrance beyond comparison. With all their excellent qualities they are cosmopolitan, and will unfold their cheery brightness and exquisite fragrance as fully in the back yard of the tenement as on the lawn of the millionaire; as freely in a tin can in a cottage window as in a cut glass bowl or silvei- jardiniere in a palace. Plant bulbs. DISCUSSION. Chairman: I think we are fortunate this afternoon in having the different subjects under discussion covered as completely as they have lUSCUSSION. i)i been covered in the paijers you have heard. I do not know of anything Mr. Atlvinson has omitted. If there is anything omitted we will be glad to hear from you. Mr. Williams: There is one thing in regard to bulbs, liitu iliey luaj be wintered as easily as potatoes. I want to talve exception to that, in the case of the canna particularly. I have had trouble wintering them and I know most people do who- attempt to keep them in that manner. Mr. Atkinson: Suppose I had said sweet potatoes, is there any ex- ception to that? Mr. Williams: I guess that would be all right. Chairman: The trouble with most individuals or private growers is that they shake too much of the soil off the roots. If they would leave all the soil on them and let them become dry with that soil on them and put them in a place near the furnace they will keep, but don't put them in a damp place. They can not have too much soil on them. Mr. Simanton: I have not had much to do with keeping them, but I have collected something in the last couple of years and we have been trying a little different plan. After the frost we cut the tops off but don't dig them up until the ground begins to freeze, leaving them in the ground to ripen. I find that they keep much better that way than when we dig them right out of the ground. That explains to my satisfaction why they are keeping better. Chairman: I do not know what the causes of failure in keeping cannas are. We have never been troubled at all in keeping the bulbs. They seem to be one of the plants that take the least attention of anything we grow, but I should think in a wet season leaving the bulb after the tops were cut would have a tendency to make them keep better. Mr. Williams: I believe that canna roots are very much like sweet potatoes, you have to be careful that they do not sweat. They should be spread out on a shed floor and allowed to dry thoroughly. If you have wet dirt around them they will sweat. Mr. Dole: We cut our cannas off as soon as the frost hits them, let them stand until we think it is going to freeze hard, when we dig them up and put them under a raised bench in the carnation house where we have wintered our cannas for a good many years. We always w'inter them that way, and our steam pipes are just above them, some of the tops will just touch the steam pipes, and we have never had any trouble with them excepting once or twice with some varieties. The more ten- der ones, I think, are hard to keep, anyway. The hardier varieties are easier to keep, anyway. Mr. Green: I believe the keeping quality is due to the condition of the plants, in the fall. If we have had a wet fall the inside of the plant has a soft growth, especially the hearts or centers of the bulbs or tubers. If we have a wet fall just previous to the time we dig them up, before and just after a frost, they do not seem to be ripened 92 NEBRASKA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. up well, and we go down a row, a man on each side, with a spading fork and lift the plant up enough to break those roots. That we think gives the plant a chance to ripen up. That is done a week or ten days before we dig them. If they are wet underneath, then we cut the tops off after we have had a frost, and then we take them out, covering them up in case of a dangerous frost. That may have been unnecessary precaution, but the frost seems to do them good. I think the secret is to get your bulb well cured, or well ripened. Mr. Williams: What would be the advantage of letting the canna tops freeze; why not cut them off? ]\lr. Dole: There would be no advantage of letting them freeze to- il ight and digging them up tomorrow. Let them freeze and get two or three weeks of fairly warm weather afterwards. The frost checks the growth, I do not know why. It is simply an idea, but every florist seems tQ think it is beneficial to the roots. It stops the growth, that is when it stops the flow of the sap. For several years we Lave had to dig our cannas after the first frost because it turned very cold shortly afterwards. Mr. Simanton: I think one reason is they are the most beautiful at that time of the year until it does freeze. Mr. Williams: I would like to ask if you can keep your dahlias as easy as your cannas? We have not been able to. Mr. Dole: We keep them in the same place. We cut them off like the cannas, and in the same way we leave what dirt hangs on them. Chairman: This discussion has been very good. We know that florists that have a carnation bed has a dry spot to keep his cannas. If we have anyone here who has a surer way let us hear from him. Mr. Atkinson: Do not keep them on a damp cellar floor. Chairman: Our next paper is entitled "Prospects for Wholesaling in Nebraska," by Mr. August Eiche. I will say that Mr. Eiche is sick at the present time, but he has entrusted his paper to our secretary, who will read it. PROSPECTS FOR WHOLESALING IN NEBRASKA. AUGUST EICHE, LINCOLN. I have been asked by your secretary to write a paper on the whole- sale florist business in Nebraska, and the outlook for the future. In a large way, I consider Nebraska one of the very best states in the union for the grower of flowers. We have so many of the essential elements for the production of first class stock so near at hand it would indeed be strange if we did not produce as fine stock here as grown anywhere in the country. With this stock, then, we are able to compete where first class flowers are demanded, with any of the large growers in the East or elsewhere. We have the best soil in the world, plenty of fertilizer for the hauling, and QUESTION BOX. 93 above all, the long, bright, sunshiny days which give our flowers the rich color and make them the envy of less fortunate growers. Aside from this, we are centrally located and have the very best of express facilities for making quick shipments in all directions, making it pos- sible to fill orders for flowers that are to be shipped a thousand or more miles, with but an hour's notice. When I look back fifteen years and think what the business was then and what it has grown to be, and think of the future before us, I feel something like the early settler must have felt when he first viewed our vast acres of rich, rolling prairie land everywhere ready for the tilling. So it is with us engaged in the production of flowers. We have a market everywhere ready to be taken; all it needs is the tilling. Our business differs from any other lines of business. Cut flowers can not be kept indefinitely, like fruit. Ordinarily, when a shipment of fruit is made, and should it be delayed for some few hours, it would not affect the value of the fruit. Not so with flowers; they are more often ordered for an especial occasion than otherwise and must leave at a given time and arrive promptly or their usefulness would be past, and so the wholesaler must be prepared, at all times, to fill rush orders and when the time is very limited, to influence messengers to take ship- ments without waybills. In fact, do many other things to get shipments over the road in a hurry. To those of us engaged In this part of the trade, find this, during our busy season, not an exception but an every- day occurence. The producer of cut flowers knows at certain times that there are not enough flowers to flU all the demands. Not so with many of the smaller retailers who buy what they sell and do not under- stand why they can not have all the stock they may want. During these periods come the strenuous days for the wholesaler; days when it is necessary to figure every blossom that no one may be disappointed, for to disappoint a good customer when you have booked his order, and who, in many cases has sold the flowers long before he has seen them, would do more to injure the business than anything I know of. It is by the careful booking and filling of orders promptly, with good stock, that our business will increase to acres of glass where we now have but small houses. Chairman: The next thing on our program is the Question Box. QUESTION BOX. Mr. Green: While I haven't any question to ask, there is one thing, in regard to inducing express messengers to accept flowers without a way-bill. As all florists know, sometimes in making a rush order you have not time to get the package billed out. At Fremont they used to refuse to take them unless they were billed, and they being com- mon carriers we thought it was our right to send the package anyway. It was a matter of form with them to have the way-bill, and we felt 94 XRBRASKA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. that if we had the package to the train in time to h? taken out that we had a right to send it. We took the matter up and found that we had the right. In case you have trouble of that kind you do not have to induce the messenger to take it; simply demand it and he will take it without a billing. Mr. Simanton: We are still having trouble with that down at Falls City. They claim that where there is no night man paid to take out the express they are not obliged to take it, and where you put it on for any station without a way-bill it is at your own risk and they are not responsible for it. That is, where the night operator is there, If he is not paid to handle express, they do not have to carry it to that station on that train. Mr. Green: You should deliver it to the messenger and put it in his care. Mr. Simanton: The man at the destination will not take it at all. The messenger does not refuse it absolutely, but he says the man at the destination will not take it off the car. Mr. Green : I do not know how that would be, but I suppose if the messenger put it off it is his duty to receive it. I imagine it would be .vour risk. If he carried it by and did not deliver it, it would be at his risk. Mr. Williams: I received a decision on that. It is at your risk where you ship it to a town where there is no night man; you ship at your own risk. Ml-. Simanton: Well, they will refuse to take it. Mr. Williams: Yes, they can do so; you can not compel them to take it where they do not have a night man. I got a ruling on that from the American Express Company. Mr. Green: Our trouble is not that way. Our trains all come in and go out in a bunch between nine and ten o'clock in the morning and be- tween four and five o'clock in the afternoon; sometimes we just barely get the package to the train. We get it down to them but they do not have time to bill it and the boy would give it to the messenger on the car and he would say you can not send it, that you have to have a way- bill; that is the point I am trying to cover. In cases of lack of time for getting the way-bills you can send it and they haA-e to take it. Mr. Williams: Where did you get your decision that relates to fruits as well as flowers? Did you get your decision from the railway com- mission? , -Mr. Green: No, I got it from the general office of the express company. Chairman: The' railway commission, I believe, has control over the express companies as well as the railroads in the state, but we have never been troubled in Lincoln with that difficulty. Mr. Green: I do not know whether it is through the generosity of the messengers, but I know we got it. If we get to the train in time we never have had the question raised. (il'liSTION BOX. 95 Chairman: Another question is whether the express coniuany has to receive the paclvage. If it is prepaid, whether they have to accept it. Tt is thrown off at your risk, but it has to be accepted. Mr. Simanton: Would they consider the express prepaid if you guar- anteed it? Chairman: Certainly, if you put a paid sticker on it of your own. Mr. Simanton: We are situated like Mr. Green from the fact that our express offices are both up town. There is none at the depot, and they do not make the trains after four o'clock and there are some of the trains that are night trains. It is a very inconvenient matter to get stuff out on one road on night trains for the reason that we cannot get them billed, and we have trouble about this, they are not billed. Chairman: One way with every guaranteed express package, a sticker is furnished by the company which we use on all prepaid express. Whether a prepaid guarantee would hold, I doubt very much. Secretary: The only time you have to guarantee express is when the company is to transfer it to another company. We have cases or that kind at Grand Island where we miss a train on one road, the other road can take the package and make connection at another point. You always have to guarantee it then. Chairman: But that is double express? Secretary: Yes, sir. Mr. Atkinson: I have one problem that don't seem to concern you. I want to ask how you can advertise to create a demand? Take a few tomato plants in Alaska or potato plants in Egypt, just how would you proceed to create a demand? Chairman: I am not able to answer that question myself. I have never had any experience where you have no competition, and the advertising means would be limited. I hardly know how you would get around that. Maybe someone here can answ^er that foi- you. Secretary: I believe, Mr. Atkinson, if you will take a large supply on hand and advertise a special sale and get the people to come to the greenhouse, you can do it that way. Mr. Atkinson: But we have no daily paper, and you have to advertise in the weekly paper and you can hardly tell so long ahead that you are going to have an oversupply on hand. Secretary: You could distribute handbills. I know several times a few years ago we used to get stocked up pretty well and we could see that we would have to unload, and we would put a little notice in the local and generally fixed for a Saturday special sale of carnations, roses or whatever we had and we always got rid of them and the people always appreciated these sales. The same way with our potted plants in the spring, if they did not move we advertised that we were short of room or were going to make a cleaning out and they generally come through all right. We found it v,-as a good success out there. Mr. Dole: We advertise through the daily papers. We are fortunate 96 NEBKAi>KA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. in having two in our town. We used the locals mostly. I think they are four to one better than the display ads unless you take half a page or so. Then we get out a catalogue almost every winter which we distribute in March to every house in town. We take them per- sonally or send with a few boys to every house. I think It is con- siderably cheaper than to mail them and we know they get to the houses, too. Mr. Green: It is a fact in our business that every flower you put out, whether you sell it on a special sale or give it away, it an advertise- ment. Every one you put out helps sell another one. A plan that we tried successfully was this: We advertised that on a certain afternoon we would give away a dozen roses or carnations. Because we had a large stock on hand we could sell them a dozen at the regular price and then deliver them a dozen free anywhere they wanted them to go, except to their own address — really selling the flowers at half price, but we would not cut the price. Chairman: I believe from what I have seen from an advertising standpoint that Mr. Green's way of disposing of surplus flowers is a much better way than to sell them at a sale price, which is really a cut price,, and less than they can really be grown for. There is no carna- tion grower who will admit that he can sell carnations at a profit and sell them at twenty-five cents a dozen. If he sells them for the coming Saturday at twenty-five cents a dozen he will have an awful time the first three days of the next week to get fifty cents a dozen. The public thinks that if they are twenty-five cents a dozen on Saturday they ought not to be any more the following week. He has a hard time explaining why he should have a surplus and be able to sell them .cheap on Saturday and not the rest of the time. I think if we dis- posed of our surplus flowers to hospitals and the Home for the Friend- less, it would be better to do that than sell them at prices under which they can be grown. I think we should leave the sales to the depart- ment stores and sell at the regular prices ourselves, because it hurts business where you sell at a less price on one day than on others. Mr. Green: I want to emphasize Chairman Frey's remarks in re- gard to getting our prices. We would rather throw away the flowers than to sell at half price, as far as value is concerned as a business proposition, because it is awful easy to put the price down and an awful hard thing to get it bark to a paying standard. Again, we used to have a rule that if churches or societies wanted flowers we would make them a reduced rate, but now if a church or society comes in and wants flowers we tell them they are just the same to them as anybody else, or that we cannot make a reduced price on lilies for Easter. As the money they are buying them with has probably all been donated and we will donate some too. We will sell a dozen lilies at (he dozen price and we will donate another dozen, but we will not sell them two dozen at the dozen price. QUESTION BOX. DT Mr. Dole: Often on a Sunday morning I have rolled up six or eight packages of roses or carnations and taken them around before church time, leaving a bunch at each church. I have never put a card in with them, we being the only florists in Beatrice. They know where they come from, and we generally hear of it. Someone calls us up and thanks us for it afterwards and we know it has been appreciated, ana it is a good advertisement. Another way we have of disposing of surplus stock: We have our store down town, the greenhouses are out three-fourths of a mile, and we advertise that we will give a carnation or a rose to every lady coming to the greenhouse. We never mention children, because if we did we will have a thousand children out there after them. We give them to every lady or gentleman calling at the greenhouse. Oftentimes we take some to the stores and hand them to the clerks; perhaps we have some every few days and we take down some this week, and in two or three days we take down some more to another store and hand them to the clerks, and it is a good advertisement, We have found, or at least I have thought it did not pay to make special sales, unless once in a great while a special sale on carnations. Mr. Ayres: This talk on how to get rid of your surplus flowers does not answer Mr. Atkinson's question. These gentlemen all live in towns of 5,000 or better, but what are we going to do in the little towns of 1,500 to 2,000? We haven't any daily papers, and no depart- ment stores, and we want a demand for the flowers we raise and grow right there at home. The question is how to advertise and get results. That is what we want. Mr. Green: If there is no surplus you don't need a demand created. The idea in having a demand is to use the surplus. Mr. Atkinson: I understand that, but In a small town you will be getting, say, 300 carnations a day; if you have a large funeral or two a week you haven't enough, but if a week comes that you have no funerals you will have a surplus. I don't believe we have received any extra orders on account of advertising, but the idea I am trying to get at is to create a steady demand, and we must have a surplus, too. The demand hinges largely on funerals or receptions, and to have enough for these in ordinary times you must have a surplus. "Mr. Simanton: I think the person that gets up an absolute answer to the advertising question can get a better job than the president of the New York Life Insurance Company. I think that is a business problem with men in any other line and while some are getting better results than others, it is a problem with the best of them. Mr. Green: I want to ask Mr. Atkinson if he caters to a shipping trade to any extent? Mr. Atkinfeon: In what way do you mean? Mr. Green: If he advertises out of town, if he sends any advertis- ing matter to surrounding towns? 1)8 XKBRASKA STATK HOKTICUiyrUBAL SOCIETY. Mr. Atkinson: We reach a good many towns and we sell as many in surrounding towns as we do in our home town. We have Mr. Dole thirty-five miles on one side of us and Mr. Simanton twenty-five miles on another side and Mr. Marshall is thirty-five miles southeast of ns. and we can only reach half way to those places. Mr. Green: We have in Fremont some twenty-eight towns where we have an agent, as we call it, at a drug store, a restaurant or an undertaker's, who takes orders for us on a commission. He sends the orders in and we ship direct to him. He is really the dealer and we find that we get a big trade of that kind, and the demand is more or less steady all the time. It comprises about three-fifths of oui- entire business. Chairman: I know a man who is or was an advertiser, or special salesman. This man could go out in a town of 2,000 and put on a sale for a general merchandise store and always clean up that store in ten days. He started in business for himself not long ago and he did not know how to advertise to make a little business pay that did not have a thousand dollars invested. He could advertise for other people in that one way and make a success of it, but he didn't know how to go about it in a small way for himself. I think that most of these things we have to learn as individuals in our own surround- ings — surroundings which are different in each case, and the conditions are different. I do not think any of us could learn the remedy for evils existing in any other place of business, or in any other town. I think it has to be learned right on the ground. Chairman: Is there anything further to be said on the subject of advertising, or any other subject that we ha\d not covered? Mr. Yeager: I think Mr. Green has struck the keynote of the situa- tion as far as the matter of advertising is concerned. I believe his plan is the best plan, and it hinges on this: When a man's trade is not satisfactory and he desires to increase his business and his business i^ not sufficient to warrant the increase, then of necessity it follows that he should increase his territory from which he draws and in which he desires to sell his goods. 1 think Mr. Green has successfully answered your question. I know nurserymen who have been twenty- five or thirty years in a little town, successful, good nurserymen, who have been desirous all the time of increasing their business and who have been unable to do so because their trade would not allow it. Well, on the other hand, I have known others who have increased their field in which they worked. If they did not have the trade at home they went out and sought it and built up and made trade in new territory. That is the solution all these people find in the promotion and building up of their business. It applies to nurserymen as well as florists. Another thing I would suggest that hel))s trade a good deal: Competition some- times is a mighty good thing to stir up business, ft puts a fellow on his mettle. Ql'KSTION BOX. 99 Mr. Henderson: There is one thing else that I was thinking about that probably we are to talce up later on, and that is an international liorists' exchange, or flower exchange between florists all over the coun- try. There has been different systems suggested by florists all over the country. The latest one is this one Mr. Vallentine brought up in Florida. I was approached by another company in the East that was trying to establish companies all over the country, and they wanted someone to take hold of it in Omaha — just one man to handle that trade. This man was to pay $50 to the firm and all the orders were to go first to the headquarters and they will send the orders back to the dealer and they are to be distributed that way. If any of you fellows are posted on this subject it would not be a bad idea to take it up. Chairman: The system that Mr. Vallentine has organized is one of a system comprising a lot of florists in all of the cities of the United States. I believe it covers Europe as well. We have a list of the members belonging to this society, and so, if we have an order to be delivered in New York City, that order is immediately telegraphed to New York City to the one we may choose out of that list, as there may perhaps be a dozen members in a city the size of New York. In Omaha there would probably be two. They do not cut this list down to one in each city; anyone may belong who has the reputation of being a reliable florist by making the payment of dues can become a member and has his chances as well as his competitor in the city. Mr. Henderson: I think this society really ought to agree with Mr. Vallentine or recommend his system. I think; it is the best system we have in the country, and we ought to help it along. Chairman: That is the only system that is recognized by the Amer- ican Florists. Mr. Green: While that might be and probably is all right, yet I ddn't believe the florists of Nebraska are ready for anything of that kind, nor will they be for the next generation. The idea of that is to deliver flowers in distant cities, and perhaps Mr. Frey or Mr. Henderson would have occasion to deliver flowers to someone going on board a ship, but in Fremont, Beatrice or Falls City we have no trouble in getting our flowers delivered. We have a directory and we can find the name of a reliable florist, and I do not believe it would be wise for Nebraska florists to go to the trouble of organizing anything of that kind for our individual use, inasmuch as we have the American Society, as author- ized association of that kind. Chairman: No, I think a society of that kind would be of little benefit to the florists of Nebraska; in these small places he would be from three to five years getting back his returns invested in an organiza- tion of that kind, but in large cities it is an organization for which there is need. All the orders given to these florists are guaranteed to be satisfactory by the organization back of them, and there is to be a uniform price charged, practically uniform price, as near as it would 100 NEBRASKA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. be possible to make it all over the United States during tlie difff-r^nt seasons. Mr. Henderson: I will tell you of an experience I had, and the system I use: I always pick out of the Florists' Directory where I have an order, and telegraph there the order and they always fill it and send the bill back to me with the discount. I always prefer a member of the society of the American Florists, and he can look me up and see that I am a member too, and know that I am all right. I telegraph for flowers to Chicago, New York or Boston and I have never had any trouble with them. They are always, delivered. To see if that other system has any advantages is the reason I brought it up. Chairman: The only advantage I can see would be in having a uni form price. Not long ago we had occasion to telegraph to Buffalo, New York, for five dozen Bride's roses for funeral purposes. We did not know what they would cost, and gave the customer no price at all. That customer was in good standing with us, but whatever the price charged in Buffalo we would have to charge. This florist in Buffalo tharfjed us $20 for five dozen, and our customer came in in a couple of weeks and stated he was in Buffalo at the time and bought flowers in this same store and got at good roses as they gave us at five dozen for $10. For that reason I think this organization will make prices more uniform all over the country, and we will then know just about what we are going to pay and what we are going to get. Mr. Atkinson: Some years ago I sold some carnations to be delivered ^at Indianapolis, Indiana. The customer wanted Enchantress, which I sell at 75 cents, and that bill came back to me and I was charged $3, with 20 per cent off. I had sold them for 75 cents. Chairman: Such things as those have to be charged to profit and loss and balanced on the side of experience. Secretary: Occasionally, on the other hand, a florist will get an order from New York city. I got one last Christmas which said "Enclosed you will find $25. Express to Captain and Mrs. 'so and so' at Fort Robinson five dozen roses." We were selling them then at $3 a dozen. Mr. Green: You ought to send that excess to Mr. Atkinson. Mr. Simanton: Last Decoration Day we received an order for flowers to be put on a grave at West Chester, Pennsylvania. We sent the order back there and got our money for it, but never received a bill from that florist. Possibly we owe Mr. Atkinson the difference he paid. Chairman: Are there any other questions anyone wishes to ask? If not, I believe that is all for this afternoon. Second Vice-President Ed Williams resumed the chair. Chairman: To-morrow morning Mr. W. F. Kydd, of Simco, Ontario, will address us on the subject: "What the Canadian Government is Doing to Advance Horticulture in Ontario." He will be put on the pro- gram about the first one to-morrow morning and we want a good attend- ance. IinONTIFlCATION Ol" CATALPA. Kjl Chairman: T desire to annnini the followinpr romniittprs before we adjourn : COMMITTEE ON REVISION OF PREMIUM T>IST. The committee to revise the premium list will me'^t at the Lindell Hotel to-night at 7:30. This committee will consist of A. J. Brown. C. H. Green, C A. Marshall, T>. Henderson and C. H. Barnard. COMMITTEE ON RECOMMENDED IJST. Committee to revise the recommended list of fruits: G. A. Marshall, J. R. Davison, C. H. Barnard, .1. A. Yager. A. .1. Brown, Peter Youngers. H. S. Harrison, .1. E. Atkinson and L. M. Russell. Chairman: This last named committee is to meet to-morrow evening. The first named committee is to meet this evening, so they may report tomorrow. We will now adjourn until o'clock tomorrow morning. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 18. 1911, 9 A. M. . Meeting called to order with Second Vice-President Ed Williams in the chair. Chairman The first thing on our program is a paper by Mr. A. .1. Brown, of Geneva, on the subject: "Identification of Oatalpa." Mr. Brown spoke as follows: IDENTIFICATION OF CATALPA. A. J. BROWN, GENEVA. I think it was three or four years ago in a board meeting this mat- ter regarding the confusion in catalpas was brought up. This subject should have been worded a little differently. I was asked to look the matter up and I have been two or three years doing it and have done it very poorly and needed to go a whole lot further than I have done, but what I have found and concluded I will tell you. My naper of neces- sity is very brief because it does not deal with anything except a feM^ varieties. Bailey, in his Cyclopedia of American Horticulture, names and describes only four species of catalpa that are hardy in this part of the North Temperate Zone, namely, Speciosa, Bignonioides, Kaempferi and Teas Japan Hybrid. Oi." these we are interested in only the first two. Speciosa and Bignonioides. These two have been planted and are now growing over all of the eastern half of Nebraska. They are so nearly alike when .■^mall that it is very dillicult if not impossible to tell the one from the other, but as the trees get larger there is a growing dif ference which becomes more marked as the trees get older, yet in spite of this difference it is difficult for one who has not observed them- 1(12 NRBKASKA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETV. closely, to distinguish one from the other. Notwithstanding this close resemblance, there is a very wide difference in their commercial value. The wood of the Speciosa is very durable in the ground, lasting nearly or quite as long as red cedar (I have seen specimens that had been in the ground fifty years and were yet sound) and hence is very valuable for fence posts, railroad ties or for any use that requires timbers to be set in the ground. On the contrary the wood of the Biguonioides is almost worthless for the uses above named, as it rots in a very few years in the ground. Tt is mainly valuable as an ornamental or shade tree, it being a very profuse bloomer covering itself almost entirely with magnificent clusters of very beautiful white flowers which appear the last of June. In view of this, and the enormous demand for the seedlings of the Speciosa for forest planting, the importance of being able to distinguish between the two species becomes at once apparent particvilarly in gather- ing the seed, the Speciosa being very valuable for forest planting and the Bignonioides practically worthless. As before stated the two species are so alike when young that it is nearly or quite impossible to tell one from- the other for several years after planting. The first variance noticed is in the blossoming, the Spe- ciosa blooming fully ten days earlier than the Bignonioides, the individ- ual flower being somewhat larger and the cluster of bloom smaller and less in number. Then, as the tree gets age, the Speciosa grows some faster and makes a strong upright tree, with a dark, deeply wrinkled bark resembling somewhat the bark of an elm or a box-elder. The Bignonioides, while a rapid grower, is more inclined to spread, making finally a broader head and somewhat lower tree with a lighter (olorfd bark much inclined to scale off, something like the soft maple. Notice samples of wood Nos. 1, Speciosa and No. 4, Bignonioides. (Indicating.) As the trees get older this difference between the two species becomes more marked until at the age of twenty -five or thirty years it is quite distinct. The principal means of identification, however, is the fruit, the seed pods and the seed. These are the only unimpeachable witnesses and are always the court of last resort. The seed pods of the Speciosa are usually borne singly and in pairs and very rarely three or more in a cluster. There are from twelve to twenty-two inches in length and from one-half to five-eighths of an inch in diameter. The seeds are both long and broad, from one and three- fourths to two and three-fourths inches in length and from one-fourth to three-eighths of an inch broad, with the hair on either end distributed well across the end and not penciled. With the Bignonioides the seed pods are borne in cluster of from three to six or more, are from six to twelve or fifteen inches in length and from three-sixteenths to five-sixteenths of an inch in diameter. The IDENTIFICATION OF CATALPA. 1 OH seeds are usually shorter and always narrower than Sijeciosa. They are Irom one to two inches in length and three-sixteenths to one-fourth inch in width, there is less hair on the ends and it is more or less penciled or drawn together. The seeds of the two species are quite different and are easily recognized. To repeat, the principal marks of idenLificalion are shown by the following comparative summary: SPECI05A. Tree, rather robust upright grower, with a dark deeply wrinkled bark. Blooms rather sparingly from middle until the last of June, small clusters of large flowers. Seed pods are borne singly or in pairs, very seldom three or more in a cluster. The pods are from twelve to twenty-two inches in length and one-half to five-eighths of an inch in diameter. The seeds are both long and broad, one and three-fourths to two and three-fourths inches in length and one-fourth to three-eighths inches in breadth, with hair well distributed on both ends and not penciled. BIGNONIOIDES. Tree inclined to spreading growth, with lighter colored bark, much inclined to scale off. Blooms the last of June and first of July, larger clusters of smaller flowers. Seed pods are borne in clusters of two or six and more, and they are usually shorter and always less in diameter than- Speciosa. The seeds are shorter and narrower than Speciosa with less hair on rather pointed ends and more or less penciled. In considering the foregoing it must be remembered that I have given general characteristics of the two species and refer particularly to the extreme types, the two ends if you please of a long line of similar individuals between the two extremes, which apparently gradually merges from one to the other thus making difficult the identification of some individual trees. There is quite a wide variation in the pods and seeds of undoubted Speciosa. Please note the difference between the pods and seeds of No. 1 (illustrating), which are long and heavy, borne singly and in pairs, and No. 6, which are much shorter in seed and pods, the latter being in clusters of two to six. This No. 6 is from the largest catalpa tree in Fillmore county. It is twenty-six inches in diameter one foot from the ground and nearly fifty feet in height. John P. Brown, of Indiana, examined this tree several years ago and pronounced it Speciosa. Trees growing on creek bottom land produce much larger seed than the same species grown on the upland and this has led to some confusion in determining the Speciosa. This identification of catalpa is a comparatively easy matter as between the extremes, but this merging or grading of the two species 104 NP^BRASKA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. produces individuals that it is very difficult to know definitely whether they are Speciosa or something else. All this variation could easily be accounted for if the species would hybridize, but their blooming periods seem to indicate that this is very improbable if not quite impossible. In 1909 I made daily observations ana records of the blooming of both species with the following results: SPECIOSA. First bloom, June 18th. Full bloom, June 22. Begins to fade June 22. All off June 29. BTGNONIOIDES. First bloom, June 27. Full bloom, July 2. Ail off July 6. Beaten olf by a heavy rain. The trees observed were growing on high prairie land separated only by the public highway, probably not over fifty feet apart. In order to better illustrate what I have tried to tell you I have here five specimens of catalpa wood showing the different kinds of bark, also seed pods and seeds from the same trees, together with a number of samples of seed pods 'and seeds showing this apparent merging of one species to the other, or might it be the result of hybridization? Chairman: Mr. C. S, Harrison is on our program for a paper on the subject of "State Parks," but Mr. Harrison is unable to be with us at this time on account of sickness. However, we have with us Mr. W. F. Kydd, of Canada, and we are very lucky to have him drop in at this time He is going to give us an idea of what the Canadian government is doing to advance horticultural Avork. I take pleasure in introducing Mr. W. F. Kydd, of Sinco, Ontario: WHAT THE CANADIAN GOVERNMENT IS DOING TO ADVANCE HORTICULTURE. W. F. KYDD, SIXCO, ONT. I do not come before you this morning with any idea of telling you how to grow fruit in this state, but I was asked to say a few words of what is being done in my country. I can not say anything against your government, but I believe our government is the best for the farmer that there ever was in existence. Very nearly everything our farmers ask for they get from our government. It is granting immense sums of money for agriculture in Ontario. It has now begun to help the fruit growers; large grants have been taken in the last few years; men have been sent to different localities where fruit growers, or farmers have taken little care of their apple orchards to help them. Apple growing is no new thing with us; I have seen farms with 10,000 to 12,000 trees most large enough to bear, but I can think of only three or four apple orchards that have had any care that would justify a man In expecting a fair crop from such an orchard. It was those orchards that our govern- HORTICULTURE IN CANADA. 105 ment thougnt fit to deal with and to prove to the fruit-grower, I will call him a farmer, that there is better money in his apple orchard than anything else on his farm. I do not think these orchards had been bringing more than $25 to $30 an acre, and I think the man was paid a big price even then because they had to go over a good many trees to find many bushels of apples and that adds to the cost fast. I do not want you people to think we are all like that, for we are making as great a success in some parts of our country as there is made anywhere else. We have men who have been educated up to this in the last ten years, who are making a handsome thing out of their apple orchards. 1 know a man who probably had 100 acres of land, with 80 acres of apples; as it used to be he got no revenue from it, but now he is getting about $2,000 a year out of his apples. Our idea is to educate these non-managers up to the same stage as that other man. Our way has been to send a man supposed to know the business into a certain locality, he has pi-obably six, seven or eight dis- eased orchards given into his charge in the spring, he secures a man to prune the trees, and he stays with him and teaches him how to prune them. I think it is easier to teach a man to spray than it is to teach him to prune. We get our men to spray without any trouble, but to get them to prune is a difficult thing in fact most of them butcher up the trees. In orchards thirty -five to forty years old we find there is a trunk and the branches are cleaned up about six or eight feet above the crotch and no top at all. I call that a butchered tree with no fruit within ten to twelve feet of the ground, and others the limbs are bare all the way un, and others are like a fox tail at the top. Now a tree like that, what it should have done to it, T am not teaching you, but I am telling you what we are trying to do in our country, is to force that tree to have bearins- wood. How are we going to do it? We are taking off the top and putting all our work on the branches way far up, and by top- working that tree we force the branches or sprouts to come out lower down on the branch. Every tree can be trained if you only cut it back as you ought to. So we are trying to bring that bearing wood down nearer to the ground as it ought to be. I know there are lots of apple trees that are mighty difficult to prune, almost impossible to spray, and simply impossible to pick the fruit from. You talk about planting and growing things in the moon, and planting potatoes in the moon, they have been doing that in our country. All the pruning should be done largely on the outside. What for? To let in the sun; to color your apples. Take up all cross branches further in and the sun will get into your apples far better. Colored apples, unless they are red, are no good at all, and then you will get them of a better size too. In many ways it will pay a man to thin his apples. If it takes time for pruning, it takes that much more time in picking them. Well thinned is half cropped. 106 XEBKASKA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. This is what we do in planting apple trees; head them low to begin with, that is what the Oi-egon people do, where I believe are the best managed apple orchards in this country and that is the Hood river dis- trict. When they plant the trees they cut them back or whip stock them in the ground twenty-four inches long. They like four buds and ihey start out with them and then cut the branches back to four buds and three branches. Then the head is composed of twelve main branches and when the weight of the fruit comes it can be picked easier from the ground. No man wants high apple trees. The only object of high apple trees is to make easier cultivation, but if you want the easiest Ijossible cultivation, why do not plant them at all. Now we will come to the subject of spraying. We are using lime and sulphur. We had been using the old-fashioned spray of Bordeaux. In some parts of our country we are troubled with the oyster-shell s< IKI^'. perhaps on better land, they Hgure if they get one cord per acre per 3'ear it is profitable, suppose they have been growing forty years, then they would have produced forty cords per acre. While we consider that if we don't produce two and one-third to three cords per acre per year the investment is no good. It is known that the state of South Dakota passed a law holding that lumber cannot be shipped out of the state. Colorado is not self-supporting in timber, none of the Middle Western states are except Montana. It is not going to be long before all of the Rocky Mountain states will prohibit the shipping of timber out of the state, and it strikes me that the same thing can be said of Minnesota. Michi- gan and Wisconsin. It v.'as a very common statement that the forests of Michigan .vouid svipply the world, yet at the present time all three of those states are importing lumber from the Pacific- coast and the South. There is no dcmbt but that the Nebraska timber supply of the future is going to be much more important than it is today; a man can figure on a much greaiei profit than he can make at the present time; nearly every ma.n who has taken good care of his cottonwood growth has created a good profit. Now, taking the second tree, the hardy catalpa, that has even more flattering returns from the soil. Perhaps most of you have known about the Robinson plantation at Pawnee City, after allowing five per cent for cost, they secured a profit of $6.25 per acre per year. It has been my good fortune to investigate some plantations in Kansas. At riutchinson, which is one of the best fruit centers in the United States, they use the best methods of spraying and they are up-to-date in every particular. One owner had about 600 orchard trees and about 300 catalpa trees end he makes more money per acre from his catalpa trees than he docs from his fruit orchard. The same thing has been proven in the Farlingtou forest. The manager claimed he had cleared .$50 per acre per year. I doubt that. He must not have taken into consideration the various ex- penditures. The Yeagey plantation has averaged from $S to $20 per acre per year. ]n the spacing of hardy catalpa I have recommenderl that they D'^ spaceG five feet by five feet or six feet by six feet. We usually advo- catf cutting the hardy catalpas in from ten to twenty years, if on the upland twenty years, if on lowland in ten years, when you get your first fence posts. It has been found that planting four feet by four feet it is a little too close, so if you make it four feet by six feet it is better; and for the second, third and fourth crops make your plantatii;n six feet by eight feet, that is the recommended spacing for these crops. Your second crop matures quicker than the first. At the Yeagey planta- tion they have actually cut at the end of the fifth year for fence iiosis, but the average was eight years. I think, on the proper sites in th.' Platte valley where the hardy catalpa does not winter kill, we can figure on $5 per acie per yeai- for profit. I know that is a conservative FOKIOSTIIY FOK PHOI'MT. 129 ostiniate, taking the large pUmtations in Kansas, Missouri and Southern Illinois as a basis. The other species that should prove profitable, and there is a iiossi- bility of growing them in the sandhills, is Jack pine. Undoubtedly you know we have 300,000 acres of sandy lands in Nebraska for forest .ijlant- ing. This pine has given indications of success in the famous Bruner brothers plantation, started in 1891, where it averaged a profit or' at least, $5 to ?10 per acre. It has proven far from satisfactory in subs 3- cjuent work, yet I believe we can claim that the aforestation of the sand- hills is l^oing t(i be profitable. The Jack pine makes a slower growth here than in its native home in Wisconsin. One of the few things we are trying to do is to induce it to make a satisfactory growth, for taking it from the sandy soil of Wisconsin to Nebraska, where there is a diffierent kind of soil, makes the growth slower. Most of the stock being shipped into the state by Minnesota nurserymen made it difficult for us to solve that problem until Nebraska nurserymen took hold of it. I know that tne production of native Jack pine is a diflScult thing. I questioned one dealer in Minesota and he said there were something like 200,000 of these native grown seedlings shipped out last year. There is no doubt but the market will improve within the next five or ten years and many more Jack pines will be planted than at present. There is one feature of the forestry work that I want to emphasize, and that is the possibility of introducing trees from abroad. In this morning's discussion it came up about the Scotch pine, one of the trees that made the Robinson forest what it is. So 'far, we have had but little success with the Scotch pine, which is largely due to the poor seed. For instance, Reita seed, which is the local name, we have nearly always secured the inferior seed. In discussing that with a German, I say the Germans sell us their poor seed; he says that is a lie, the Germans don't sell anything poor. ' I took the position that the German sells anything he can, and gets as much for it as he can, and is glad to sell it. I should like to see some of that Reita seed tried in this country. So far, the Experiment Station has devoted its money to mere experiments. I believe a more liberal appro- priation with a possibility of a state forester here we can devise some v/ay whereby if we can get all the proper conditions we can grow it. This species should give to us as big a profit as to the Germans and Austrians, and these fellows can make from $8 to $10 per acre profit. If you look upon the reports of the Province of Saxony you will see that a man there is making more money from his forest lands than from his agricultural lands. It seems to me, with our greater American ability, if we went at this problem in the right way, that the forests of Nebraska could no doubt be made very profitable. Chairman: We have heard a very good talk by Professor Phillips on this subject, and it is a subject in which we are all interested, and 130 NEBRASKA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. it is now open for discussion. We would like to have it as thoroughly discussed as possible. I suppose the professor will answer any ques- tions you ask him. Mr. Pollard: Does the catalpa sprout from the root after yoii cut it down? A. Yes, Mr. Yager harvested a second crop and the second crop has been more profitable than the first. We do not know how many times we can cut down catalpa. With the eucalyptus in Germany they have between four and five coppisings. Q. Do you suppose we could raise eucalyptus in Nebraska? A. No, it can not be grown where there is frost. Secretary: What do you consider the best tree for the lowland where it is too wet for field crops? A. A good thing to plant is the catalpa, if the drainage is good; if the drainage is not good, the cottonwood. Q. What would be the ultimate use of Scotch pine? A. They use it for saw lumber or fence posts. We find they do very well by treating them with creosote. It grows very rapidly with us in southeastern Nebraska. The finest I have seen are near Auburn, where there are trees nearly 100 feet tall. Secretary: I have here the resolution that was read to you before noon regarding the bill in congi'ess affecting forestry. Professor Phillips wall explain it to you. Professor Phillips: This Weeks bill is introduced for the purpose of buying land in the Southern Appalachians at .$.5 an acre. It has already passed the house. I think that the Horticultural Society for the last three years has passed a resolution practically to this same effect. It is for national forests to be owned by the government at the headwaters of the principal streams in the Southern Appalachians. Since most of our hardwoods come from the East we shall always be dependent upon the East for those supplies, and this concerns Nebraska, and we should be interested in these conservation measures brought up by other states. Not a single acre can be bought at to exceed $5, and it must be more valuable for forests than for agriculture. Chairman: If some member will move its adoption we can get this resolution before the meeting. Mr. Brown: I move the adoption of the resolution. Seconded by Mr. Williams, and carried unanimously. RESOLUTION. WiiEKEAS, The state of Nebraska has long been noted for its interest in forestry and is desirous of encouraging forestry in this state as well as in the entire United States, and since this state is so largely dependent upon other states for valuable timber supplies; and Whereas, The proposed national forests are essential to the proper control of slope and mountain lands as well as the welfare of the entire nation: Be it PROCBPDINGS. 131 Resolved, That the State Horticultural Society hereby endorses the Weeks bill for the establishment of such national forests and is in favor of its passage without amendment. Be it further Resolved, That a copy of these resolutions be sent to each Nebraska senator and congressman. Adopted. Mr. Williams: I want to ask Professor Phillips if he has made any observations in regard to the Norway poplar known as Sudden Saw Log? A. It would take the whole afternoon to tell about that. About nine-tenths of us don't know what it is, as near as I can find out. About nine-tenths are selling Carolina poplar for Norway poplar and getting about three times the money for it. I can tell it when Norway poplar gets to be about five or six inches in diameter; I believe I can tell It. Mr. Brown: You can tell it then when they are side by side in the nursery? Professor Phillips: I took this up with Professor Chaney, of Minne- sota. He claims he can tell, but he told me he was never sure until it got to be about five or six inches in diameter. I know from personal letters from nurserymen that a whole lot are selling Carolina poplar for Norway poplar and can not tell them apart. Mr. Brown: There must have been some confusion in getting it years ago, in getting the Carolina poplar for the Norway or the Norway for the Carolina, because they are two distinct poplars. Those I have seen are on Mr. Harrison's place in York. There is quite a difference between them; I do not know as I know which is which, but I know Vi^hich we cut for Norway and which we cut for Carolina. I did not suppose anyone would attempt to pass off Carolina poplar for Norway poplar, as they are quite different. Professor Phillips: I tried them at the Experiment Station for my own benefit. I bought several so-called Norway poplars, and some were true to type. I thought I could distinguish them when they were two years old, but I found out after I got them that I could not distinguish more than one-tenth that I got for Carolina poplar. I have taken measurements of some poplars grown in Minnesota which show far supe- rior to the Carolina poplar. I believe, however, I could work this out; so far as I went, I am willing to say that I could tell a Norway poplar in its earlier stages. It is generally conceded a superior tree to the Caro- lina poplar. Mr. Marshall: What is the difference and how do you identify them? Mr. Brown: I do not know as I can identify them. The Carolina poplar, as we get them, makes a stronger upright growth and the Nor- way poplar has a greater diameter and does not grow quite as smooth to the ground as the Carolina and is just a trifle darker in color — a darker red — and has less branches. That is the difference I have noticed. Mr. Marshall: At certain times of the year there is a difference in the color of the leaves. 1.S2 NEBRASKA STATE IIORTK MLTl'UAL SOCIETY. Mr. Brown: There is a difference in the rows of young trees as you look down the row. Chairman: Are there any more questions? We know that these horticultural fellows are looking to these professors for information in all these matters that pertain to any questions as to varieties of catal- pas and poplars and all these things. If they can not tell the difference T do not see how they expect us to. I have wondered whether the Caro- lina and the Norway poplars were the same. I have them both growing. There is a difference while the trees are small. I do not know how they will be when they are large. In the early stages of their growth there is an apparent difference in the mode of growth, but these profes- sors want to keep prepared to tell us the distinctions; that is what we expect from them. Chairman: Our next topic is "Farm and Municii)al Wood Lots." by Mr. O. A. Williams, of Neligh. FARM AND MUNICIPAL WOOD LOTS. O. A. WILLIAMS, NELIGH. I feel like apologizing for appearing before this body of experts and specialists along the lines of horticulture and floriculture. But simply that you may understand and make due allowances, I will state to those who do not know me, and that is practically all of those assem- bled here, that my ordinary business is that of an attorney-at-law. I am not presuming to know much about horticulture and the raising of trees, but I think that the committee or person who arranged this program understood that 1 v/as not presumed to know very much about the subject, because the subject which precedes me and the subject which follows my address can be made to cover practically the same ground and furnish all the technical knowledge desired. But I suppose I am supposed to do like lawyers do, use authorities and speak about what others have said instead of advancing my own opinion and knowl- edge. However, in regard to this subject, I have taken a deep interest so far as my business would allow me to. T have read a great deal in regard to forestry and have been particularly interested in regard to the application of the principles of conservation and conditions in Ne- braska, and along that line, and that line alone, I wish to address myself today for a very few minutes. You know there are two aspects of forestry; that one is the preser- vation of what we have. The maintenance of our forests is getting to be a serious question. They go on cutting indefinitely, like they cut their forests in Europe, keeping their principal intact, but never destroying it, as our lumbermen have destroyed entire tracts. Then there is the other aspect of it. which is the only one that concerns us, the creating of forests where none have ever existed before. T take it that in the agitation for conservation we have heard altogether more of the practical side. In re- KAliM A\U MUNICIPAL VVO(ll> LOTS. l.>o gard to the first aspect of conservation the setting aside of huge forest re- serves for the reforestation of the Alleghanies so that the hardwood supply would bo preserved and increased, but we have heard prac tically nothing of the building up of the forests. You hear of their planting in northern Michigan and Minnesota, where the forests have been lumbered and the forests totally destroyed. The threatened peril that has brought about the agitation foi- con- servation was the destruction of the forests at the head of the streams — at the headwaters, which leads to soil erosion and floods. Then the destruction of these forests has modified the climate as the de- struction goes on, and we are more concerned in this additional feature than in the destruction of the forests. And then will come the increased cost of forest products until experts in that line say that in twelve to fifteen years the hardwood supply in this country, at the present rate of consumption, will be practically exhausted, unless something is done. That means fai'm machinery, furniture and other things made from hardwoods will increase in price or substitutes must be found. We are in no danger in Nebraska from destruction of the forests at the headwaters of our streams and soil erosion, because we have but little of that danger. We have no forests to destroy; we are better off today than we were twenty-five years ago in that respect, in much better condition, but it is also true that if we would build up forests and plant trees generally over the land we would be in much better shape in reference to our climate; we would also, in so far as we succeeded in growing this commercial lumber and posts, prevent the increase In price of forest products to the extent that we devoted ourselves to its production. My experience in Nebraska dates back a little less than twenty-six years, but as I look back to 1885 and my knowledge of the preceding four or five years and the condition of my relatives and friends in Nebraska I see a great deal of tree planting. Groves were put out and timber claims were being taken up in those days until in the part of the country where I lived and where my relatives lived, there was about one timber claim to every section, which amounted to ten acres of forest timber planted then by almost every farmer. Many came from Iowa, where trees grow readily. They put trees around their farms and along the roads and they put out wind-breaks, but little care and atten- tion was paid to the quality and kinds of trees planted and I have noticed that as the years have gone by this tree planting has ceased almost entirely. That is the thing that this society and the people of Nebraska ought to address themselves to; that is the disease in regard to tree planting that needs attention in this state, but I believe there is an awakening along the agitation on conservation. You know this conservation idea may be put through by simply a vote, but it may be delayed and it is best to encourage it by talking about it and passing resolutions about it and it may be made a practical thing in Nebraska. In the main, we 134 NEBRASKA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. have simply considered conservation simply as a project, but the time has now come when it ought to be made a practical thing. If we can not make it practical we have but very little interest in the matter, except as it concerns us in regard to the cost of forest products. I know that the chief disciple of forestry, Mr. Pinchot, in some of his works places great emphasis on the preservation of forest timber. Insuffi- cient as it seems to me, upon the planting of trees. The time has come for us to help ourselves and improve the state of Nebraska. We may talk of this and may talk as they have been talking about conservation, but the vital thing and the thing to do is to begin to plant trees. Example is much better than precept, and agitation in Nebraska could be made definite. In general, we have ample room for improvement. The time is ripe for action. Every year is delay and means that much precious time lost. I do not mean by that that we should seek to emulate the Germans and French, but what would be possible for Michigan, Indiana and Iowa. We are not so favored in Nebraska so far as tree growing is concerned, and we might as well admit it. I have lived in Iowa and have planted trees there and have seen them grow for five or six years. I have planted trees in Nebraska and have seen them grow and I know that we can get the results in Nebraska upon ordinary land. It is well enough to talk about planting trees upon bottom lands. Most of the land in Nebraska is in the second bottom, but there is upland that will grow good crops of corn. When I am speaking of trees and the planting of trees, I am speaking about lands where the wells are 200 feet deep, where the trees grow successfully, notwithstanding that fact. If you can not make forest trees succeed upon that kind of land, then they will not succeed generally in Nebraska; but we can do well within our means. Cottonwoods were spoken of. Years ago they were plentiful. Out in my part of the country I was going to say there are less there than there were ten years ago, because they have been cut down and made into lumber and used for wood, and there has been no replanting of cottonwoods in the last fifteen years, practically none at all, and the idea has gotten out that they are practically worthless. They were planted originally along the highways and upon the farms. There was a large area of land, several rods wide, that seemed to be destroyed by those rows of cottonwoods, and the conclusion was reached by those who have not thought deeply or carefully in the matter was that they should be abandoned instead of placing them in groves by themselves. Any loss to adjoining land would be slight. The agitation should be renewed if we would have cottonwoods planted generally in Nebraska by the farmers. I have spoken of the ordinary uplands of the state, not the best lands in the extreme Eastern part of the state. I am speaking of what you might call the average lands in the North Platte country. In Ante- lope county, where the land is a black, sandy loam, where there are FARM AND MUNICIPAL WOOD LOTS. 135 some few sandhills, where, after you cross the bottom lands, I have noticed this upon these uplands that black walnut makes as good a growth as box-elder and all those trees of that character, which are generally planted, that the growth is sure, and I see no reason why these trees can not be planted and grown into value for lumber in the years to come. I think we ought to advocate the planting of black wal- nuts for timber and which would be a good thing for society in the next fifteen or twenty years. There is another value besides simply marketing the trees and that is the creation of wind-breaks, not simply to keep the winds from the North and West from the house of the farmer, but also to break that sweep of wind from the prairies and conserve the soil moisture. The time has come when some definite plans ought to be advanced by those in authority, by which the farms would be kept up in proper fields by single, double or three rows or trees, so that the whole country may be benefited by this breaking of the sweeping winds of the spring, which oftentimes whip out the crops in the sandy lands, and as we saw two years ago, the clay, lands of the bottoms was drifted until the oat crop • was cut right oilt of the ground. The lighter soil suffers still worse in a country where the trees are not grown. Where you have the trees grown every eighty rods you will find this wind damage much less. It is a thing worthy of careful consideration. Now as to my subject, I fear I have drifted farm from it, "Farm and Municipal Wood Lots." There are three forms of activity for the I-lanting of trees in this state, as my subject would indicate: One is the municipal planting, the second is the ordinary farm wood lot, and the third, which I would add, would be corporate activity in tree plant- ing. By that I mean the organization of corporations so a number may join themselves together, who have no farms to develop, both for and in behalf of the interests of their pockets and the general good of the community, by putting in a forest tract, whether large or small, and for the second, the incidental benefit of demonstrating to the people generally that forest planting will pay in Nebraska. When you have demonstrated that you have won the battle. That is one of the important things to take hold of now and in this year of 1911. When we come to the question of municipal wood lots our thoughts revert to the days of old in the European cities and villages where dwell many of these corporations which are enabled to go without taxation altogether on account of the revenue they derive from their forests. It i.s obvious that we cannot gather unto ourselves in the different states forests like they can in countries entirely forested to begin with, and by careful management get a revenue therefrom. It is a more difiicult problem which presents itself to us, and that is the bonding of villages and cities, because we must speak of those of the second class. It is immaterial in regard to Omaha or Lincoln and the several cities of the third class, unless you can reach the villages of the second class to reform would amount to nothing. These municipalities must bond 186 NEBRASKA ST^TE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. themselves for $5,000 or $10,000 and buy lands which are now $50 to $100 an acre and forest these tracts, and it would be ten to fifteen years before any revenue can be derived therefrom. Will the people do it? I do not know. I think it would be a good thing to do just as an example to show what can be done in Nebraska. But as a lawyer I want to say that I do not think there is legislative authority to do that; that is, to purchase lands and plant trees for the purposes of profit. There is authority for the creation of parks for park purposes, but the definition of a park is not such as would include the planting of trees and main- taining tracts for profit only. So if you go into this matter as a munici- pality you must do it under the law authorizing the purchase and main- tenance of parks and indirectly get a profit therefrom. I doubt whether the legislature, under the constitution of our state, could empower municipalities for the purpose of buying land to plant trees for profit. The constitution limits the municipality and the legislature so far as the granting of powers in municipalities. Now we come to the most important feature of tree planting in this state, that is the farm wood lot. Probably from ten to twenty per cent of the land should be in forests to get the best results. We ought to have that much, but I am willing to abide by the much talked of sixteen to one ratio. I think that if every quarter or 160 acres had a farm wood lot of ten acres it would be about the right proportion, and it is avail- able. The proper amount of agitation would procure it in the main. Let me illustrate: I have been planting trees upon a farm I have from year to year persistently for the last few years and the force of example is worth a good deal. When I go out to that farm I must invite neigh- bors to help plant trees, and this has been my attempt. I induced a neighbor that I got to help plant some trees two years ago to send to the nursery for 500 trees to plant himslf on his land. So if you once get the idea into the air it will carry itself, but it will not start itself. Now you have already heard in regard to planting trees for profit and I can not add anything to that. I have planted catalpas on the upland 200 feet above the water supply used in the well; there are no streams in the neighborhood; they are growing and have not winter killed, as far as I know, but seem to be getting along all right. I l.lanted locusts, and I planted cottonwoods twenty-five years ago, not- vvithstandint; we have said that bottom lands constitute the best prac- ticable and only feasible place, I have planted cottonwoods for profit. They grow well on these uplands, not as well as on lowlands, but we bave large trees there that could be cut down and made into lumber; they lived well and they did not die; they went through the drought of 1894. .Vow, if we could get this idea I have mentioned of ten acres to every quarter section for a wind-break or to retard evaporation, we would have accomplished a great deal for the state. Now, the third method is that of corporate investments. I think that has some decided advantages. There are a great many living in towns interested i" this matter as I am and yet they have no lands and have DISCUSSION. I'JT )io farms. It is true those living in towns who read about conservation are oftentimes more vitally interested than the farmers themselves. It is true the farmers are too apt to plod along in the same old way and plan to reap their profits for their work every year. It used to be hard to get a man to plant alfalfa and clover because they could not reap a profit the year they sowed it. They would not wait even two or three years. Thtv are sometimes very short sighted, too, in looking forward to their owi: good. In the town, peopk are more apt to be theoretic in regard to these matters, and I see no reason why in almost any village of ihe second class you can not gather from $2,000 to $5,000 profit. Let each man take such an amount of stock as he pleased. Let the tract be pur- chased and planted just as they have in many places put their thousands of dollars in eucalyptus and catalpa projects. I realize that if you had a project like that its chimerical value is much more attractive to men than the ordinary projects which are all figured right at home. I have watched men in my community who refused to take stock in a home telephone company that pays eight per cent dividends and has for the last seven or eight years, who buy eucalyptus, coal mining and gold mining stock and lose money. But there ought to be a few sensible men left who would figure out a forestry proposition and say I will put in $50 or $100 on this experiment, and we will demonstrate to the people of this state, and educate the farmers, that it pays to plant trees for commercial profit. The benefit in the main, in the towns would be the same incidental benefits I have mentioned. Who does not estimate a community as he rides through the country on the cars or in his automobile by the tree growth in it? When you find a growth of trees along the road here and there you think what a fine country it is, the people are enjoying life there, and it would be pleasant to live there; it looks like home. That is what these projects mean instantly as you view them. I do not know that any new organization is necessary, yet I have thought in my own community that if I had a little more leisure than I have I would see if I could not organize an association, and we would buy a tract of land and plant it to trees and then we would send out to the farmers and say to them, here is a pledge we want you to sign. "How many of you will pledge himself to plant ten acres of trees — one acre each year for ten years?" and if they would not plant one acre for ten years then one acre for five years, and get these pledges, get 100 men in one county; and when you get 100 to do that they will talk it to their neighbors, that means 500 that will do that. It runs throughout the whole community, it spreads and is a good example. So I come back at the end where I started at the beginning, and the thing to do is not to theorize, but to be practical and plant trees and do it now. DISCUSSION. Chairman: I am sure we have been delightfully entertained and bave listened with a gi'eat deal of interest to this splendid address on i;i8 NEBRASKA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. the subject of tree planting and forestry by Mr. Williams. The subject is now open for a brief discussion to those who want to ask any ques- tions, or offer anything further on the subject. Mr. Taylor: I do not know whether the cottonwood varies in this state, as it does with us. We have apparently two varieties, one very straight and straight grained, while with the other the different growths seem to be weaved together. So it will pay you to select your trees. Mr. Pollard: I think it would be a good plan to plant some hardwood trees, as he says the supply is being exhausted. Hickory, oak and black walnut will grow just as well as your cottonwood will; they do not grow as fast. I have cottonwood trees that would make saw logs now. Why not advocate some hardwood such as I have named, and then we would have wood suitable for furniture. Cottonwood is not good for anything unless you get the right kind. This man has the right idea; there is the yellow and the white kinds; the yellow is very nearly as good as this Indira poplar. The white one you can split with a maul and wedge, but if you get the board sawed it will roll all over your lot, and when you put it in fences they will crawl off. Cottonwood will die of old age at fifty years and then it will never sprout up. We have had a great deal of talk here in Nebraska, and there is nothing more impor- tant than this forestry business. If this society is going to recommend trees to plant I want to say that I have lived in Nebraska a good while and I have gotten terribly taken in by poor advice. Now, do not let us start in and urge these farmers to plant worthless trees. Cottonwood is a good tree to plant if you want one to come up quick, but also plant some hickory, ash and walnut, and then you will get a start with some hardwood. Now, this idea of having a farmer's wood lot is an important thing, but this gentleman is a little wild on that; he wants them to plant ten acres on each quarter and I have six acres and that will ."support two farmers. You do not need ten acres; there are little plats near the creek, little banks where you can get two or three acres and have all the wood you want. You will find a few cottonwoods good, l)ut I would put in a few ash and black walnut and oak, some elm, some osage orange, they make good telegraph and telephone poles, and they make good fence posts, and they last longer than any other tree. We are planting osage orange for hedge, and we are cutting hedge now, that hedge pays a good rental for the land, and we have the fence and we have the wood lot. Some are cutting down their hedge because it takes up so much room. I like this man's idea, the home in Nebraska is a sacred place, and I believe now by planning a little we can talk the farmers into improving their homes a little in Nebraska. I can build a fence up sky high where nobody can come in and I may stay and live there in comfort and luxury and by planting some trees on these prairies we can get some firewood; we must have firewood. You can raise all the fruit you want, raise all the vegetables you want, and you can have a perfect home on your farm in Nebraska. I believe in fixing up right and starting right. Nebraska is an ideal place to make an ideal home; we have REPORT FROM IOWA UELBGATE, 139 the finest climate, the finest soil, and perspective views, and landscape views, and in giving this advice to start I want them to start right; I have had lots of advice given mc and I have planted hundreds of thou- sands of trees that are not worth a cent. If forests are started it is a grand thing and there is no danger of running it to the extreme if you get the right kind of trees. The box-elder tree will die in about forty years of old age. I have planted cottonwood trees and sawed boards out of them fifteen inches wide and those boards are just as good as this poplar. We have sawed yellow cottonwood trees planted forty years ago and sawed the lumber and made a house out of it. Chairman: We always listen with a great deal of pleasure to these pioneer men, men who have been through the mill, and Mr. Pollard is one man who has taken poor prairie and made a beautiful home out of it, and many of us have seen it. We are proud of our pioneers and we like to have them give their information and experience. It inspires us along these lines we are seeking more knowledge on. Many mistakes were made by many of the earlier planters and many of those mistakes may be avoided by taking the advice of these pioneers. Mr. Youngers: I heartily agree with Mr. Pollard that in the earlier days mistakes were made, and I think right now is the time we want ■to have it understood that all parts of the state are not adapted to trees like those in the locality where Mr. Pollard lives. While there are trees^ and varieties that will thrive with him, if planted in the western part of the state they would not thrive at all. It is well enough for the planters throughout the state to look around and see what will thrive, whether we want to plant them for wood lots, for timber or for posts. Now, in Mr. Pollard's section of the state the white pine is a most excel- lent tree, and with us we say it is a failure. In starting right it is well enough to find out what will succeed in the locality in which you live, and in that way we can succeed and avoid the failures that Mr. Pollard and myself have made in the earlier days. Chairman: At this time I will call upon Mr. Tanner, who is, I believe, the delegate from the Iowa Horticultural Society. REPORT FROM IOWA DELEGATE. T. C. TANNER, PAI.O, IOWA. As a delegate from Iowa I will have to report almost an entire failure of fruit in 1910, owing to a very peculiar season. The early fall of 1909 was rather dry, followed by rain and very warm weather that started the sap in the trees and shrubbery; then came the sudden freeze in October that killed a great many of the more tender varieties of fruits and ornamentals, which was followed by a deep snow in November and what we call a mild winter, the snow remaining until February, when the weather turned warm, and as there was no frost In the ground, the snow melted and all went into the ground, leaving it in ideal condition for fruits and all kinds of crops. Through March 140 .NKBKASKA STATE HOKTICUL-TUKAL SOCIETY. and into April there wan no frost. T never saw a betip'- nrosnent for a maenifif-ent oroi) of frint, but alasl the temperature fell aud so dirt the snow, and our beautiful cro]) was gone. Although our crop was almost a failuie, our annual meeting was well attended and all seemed inclined to take a cheerful view of the situation and hope for something better in the future. There was a fair show of fruit from the southern district. Mr. Langham had some fine grapes from the central district. Dr. Dennis, of Cedar Rapids, and Mr. Wragg, of Waukee, showed good collections of nuts. The best walnuts and hickory nuts shown so far were found in Linn county. There seems to be quite an interest taken in the collection and propagation of nuts, so I think we may look for something fine in the near future. Our experimental stations have several thousand seedling plants from hand fertilized seed from our best fruits and ornamental iilants from which we expect great results in the near future. The burning question before the association was the smudge pots. Some seemed to think they could almost raise fruit in the winter with them. They will have to be tested further, I think, before any definite value can be placed on their work. In the southwest district they had some fruit, and there was one man who had a large orchard, who reported that he saved his fruits by the smudge pots, and thought they were a great thing. Another man right across the road who had a seasoned orchard used no smudge pots and had just as good a crop as the other man had with the same exposure- Mr. Youngers: Would not it have been possible for that man to have the benefit of the other man's smudge? A. No, the wind drifted the other way. L. O. Williams: Who do you refer to, what orchards were those? A. One belonged to Mr. Spencer, I believe. Chairman: I am sure we are always glad to welcome delegates from the societies of other states and are always pleased to hear from these delegates, and we are pleased to hear from this delegate from Iowa. We are neighbors and we ought to be friendly and sociable. Mr. Russell: Have we any other delegates from other states present? Chairman: ' I believe there are no others. Mr. Russell: I move that Mr. Tanner be made an annual honorary member of this society. Seconded by Mr. Stephens and carried unan- imously. Mr. Tanner: I thank you, gentlemen, for the honor. Chairman: We will now have a paper by Mr. E. F. Stephens, on the subject of "The Varieties of Timber Trees Most Called for in the Trade, and Their Comparative Merits." FOREST TREES MOST CALLED FOR IN THE TRADE AND THEIR COMPARATIVE MERITS. E. F. STEPHENS, CKETE. Coming to Nebraska when pre-emption could yet be secured in Saline countv. and having exercised the rights of pre-emption and timber claim FOItKSr riM'^KS. 141 laws, the fac;i that 1 purvhased railroad land on tiftpon years time with six per cent interest at $8 per acre, indicates that conditions were very different from what we find them now. In that early day land did not represent an investment of more than $10 to $20 per acre. Tt was the common feeling that shelter belts were needed and investments in forest trees for such purposes a legitimate and necessary expense. Away back in those days the demand for forest seedlings of varieties suited to the growth of wind-breaks and shelter belts formed an inrportant portion of the nursery trade. rt was easy for the nurseryman to get hundreds of bushels of ash seed along our streams and many millions of ash seedlings were grown and supplied to the trade at very moderate prices. Seeds of the soft maple and box-elder could be gathered along the rivers. The low cost at which seed of the ash, maple and box-elder could be secured led to their production in nursery row and offering them to intending planters at prices below the present cost of production. I well remember that one season I grew^ thirteen million forest seedlings and that number was so far below the demand of my trade that I purchased five million more of the neighboring nurseryman. In the early eighties the Russian mulberry was . introduced and mil- lions were sold to Ihe planting public. A little later Catalpa speciosa was very freely grown and its merits as a timber tree were freely discussed, leading to free planting of this excellent variety of timber. I remember in our contract work, planting 2,000,000 catalpa, about 2,000,000 Russian mulberry, 3,000,000 ash, box-elder and black locust on timber claims. At that time we were without experience in regard to the proper limits of the safe planting of Catalpa speciosa and of the Russian mulberry. Statements were freely made that the Catalpa speciosa was hardy as far north as northeastern Iowa; that being true, in good faith nursery- men advised their customers to plant the catalpa in central and western Nebraska. T remember in those days of carrying samples of Russian mulberry cut from a mulberry tree grown in Hamilton county, the height of the tree twenty-five feet, the diameter of the section ten inches, the tree twelve years old. Believing that the mulberry would be useful in grow- ing a quick shelter belt and ultimately post timber, in common with other nurserym.en I felt safe in recommending Russian mulberry in western Nebraska. In process of time we all learned that trees like the catalpa and Russian mulberry were indigenous to climates or longer seasons than we have in western Nebraska, where they are liable to be yet unripe when the first autumnal freezing cold wave comes down on us from the northwest, sometimes in September, nearly always in October before the trees have yet completed their seasonal growth. This killed the terminal buds, the unripe wood and over large sections of western Nebraska and eastern Colorado caused the catalpa and Russian mulberry to be more frequently a heavy bush, rarely a timber tree. In this connec tion I may say that in the park at .Tulesburg, in northeastern Colorado, 142 NEBRASKA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. catalpa trees cultivated in sod land were compelled by lack of moisture to ripen their autumnal growth in early fall, and those trees are still in existence and in good condition; but under cultivation and in shelter belts, the Russian mulberry and catalpa almost invariably grow too late to be prepared for winter and are usually unripe at the time of the first autumnal freeze. The Black Locust — The extreme durability of the black locust when used as a fence led to the tree being planted in central and western Nebraska. We have in mind timber claims 350 miles from the Missouri river that were planted near Bridgeport, in Morrill county, Nebraska. These trees were planted on dry ground; fortunately perhaps, the sum- mers and autumns were so dry that the trees were compelled to ripen during their early years of growth. After the black locust has attained considerable size and the growth is more widely distributed it is not likely to grow as late in the fall as during the early years of planting. These groves are still in excellent condition; they have furnished shade in summer, and shelter in winter for the large bunches of cattle owned by Mr. MacRadcliff. In other neighborhoods I have found that where under certain con- ditions the black locust was planted and almost completely neglected, lack of cultivation and weed growth compelled the tree to ripen and thus prove its hardihood and adaptation to the district where they were planted. On the abandoned homesteads of far western Nebraska on dry knolls and ridges of thin soil and gravelly ridges, healthy trees of the black locust have endured the extremes of Nebraska climate for more than twenty years. The black locust is a tree that cannot with- stand favorable conditions and prosperity; it is inclined to grow rapidly and too late in the autumn. I have in mind one excellent grove, the owner of which states that the grove was never cultivated, simply allowed to compete with the weed growth. It should be stated, however, in connection with this grove that there is in the underlying subsoil, moisture at no great depth. Under such conditions the weed growth prevented too rank and too late growth. We still regard the black locust as a favorable tree for central and western Nebraska where care is taken to compel the tree to ripen its wood not later than September. The honey locust we have found in our trade and in our contract work peculiarly suited to very arid and trying conditions. We have found this tree standing sucessfully and holding its own in wheat grass sod on the elevated table lands of Kimball county. I believe from experience and observation that the honey locust can endure more arid conditions than any other tree now sent out by nurserymen. In eastern Nebraska on our own orchard farm we have planted some miles of honey locust in single rows acting as a hedge and shelter belt for the orchards and fields. At the age of thirty years we cut down a considerable number of these trees and sold a number of carloads of honey locust posts. The value of the honey locust for post timber is not FOREST TREES. 143 nearly equal to that of the black locust. It, however, makes a beautiful shade tree and I remember noting a very beautiful specimen of honey locust in the lawn of J. Sterling Morton at Nebraska City. This tree was highly prized by Mr. Morton. I have two or three of these trees near my ofRce in the city of Crete. They have attained large size with a broad, symmetrical head. The foliage is pleasing. The Green Ash — The green ash is indigenous to our eastern rivers and streams, seeding profusely at an early age. Because of the abundance of the seed, I have had quantities gathered at fifteen to forty cents a bushel of ten pounds. The ease and certainty of germination of the ash seed, the fact that two hundred thousand seedlings could be grown by skillful care and cultivation on an acre, made this variety a favorite among nurserymen. The trees used to be offered to the planting public at such moderate prices as to induce the planter to make large use of the ash seedling, perhaps more than of any other variety. I have in mind two of our timber claim contract groves of this tree in Scotts Bluff county on high dry table lands within twenty-five miles of the Wyoming line. Planted in ten acre tracts of timber claim work, we found that after cultivation ceased to conserve the moisture the trees on the south side of the grove left to themselves suffered. The north half of the grove would intercept the drifting snows of winter, which ultimately melting would supply the north half of the grove with ample supply of water for continued vigor and growth. The snow having been intercepted by the north half of the grove and the south side of the grove suffering from weeds and not infrequently from the browsing of cattle, could not make the same growth as the north half. Planted as a shade tree in western Nebraska, standing in sod without cultivation, suffering severely from summer drought has caused the ash to be attacked by borers. This reminds us of Professor Bruner's suggestion made to our society at the Trans-Mississippi meeting in Omaha that "borers are scavengers of nature, attacking trees already suffering from (he extreme heat of the summer." The Soft Maple-^In the early history of the state the soft maple was quite freely planted and the seed could be gathered along the rivers and later wherever they had been planted a sufficient length of time. Where the tree has been planted in eastern Nebraska in shelter belts it has served a good purpose but has not proved desirable on the elevated table lands of western Nebraska. The demand for this tree at the present time is not large and it is not grown in nurseries with anything like the freedom of earlier years. The Box-Elder — The elder is still planted with some freedom in central and western Nebraska; transplanting with ease it grows with vigor and has proved its usefulness in wind-breaks and shelter belts. At the present time the tree does not have the call that it had twenty years ago, its place having been taken by other varieties of timber. The Cottonwood — The eastern or Missouri river cottonwood grows with much greater rapidity than the type of cottonwood found along the 144: NEBUASKA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. streams in the western portion of the state. In far western Nebraska the Cottonwood has been so buffeted by winds and oftentimes scorched bj'^ fires that a different type has been developed from that which we find on the Missouri river. The Missouri river cottonwood transplanted into far western Nebraska, where I am familiar with it, in groves within two miles of the Wyoming line, has proved its superiority over the local cottonwood. It is much more rapid in gi'owth, more regular m outline, better for shelter, shade and timber. In towns like Bridgeport, perhaps sixty or seventy miles east of the Wyoming line, there is an active demand for the cottonwood shade tree. It endures their conditions, and its rapidity of growth pleases the public: In western Nebraska at the present time in our personal trade we find a larger demand for the cottonwood, in seedlings for shelter belts and in shade tree form, than almost any other tree. The Carolina Poplar — This tree has been very freely planted in central and western Nebraska. On the David Hunter plantation in Lincoln county, Nebraska, there are poplar trees aged eighteen years that are now fifty feet in height, and Mr. Hunter regrets that he did not plant forty acres of them for saw timber. Although this tree under irrigation sometimes grows too late in the fall and is unripe at the time of the first autumnal freeze, yet we find a very large demand for this variety. The Norway Poplar — The Norway poplar has been pushed with vigor by nurserymen and their agents and it is giving satisfaction. The price at which it is sold leads to its use more freely as a shade tree rather than in wind-breaks and shelter belts. Because the cottonwood can be furnished at a very low price, the average planter needing five to ten thousand trees is more likely to plant the cottonwood than either of the poplars. At the present time in eastern Nebraska perhaps the catalpa speciosa is being sold more freely than any other tree. In an ' early day the homesteaders or land ownei's in the eastern portions of the state did not hesitate to plant several acres of timber, anywhere from two to ten acres, on lands worth from $10 to $20 an acre. Now that the lands in the eastern half of Nebraska have been found to be very well suited to the production of corn and wheat a I'armer hesitates to plant a grove on land worth a hundred dollars an acre. I am informed by real estate men that some tracts of farm land near Crete can be sold for $150 per acre, and this without buildings. A farmer naturally hesitates to plant timber on $100 land, preferring to get an annual crop of corn or wheat rather than to wait for a return from the production o"' timber, a matter of ten or twenty years. In our immediate neighborhood traveling salesmen from Indiana are selling our farmers Catalpa speciosa seedlings at $25 per thousand. The average farmer forgets to call iip the nearest nurseryman over the r)hone to ascertain what these trees are really worth. Plantations of catalpas which T have personally planted in Saline county tv.cnty-six vears ago show very clearly just what can be done and what cannot .MI.NXKSOTA IIOKTK'lil/nnti:. 145 be done with this tree. CorrespondeiUs from the Platte valley write me statins? that traveling salesmen in their neighborhood are selling catalpa promising the planter that it will attain a height large enough for tele- phone poles in six years. This, of course, is an unreasonable statement and ought not to mislead anyone. Personally I regard the catalpa as one of the best and most favorable trees to ))lant at the present time in Eastern Nebraska. The season is long enough, we have a fertile soil, the trees have no enemies; after three or four years the tree will take take care of itself and will nearly justify its planting on $100 land. It should be borne in mind, however, that many farms contain tracts of broken land, ravines, corners or small tracts that cannot be conveniently cultivated in corn or wheat, and such tracts can be very profitably planted to a durable timber like the Catalpa speciosa. Chairman: I am sure we have all listened with a good deal of pleas- ure to Mr. Stephens; he is one of our pioneers, like Mr. Pollard. I think we have about covered the ground and our time is limited. Chairman: Secretary Marshall attended the meeting of the Minne- sota State Horticultural Society as a delegate from this society. We will now listen to his report. MINNESOTA HORTICULTURE. C. G. MARSHALL. The Minnesota State Horticultural Society is doing a great work for horticulture in Minnesota and the Northwest. Its membership now totals more than 3,000 and consists mainly of farmers and friut growers ol that state, with a sprinkling' through the Dakotas, northern Iowa and Wisconsin. At the annual meeting, held in Minneapolis December 6, 7, 8 and 9, some 400 to 500 members from all parts of this section were in atten.lance to discuss the problems confronting the horticulturist in this severe climate of the north. The interest and enthusiasm shown at this meeting and in the face of the discouragements before them was certainly commendable. Those from parts where the natural conditions for the production of horti- cultural crops are anything but favorable gave glowing reports of their successes and of what they expected to accomplish in the future in a horticultural way. When success does not accompany their first and sub- sequent efforts to grow certain horticultural crops, instead of giving up the idea of trying to grow these things, the horticulturists of Minnesota set about to originate new and hardier varieties or to devisd some practical form of aid or protection for the varieties that they already have. The Minnesota farmer and fruit-grower has many more discouraging things to contend with than those in Nebraska. In common with us, he has the spring frosts, the summer drouths, the codling-moth and other injurious insects, and the fungus diseases to fight. In addition to this. 146 NEBRASKA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. be has the dry and severely cold winter weather to contend with. This has the effect of limiting the number of varieties that he can grow to a a very few of the very hardiest, which usually means that he must con- tent himself with those kinds that are not the best from a standpoint of quality and appearance. None of the best quality apples, such as Grimes' Golden and .Jonathan, can be successfully grown in Minnesota except in a few favored locations. The same thing holds true with other kinds of fruits. Almost all of his small fruits must be laid down and carefully covered each winter to save them, which does not have to be done in Nebraska, except in the north and west parts. The influence of the horticultural society, which is co-operating in a harmonious way with the horticultural depart- ment of the experiment station, is widely felt, however, and interest is awakened and fostered in all phases of horticulture. As a result of this interest much is being accomplished and fruits are now being made to grow and bear where a few years ago it was considered very fool- hardy to attempt it. Minnesota is in need of some late keeping varieties of apples that will stand its severe winters. Only a few varieties, including the Duchess, Wealthy, Hibernal, Patton's Greening and Okabena, can be recommended for general planting in the state and none of these are what we in this section would call winter varieties. Good cash prizes are offered by the society and by interested individuals for new seedings that will meet certain requirements. One thousand dollars is offered for a seedling apple tree "as hardy and prolific as the Duchess," with fruit equal to "the Wealthy in size, quality and appearance and that will keep as well as the Malinda." One hundred dolars is offered for the best seedling plum. One hundred dollars is offered annually (total $700) for seven years for the best late winter seedling apple. Under this last offer the first prize of $100 will oe awarded at the annual meeting of the society to be held in 1912. A similar amount will be awarded at each annual meeting thereafter until seven such prizes have been awarded. These prizes are to be given for seedling apples grown from seed planted not earlier than 1906 and under prescribed conditions. Thousands of apple seedlings are grown each year by members of the society. Much of the seed used for this purpose is from the few hardy varieties that grow in Minnesota. Cross-pollenization of hardy varieties, and other varieties more tender but of belter quality is being done each year by a number of the more enthusiastic members, the idea being to improve both upon the hardiness and quality. These seeds are planted and the trees given careful atten- tion until they fruit, or top-grafting into bearing trees is done as soon as the little tree grows enough wood for this purpose. This hastens matters somewhat, giving fruit in three to six years from the time the seed is planted. As a result of the efforts along this line a number of very promising seedlings are now being tested. At the society's fruit show fruit from DISCUSSION. 147 more than 100 seedlings of the Malinda were exhibited. Some fifteen or twenty of these show promise and three are now being propagated. The Evelyn apple, originated by Mr. Wyman Elliott, of Minneapolis, gives promise of something valuable. It is a cross between the Wealthy and Ben Davis, and resembles both its parents in shape and color, and is of fair quality. It keeps well until mid-winter. The Okabena, originated by H. J. Ludlow, of Worthington, and introduced by the Jewel Nursery Company, is a valuable acquisition. The Jewel Nursery Company paid Mr. Ludlow $1,000 for the right to propagate this apple. It resembles the Duchess very much in quality and appearance, but is a later keeper. A number of very interesting papers were read during the four-day meeting. One that excited considerable interest and discussion was "Strawberries for Every Garden— Five Bushels to the Square Rod." Mr. G. J. Kellog, of Wisconsin, gave this paper and showed how every farmer and home owner can grow an abundance of berries on a small area in any part of the country where corn and small grains can be successfully grown. Another paper that was very well received was written by Father Harrison. Mr. Harrison's theme was "The Mission of Beauty." Drouth and frost problems have been of vital interest to the horticulturists of Minnesota and questions pertaining to these were dis- cussed with much interest. The Plant Breeders' Auxiliary, the Bee Keepers' Association, the Mar- ket Gardeners' Association, the Minnesota Rose Society, the State For- estry Association and the Woman's Auxiliary, all of which are auxiliary societies of the horticultural society, had their places on the program and some very interesting papers were read at each of these meetings. These societies are all working together for the good of horticulture in Minnesota. The meeting closed with a banquet at which 150 plates were laid. The program as well as the menu was fine and everyone left feeling that they had spent their time profitably and pleasantly while attending these meetings. DISCUSSION. Mr. Dickinson: Is the Wealthy apple considered a winter apple in Minnesota? A. Yes, sir. It will keep about like the Jonathan and the Grimes' Golden will with us. They can keep them in their cellars about as long as we can keep the Grimes' Golden here. Mr. Dickinson: I had a little experience with a couple of barrels; we put them in cold storage in August and kept them until April. Chairman: We will now have our Question Box, which will be con- ducted by Professor Howard. If there are any of you who want to ask any questions of any of these men posted along these lines you should feel free to do so. 148 NEBRASKA STATE IIOUTICULTURAL SOCIETY. QUESTION BOX. Q. What do you know about orchard heating? Chairman: Some of you who know tell in about two minutes what you know, or tell where they can find out. Professor Howard: What I shall tell you is what we have done here on the experimental grounds. We heated two acres last spring and the results were so encouraging that I ordered enough heaters two weeks ago TO heat the remainder of the station orchard. While we were only heating two acres we managed to maintain a temperature inside of the heated area of about four degrees above the outside. We had some four or five thermometers scattered through the heated portion. We maintained that temperature with a type of heater holding about three gallons of oil running at about one-half of its capacity. We would have been able to increase that burning surface about twicJe as much any time of night. I asked the weather bureau the velocity of the wind and was told that night it was some twenty-three miles an hour; we were fighting frost that night, heating an area of two acres with the wind velocity at twenty-three miles an hour and we kept the temperature up four degrees. Mr. Williams: Did you save your fruit crop? A. We had more fruit than we ever had before; we had several barrels more. Mr. Marshall: Was there a noticeable difference between the part heated and the part not heated in the crop? A. The particular part that we were heating we call our variety orchard. There were only two trees of each variety in the portion we were heating and I can not answer that question. We had apples outside the heated area. Ben Davis chiefly. We have something like 160 to 200 varieties in the variety orchard; some of them would not have borne if there had been more cold weather, on account of the variety. Q. What tree would you recommend to plant for wind-breaks in southeastern Nebraska? Chairman: I will ask Mr. A. .T. Brown to answer that i)arti('ular question. Mr. Brown : I would plant Scotch pine. Q. What varieties of apples would you plant in a three-acre orchard near Omaha? Chairman: I will ask Mr. Russell to answer that question. Mr. Russell: I think I had a friend of mine as!-- that qi!.:atiou and I want some one else to answer it. Mr. Williams: Refer that matter to the recommended list of varieties. Secretary: For the benefit of the man who asked that question, in the annual report you will find a list of recommended varieties for each fruit district in the state. Q. What is the comparative co^st in value of linie-siilphur and home- made mixture and Bordeaux mixture? «iUK8'rj(».\ L!(»\. 149 Mr. Howard: I was goine;- to give that in my talk lonioiiow morning at nine o'clock and I do not want to bore the people now with anything . I was going to give in my talk tomorrow morning. Q. Is the Grimes' Golden a hardy tree? A. Particularly so south of the Platte river. Q. Is the Grimes' Golden a disease-resisting tree? A. Yes, fairly so as to the top, but not as to the i-oots. Q. About what is the average existence? Mr. Marshall: That depends on the health of the tree while it is young. I would say in the east central part of Nebraska it would live twenty-five years and longer. It might live forty years. Mr. Stephens: I have some Grimes' Golden that were planted in 1873 and two years ago they gave twenty-seven bushels. Q. How des it compare with other varieties? Mr. Marshall: I believe the .Jonathan will outlive it with us. It is very nearly like the Jonathan. We have trees at Arlington that are twenty-tw^o years in the orchard, and last fall I think they averageo over twenty bushels to the tree; there are just a few trees, probably seven or eight of that age. The Jonathan is about the same, but I would say for the Grimes' Golden that we can not afford to leave it out of our orchard. It is an apple we can give to our New York friends and feel proud of it while they are eating it; it is an annual bearer; it does not overbear, but it bears all through the tree, and it is a scab resister. It is not absolutely hardy, yet it is well worth planting in ♦^^he eastern part of the state. Q. What variety of apples come closest to the Grimes' Golden for quality of fruit, and season, or could be substituted for it? A. The Jonathan, I think. Mr. Vassey: The explanation made is not entirely .satisfactory. It was said that it was partially a short-lived tree. Well, just how much should we cut off the tree's existence is the question in my mind. The reason the question was asked, I have an old orchard, my own home trees have been planted seventeen years; there were five Grimes' Golden trees in the orchard, and four of them are dead and another one is not bearing. They have all gone about the* same way, affected right at the soil on the south side of the tree, where it is entirely dead, while on the north side they have fruit. They have only fruited about five years. If that is the length of the tree's usefulness I fail to see good sense in recommending a tree of that kind to be planted in district No. 4 in this state. It is much harder to get the substitute in an old orchard than to get it in the first place. I do not want to plant Grimes' Golden for only four or five years' fruitage and then have to plant another tree of some other variety in its place. I sent some of the specimens of the bark to Professor Wilcox and he said as far as he could see there was no disease, but that it had been killed by the frost. Is it possible that in an ordinary winter the Grirr.rs" Golden is not sufficiently hardy lo ,150 NEBRASKA STATE HORTICUI;TURAL SOCIETY. endure a moderate winter? If so, is it a tree worthy to be recommended for planting? Those are a few questions that are interesting a few farm- ers in my neighborhood. I am not the only one having trouble with the Grimes' Golden, and the question is what can we substitute for it? Or can we get other trees that may have a longer life and more usefulness? I thought someone might have had experience with them. Mr. Pollard: I have had the same experience with the Grimes' Golden as the other gentleman has had; I found on large bearing trees the apple leaf turning yellow on the trees. I supposed borers were in the trees, but I could not see any. I could not find any rust on the leaves and I looked to the roots. The roots had dried up and I found by putting blue vitriol around the trees that it stopped it, and none have died since. Whether that will remedy it or not, I do not know. There is another question about the age of the trees. You cannot answer the question how long it will live, because it depends on the fellow who tends it. These trees want somebody that can associate with them; that can get acquainted with them. You can associate with your trees, gentleman. Mr. Youngers does not associate with the pine tree, but I could associate with it and make it live. In this age of trees we have the Janet — some call it the Never Fail. We have some that were planted in 1862; they are forty-nine years old, and those trees are healthy and strong and bearing good apples. They bear just as good apples as the others. Some apples we sent to St. Louis to the fair, and we got some of our finest apples from our oldest trees. Our oldest trees made the best showing; the best apples we got were off the old trees. We had the Ben Davis, but they died a long time ago. Mr. Williams: I would like to call upon the gentleman here who has had experience in orchard heating to aid us in that matter. Chairman: Mr. Dickinson, who has the old Hartley place, tried those heaters last year. Let us hear from him. Mr. Dickinson: I understand that the question of orchard heating is to come up tomorrow. Chairman: I think we might give a very short time to that subject now. We have some other matters here, but we would like to hear from Mr. Dickinson very briefiy on this subject. Mr. Dickinson: Well, I have not tabulated any results and have not figured on it and can give nothing definite. The most I Tould do would be to give it in a general way. Of course, last year was the first year we have had anything to do with it. It was just an experi- ment. I was not really ready when the time came, the spring coming on very early and before we were ready, and I have not given it what we might term a thorough test. There was grass in the orchard and that windy night, the first night, we could not light our heaters on account of being afraid of fire, but on still nights after that blow was over when the frost came we lighted our heaters and we could control the temperature; I think there is no question but what the temperature CO-OFKRATIVB SPRAYING. 151 can be controlled ten to fifteen per cent. As far as results are con- cerned, the part where we had the heaters we got more apples than from the part where we did not have them; while the part last year that we did not heat gave more apples than the part we heated. Of course, my man's theory is that the lay of the land on the south side of the orchard, that is, the side we did not heat, lies to the north, and the cold wind we had came from the north, and he says that cold wind blowing on that south side had a better chance to blight the blossoms. He thought the higher side we heated lying to the south had a tendency to give us more fruit on that side. All I know is that we had more fruit from the part we heated than from the part we did not heat. Secretary: Do you expect to continue the operation next year? A. We are building 1,000 more of these heaters. We are building them now for the other side. We will probably make 1,500 more heaters, as we are going to equip the full orchard. Chairman: I believe this concludes our program for this afternoon. I am very sorry that just as we are about to close such a fine body of young men came in to hear our discussions and papers. We hope they will come a little earlier tomorrow as we promise them a good program tomorrow. Meeting adjourned. THURSDAY, JANUARY 19, 1911, 9 A. M. Meeting called to order with Mr. Yager presiding. Chairman: The first thing on our program is a paper by Professor R. F. Howard, of the University, on the subject of "Co-Operative Spray- ing." CO-OPERATIVE SPRAYING. PROF. II. F. HOWARD, UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA. When your Secretary asked me to talk on the subject of "Co-operative Spraying" I suggested to him that certainly the topic was broad enough to permit of one's talking on most anything about sprays and spraying and yet stay within the bounds of his subject. Since it would be out of the question for me with my limited experience to try and tell you men who have been in the business of spraying for years how to spray, I thought I might say something that would be of some interest on the experimental and demonstration work the department of horti- culture has been carrying on for the past five years. We hear the ques- tions asked quite often: "What does it cost to spray apple trees?" or "How much does it pay to spray?" These are reasonable questions for the man who has never sprayed to ask. They are questions, too, that the average man who sprays can answer with difficulty. They are difficult for him to answer because the average grower is not in the habit of figuring the cost of every little item of labor and teams and substracting them from the total receipts. One thing I want to do this morning is to answer these questions 152 .NKr.KASKA STATl': lloU'llCt I/I'IKAL SIXIICI'V. bj' means of data compiled from this experimental work. Another thing I want to touch upon is the relative importance of the lime-sulphur sprays as compared with Bordeaux as a summer spray for apples. Another topic which really comes nearer to the assigned topic than either of the above is the matter of what is to be done with the small home orchards of Nebraska? I will have a few suggestions to make in this connection. SPRAYING DEMONSTRATIONS. In 1906 the experiment station, in co-operation with the United States department of Agriculture, began a series of spraying demonstrations in eastern Nebraska apple orchards. The results of the first year's work were published in Bulletin 98, entitled "Spraying Demonstrations in Nebraska Apple Orchards." In 1907 the work was continued by the experiment station alone and the results reported in Bulletin 106 under the title "Does It Pay to Spray Nebraska Apple Orchards?" In 1908 the work was again conducted jointly by the experiment station and the United States department of agriculture and in 1909 and 1910 the exyeri- rcent station was alone in the undertaking. The work of the last thre*^ years has not been reported previously. This paper was compiled by Professor Emerson and will appear in a bulletin later. During the nve years demonstrations have been made in twenty-two orchards, represent- ing eighteen localities, in thirteen counties. Before the work was begun it was well known that it was possible by proper spraying to control scab and codling moth, the most generally troublesome pests of apple orchards in this state. There was available, however, very little definite information regarding the cost of spraying or the profits to be derived from it under our conditions. The majority of farmers made no attempt at spraying. Many of the more prominent commercial orchardists, even, were trying to produce apples without spraying, and those who were spraying more or less regularly were, with few exceptions, not sufficiently thorough in their work to get the best results. On account of the lack of knowledge of the proper means to employ in combatting the common orchard pests many orchardists had come to believe that apple growing was not a profitable business. And under the conditions prevailing in many orchards, this was a per- fectly correct conclusion. It was, therefore, planned from the start not merely to demonstrate the possibility of controlling apple insects and diseases, but also to deter- mine whether they could be controlled profitablj'. To accomplish this it was necessary to know exactly what it cost to spray, vhat sprayed fruit yielded, and what it v.'as worth in comparison with unsprayed fruit from the same orchards. In every spraying demonstration the time spent in mixing and applying the materials and the quantity of material used were recorded. The cost of labor, of men and teams per hour was taken at the orchard owners' estimates and the cost of materials was charged at the prices actually paid by the orchardists. In every CO-OPERATIVE SPRAYING. 153 orchard a block was set apart for the demonstration spraying and another block, in every way comparable with the first, was left without spraying as a check on the results of spraying. The exact yields of both market- able and unmarketable fruit from the sprayed and from the unsprayed blocks, or from considerable parts of them, were noted. The net value of the fruits was determined by deducting from the actual prices received by the owners, the estimated cost of picking, grading, packing, hauling, etc. The net value, therefore, was what the fruit was worth on the trees. The work was done under all sorts of conditions. The trees varied in age from ten years to twenty-eight years and averaged about eighteen years. In some orchards they had been well pruned, but in more cases they had been pruned little or not at all for some years. In some cases the spraying was hindered by the closeness of the trees and in others by a secondary crop of bush fruits. In some orchards, on the other hand, the trees were conveniently spaced and the ground was free from troublesome bushes. A few orchards had almost every convenience for mixing and applying the spray materials, while others were almost com- pletely without such conveniences. Contrast, for instance, a case where It was necessary to go a half mile or more from the orchard to get water for spraying and where it was then necessary to pump it by hand and lift it up to the spray barrels in buckets; contrast this with the cases where the mixing stations were near the center of the orchards, where a suflQcient supply of water to spray a considerable part of the orchard was held in a large tank filled with a windmill or gasoline engine, and where the supply tank, dilution tanks, etc., were on a plat- form higher than th'fe spray wagon so that the mixtures simply ran down into the spray tank. Under the first set of conditions it often cost more to mix the spray than to apply it, while under the second set of conditions little time was spent in mixing and hauling the spray. Some orchards were provided with efficient gasoline power spray pumps mounted on trucks carrying large spray tanks, overhead platforms and the like to facilitate the work. The other extreme was a poor hand pump with which it was barely possible to maintain pressure for one spray nozzle. The cost of spraying naturally bore very direct relation to the facilities for work in the various orchards. The labor, cost of mixing and applying the spray varied from one and a half cents per gallon under the most unfavorable conditions to only slightly over three- tenths cent per gallon where the conditions were in every way favorable. The average cost of mixing and applying the spray in these demonstra- tions, namely, one cent per gallon, is therefore higher than it need be. at least in commercial orchards. Not only did the somewhat unfavorable conditions noted make spray- ing more costly than necessary, but the rather poor average condition of the trees, mostly from crowding and lack of pruning, reduced the average yield of choice fruit materially and indirectly increased the relative cost of spraying. That is, the cost of spraying per bushel of 6 154 NEBRASKA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. good fruit produced was considerably greater than it would have been had the trees been in better condition. In one orchard, for instance, over half the Winesap apples from the sprayed block were graded No. 2. Though almost entirely free from scab and codling moth many of the fruits were small and poorly colored because of lack of proper pruning. That same season the same variety in another orchard of the same age on similar soil, and not far from the first, produced fruit nearly all of which, from the sprayed block, graded No. 1, not because it was more free from scab or codling moth, but because it was of much better size and color. The trees in this second orchard had been more thoroughly pruned than the trees in any other orchard in which spraying demonstrations were made. Of the five seasons covered by these spraying tests, four have been unfavorable owing to the prevalence of killing frosts at blossoming time. The yields of fruit secured have not, therefore, been so favorable as they would have been under more nearly average conditions. The prices received for the fruit have, however, been good on the whole, in part at least offsetting the rather poor yields. Moreover, the difference in value between the sprayed and the unsprayed fruit has probably been as great as it would have been in more favorable seasons because of the fact that spraying seems to increase the yield of fruit more in an off year than in a good fruit year. On the whole then it may be said that these spraying demonstrations were conducted not under ideal conditions but under conditions fairly representative of eastern Nebraska orchards and that therefore con- clusions rightly drawn from the work should be of value to orchard owners in that part of the state. The results were not exceptionally good. In fact, the up-to-date orchardist should be able to get — and does get — better results than those reported here. The following statements give a summary of the results obtained from the first four years' work: COST OF SPRAYING. Number of orchards sprayed, 16. Total number of trees sprayed, 3,300. Average age of trees, 18 years. Average number of sprayings per year, 4. Average quantity of spray per tree each year, 13 gallons. Average quantity of spray per acre (50 trees), 650 gallons. Average cost of spraying material per 100 gallons, 87 cents. Average cost of applying spray per 100 gallons, 98 cents. Average cost of total cost of spraying per 100 gallons, $1.85. Average cost of spray material per tree, 11.3 cents. Average cost of applying spray per tree, 12.7 cents. Average total cost of spraying per tree, 24 cents. Average total cost of spraying per acre (50 trees) $12. CO-OPERATIVE SPRAYING. 155 RESULTS OF SPRAYING, Average yield and net value per year per tree. Sprayed trees: Marketable fruit .4.4 bu. at 52 cents, $2.28 Culls and windfalls 1.1 bu. at 6 cents, .07 Total 5.5 bu. at 43 cents, $2.35 Unsprayed trees: Marketable fruit 1.8 bu. at 41 cents, $0.73 Culls and windfalls 1.7 bu. at 5 cents, .08 Total 3.5 bu. at 23 cents, $0.81 Difference between sprayed and unsprayed trees $1.54 Average cost of spraying 24 Average net gain from spraying ^ $1.30 Average yield and net value per year per acre (50 trees). Sprayed trees: Marketable fruit 90 bu. $36.50 Culls and windfalls 55 bu. 3.50 Total 275 bu. $117.50 Unsprayed trees: Marketable fruit 90 bu. $36.50 Culls and windfalls 85 bu. 4.00 Total • 175 bu. $40.50 Difference between sprayed and unsprayed trees $77.00 Average cost of spraying 12.00 Average net gain from spraying $65.00 Whether it pays to spray apple orchards in eastern Nebraska is no longer a question. The records reported here — records secured under actual farm conditions — show that spraying pays twice its cost by increas- ing the yield of the fruit, or six times its cost by both increased yields and improved quality. The gain due to spraying one-half acre of apples one year will, on the average, buy a good barrel pump, fifty feet of hose, two extension rods, two nozzles and five barrels for use in mixing spray materials. The sprayer will last several years, and can be used to fair advantage in orchards up to five acres. The gain from the proper spraying of five acres one year will, under average conditions, pay for a power outfit, including a small gasoline engine, pumps, rods, nozzles, hose, 250-gallon spray tank, elevated spray platform and the truck on which to mount the whole outfit. One such power sprayer is 156 NEBRASKA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. ordinarily sufficient for au orchard of twenty acres, and is often used in orchards more than twice that size. The question of whether one can afford to spray has been answered. It would not be so easy to determine how anyone who owns an orchard can afford not to spray. The next thing I want to mention is a few things on CO-OPEKATION IN SPRAYING SMALL ORCHARDS. For the most part the commercial orchards of the state are now being sprayed. On the other hand, the small home orchards that receive this attention are exceptions rather than the rule. Nearly every farmer in eastern Nebraska has fruit trees growing about his place, though he may consider this a very minor phase of his farming business. The mere fact that fruit growing is incidental to his general farming, coupled with the seeming trouble of mixing and applying the materials, is why these small orchards are neglected. Early in the spring is the time when there are many things demanding the farmer's attention. This is the time, also, when the important sprayings have to be made, if the apples are to be protected from codling moth and scab. The average man with an acre or two of orchard does not feel he is justified in spraying it if his other work is interrupted. This same man would probably appreciate the difference between sprayed and unsprayed fruit enough that he would be willing to pay a reasonable price to have someone else spray his fruit. If some method were introduced whereby these small orchards could be sprayed a great need would be fulfilled. Spraying outfits could be run on the same plan that threshing machines are operated in this state. Just what that charge should be would depend somewhat on the local conditions. It seems to me that if a man were to introduce such a system it would be not to charge per tree, but per gallon. I heard a man making a talk about it at St. Joe at the association there about a month ago; he said a man could make a profit at it by charging five cents a gallon. A five or ten acre orchard is enough to justify a man getting a power sprayer, the capacity of such a machine is easily twenty acres. Under these conditions the owner of the outfit might co-operate with fifteen or twenty of the small orchard owners in his immediate locality to the extent of spraying their trees. He could in this way make his machine pay for itself, besides reducing to a minimum the possibility of infection to his own orchard from outside sources. LIME-SULPHrrR AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR BORDEAUX. While Bordeaux is probably the best all round fungicide we have at present, it has certain characteristics that sometimes make it undesir- able. Some varieties of apples, for instance, are russeted so badly that their market value is materially decreased. Improperly mixed Bordeaux or unfavorable weather conditions often cause a burning of the foliage. With the evidence we now have regarding spray materials, it is highly probable that it is necessary to abandon Bordeaux at least for certain varieties. CO-OPERATIVE SPRAYING. 157 I had the pleasure, about picking time, of visiting some orchards in the southeastern part of the state with Secretary Marshall. We were in one orchard that had evidently been sprayed well with Bordeaux and that produced something like 1,000 barrels. The quality of the fruit was -excellent so far as codling moth, scab and fungus growth was con- cerned. The russet due to the Bordeaux would have thrown that crop from grade No. 1 to 2. It has been known for some time that certain mixtures of lime and sulphur possessed fungicidal as well as insecticidal properties. Recent demonstrations have proved that the lime-sulphur sprays have properties that warrant their use when winter treatments for San Jose scale are needed. Of course, we are not interested in it as a dormant spray since we do not have the San Jose scale.* As a summer spray to combat fungous troubles they have to be used in a more cautious manner. Lime-sulphur sprays may be devided into three groups: Commercial, home-made and self-boiled lime sulphur. Commercial lime-sulDhur, as it is put on the market by several firms, is in the form ( i an orange-red solution. It is the product of these two substances after having been boiled together until they go into solution. The products of different firms vary in degree of concentration and, as Parrot showed,! there may be a wide range of variation in this respect in the product of a given firm. The only safe plan to follow in using these commercial brands as summer sprays for the apple, is to have a hydrometer and know just what dilution is being made, and not depend entirely upon the directions upon the barrel. The hydrometer is a glass instrument consisting of a weighted bulb with a graduated stem which determines the weight or density of liquids. To test the solution suspend the hydrometer in the liquid and take the reading at the surface. Hydrometers are of two kinds: Beaume and Specific Gravity, which differ in the standards of measurement on which they are based. These two types may be combined in the same instru- ment by having separate graduations on opposite sides of the tube. These instruments with a range of to 36 degrees, Beaume, or 1,000 to 1,330, specific gravity, are recommended for this work. They can be purchased from Bausch & Lomb Optical Company, Rochester, N. Y., and Eimer & Amend, New York City. A commercial lime-sulphur solution testing 32 degrees Beaume will require about thirty gallons of water for each gallon of concentrate as a summer spray for apples. Most of the commercial brands test between 25 and 33 degrees Beaume. The following rule can be safely followed in diluting commercial and home-boiled lime-sulphur: Get the specific gravity reading of the con- centrate, ignore the figure at the left and divide by the decimal of the diluted mixture, which should be 1.01. The product is the number of gallons of water needed for each gallon of concentrate. This rule applies to both home-boiled and commercial lime-sulphur. * Symons, Md. Agri. Exp. Sta. Bui. No. 131. t Bui. 320 New York (Geneva) Agri. Exp. Sta., 1909. 158 NEBRASKA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. HOW TO MAKE HOME-BOILED LTME-STJI-PHUR. Use fifty pounds stone lime, 100 pounds sulphur (flowers) 50-55 gal- lons water. Slack the lime in about ten gallons of water, add the dry sulphur, and mix thoroughly by adding more water. After the mixing and slacking is completed add enough water to make fifty gallons and boil. Keep it well stirred until the sulphur scum is gone, then add water and boil again until you have about sixty gallons. If it is necessary add water a third time and boil down to about fifty-five or sixty gallons. In all, the mixture should be boiled about an hour. This product is now ready to be poured through a strainer into barrels to cool, or directly into the spray tank. This concentrate may be made well in advance of the spraying season and stored for later use, but it will crystallize badly if left exposed to the air. It can be protected from the air by pouring melted paraffine over the surface. This finished product should be protected if made in winter before the spraying season. Home- boiled lime-sulphur with 1.24 density will not freeze (according to Profes- sor Stewart of the Pennsylvania station) above 15 degrees Fahr. To dilute either this home-boiled or commercial Jime-sulphur with the hydrometer, simply get the specific gravity reading of the concentrate, disregard the 1 and divide by the decimal of the spray desired. The reading of the dilute spray material should be about 1.01 as a summer spray for apples. In order, then, to dilute a concentrate for the density 1.29 specific gravity, divide .29 by .01 and this gives .29, which means there should be twenty-eight parts of water to one part concentrate. 1.03 is the strength used for San Jose scale (or dormant sprayings). We have used self-boiled lime-sulphur the last two seasons as a summer spray for apples. It differs from the other two kinds in that it is not a chemical mixture, but merely a mechanical mixture, all of the heat used in its preparation being that from the slacking lime. 8-8-50 and 10-10-50 are the formulas we have been using, i. e., eight pounds lime, eight pounds sulphur, fifty gallons water, etc. In conection with the spraying demonstrations of 1909 and 1910, tests were carried on to see how apple scab could be best controlled without russeting the fruit or burning the foliage. To determine this Bordeaux, commercial (Rex) and self-boiled lime-sulphur were employed. Different strengths were used. Certain plats had Bordeaux used throught the season, and still others had lime-sulphur either for the second spraying or through the season. The scab results for 1909 were somewhat con- tradictory. These tests were repeated in 1910, but no scab developed even on the unsprayed plats. A representative tree was picked from each plat and the fruit sorted for russet. Two grades were made, those showing no injury and those showing it slightly but not enough to injure their sale, were put into one grade; and those with russet enough to injure the market value into the other grade. DISCUSSION. 159 Tablh 1. — Results of the use of Bordeaux alone and in combination with lime-sulphur in russeting Ben Davis apples. Spray Mixture Used Badly Russeted Free or Only Slightly Russeted First Spraying Second Spraying No. Apples Per Ct. No, Apples Per Gt. 4-4-50 Bordeaux Omitted 4-4-50 Bordeaux 4-4-50 Bordeaux 4-4-50 Bordeaux 4-4-50 Bordeaux 1-^50 Rex. 4-4 50 Bordeaux 3-9-50 Bordeaux 3 3-50 Bordeaux 3-3-50 Bordeaux 4-4-50 Bordeaux Omitted 1-.1-50 Rex 1-.1-50 Rex 10-10-50 Self -boiled... 105 55 116 66 56 100 13 40 31.8 9.0 15.3 17.5 2.9 6.8 1.4 4.3 228 550 635 310 1874 1361 866 882 68.2 91.0 84.7 82.5 97.1 93.2 98.6 95.7 The results from this table indicate plainly that it is the second spraying that causes russeting. The lime-sulphur sprays do not russet the fruit, the small per cent noted in the table is probably due to the Bordeaux from adjacent plats. No serious leaf injury resulted from any of the mixtures. In the Columbus orchard, 1910, the self-boiled lime- sulphur plat seemed to have brighter foliage than either the Bordeaux or Rex plats. No injurious effect has ever resulted from arsenate of lead in combination with the lime-sulphur sprays. Now, as to the cost of making this home-boiled lime-sulphur as com- pared with the commercial lime-sulphur. The man with a small orchard can not profitably equip himself to make the home-boiled lime-sulphur. With the man who has a large orchard it is a different question. There are big cooking outfits for making this mixture that may be bought. I know of only two firms that hantile them, The Farmers' Supply Company, of Philadelphia, and Montgomery, Ward & Co., of Chicago. The cost of the lime and sulphur for preparing fifty gallons of this concentrate is about $3. Added to this should be the cost of labor, which would make a total of $3.50 as a conservative estimate for making fifty gallons of home-boiler lime-sulphur. Fifty gallons when diluted will make about 1,200 gallons of spray to be applied to the trees. My personal opinion is that a man with only a few acres would not be justified in going to the necessary trouble and expense of making home-boiled lime- sulphur, for the difference in cost between it and the reliable commer- cial brands. Under our conditions I had rather risk either Bordeaux or commercial lime-sulphur to control apple scab than "self-boiled." DISCUSSION. Chairman: It would seem that not very many people are interested in spraying from the size of our audience this morning; I believe that spraying should be the rule rather than the exception. In talking with the average orchardist and farmer who has a little home orchard, the difficulty seems to be that he thinks it is so hard to do; he thinks 160 NEBRASKA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. that nobody really knows how or when to do it except these professors here. But thanks to our professors they are bringing this right down to the home of the average farmer and the men with the small planta- tions. There are thousands of farm home orchards where there is one commercial orchard. I am glad to know that the professors are making it simple and are planning so that the average man can make use of this advancement that has been made in the care and culture of fruit. This is a good paper, and as we have two or three other members on the pro- gram and we will have to be brief and to the point we would like to have your discussion on this subject. Is there anybody who has any questions to ask? Q. When should be the first spraying, at the blossoming time? A. That is, I think, the universally accepted time, the cluster buds open before the individual flowers open, and the intervening time is undoubtedly the time for the first spraying with fungicides. The poison is not so essential at this spraying. Q. Where could we get those two bulletins you mentioned? A. Copies of those are no longer available, but we are now getting out a bulletin that incorporates all the things mentioned including the price, and that will be mailed out between now and spraying time and it is free to anyone in Nebraska. If your name is not on the mailing list, have the bulletin clerk put your name on before you go home. Mr. Atkinson: How about the other poisons that are used? A. We have never used any other poisons except the arsenate of lead, — in fact we have never used anything but arsenate of lead in any of our sprays, two pounds to 50 gallons. Mr. Dickinson: Is there any reason for putting the arsenate of lead in the first spraying? A. I do not see any reason for it. It certainly will not do very much good. Mr. Dickinson: Is there any of these poisons used for curculio? A. Yes, sir; arsenate of lead. Q. That is in the first spraying? A. No, sir. Q. Do you think you catch them sufiiciently in the later spraying? A. Yes, sir, it is entirely too early to expect results in the first spraying. Mr. Dickinson: I have heard it intimated that the curculio eats early in the season. I use Paris green in the first spraying, 1 pound to 100 gallons, and arsenate of lead in the later sprayings. A. I can't give you any definite information on the life-history of the curculio in this state, but I think I am safe in saying there is no advantage in spraying before the cluster buds are open, unless you are troubled with San .Jose scale. Mr. Keyser: How about holding back the buds? A. To retard the growth? That is a question I can not answer. DISCUSSION. 161 Mr. Meek: I do not think that makes much difference. Professor Emerson said he could not see any difference between them when they were sprayed dormant and afterwards. Q. Do you think there is any advantage at all to the bark of the tree? A. It might kill some of the hibernating insects, or probably some fungus disease. It would do some good no doubt, but whether enough 10 justify it I rather doubt. Mr. Williams: How about this, does it destroy the oyster-shell bark louse? A. Yes, the concentrated lime-sulphur 1 to 9 — one gallon of concen- trate to nine gallons of water. Mr. Williams: I have seen badly infested trees with the oyster-shell bark louse in this state. Q. How do they affect the trees, how do you detect them? A. (Mr. Williams.) You can see it on the trees. It is a scale-like insect, the shape of an oyster. Mr. Meek: How late in the season is it necessary to spray for fungus, how late would it pay to use fungicides? A. For the first, second, and third sprayings it is necessary. It would depend on the local conditions regarding later spraying. I do not think it necessary to add the fungicide to the fourth spraying. If an apple gets scabby, I think a scabby apple will be scabby always. Mr. Barnard (exhibiting a sample apple) : What would be the cause of that, would it be frost? A. It might be frost. Q. Did you have cold weather in April and May at night? A. If I remember we had some rainy times about the second spray- ing and before. It was cold and damp in May too. Mr. Kydd: We had apples that looked like that and they never saw a spraying. We had it cold too. Mr. Meek: I have seen Ben Davis with a ring around the apple. It looked like a band. When the fruit is about this size (indicating) it will leave a band around it. Mr. Kydd: Do you claim that there is too much bluestone in that Bordeaux? A. Yes, sir. Q. Why not put in more lime? A. We tried an excess of lime and we got it just the same. We used 4-4 mixture with three pounds arsenate of lead. Mr. Kydd: We put fifteen pounds of lime to the barrel in Bordeaux. Q. Does your fruit russet in wet weather? Mr. Kydd: This year we had it russeted because we had excessive fold. It was a most exceptional season. Mr. Dickinson: I have used Bordeaux 6-6 and it did not russet. Mr. Kydd: You can not hurt by putting in lime. Put in as much lime as you like; good whitewash is good, if you do not give it anything else. 162 NEBRASKA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. Mr. Kydd: Did not you come to the conclusion that it was the weather more than it was the mixture? A. It depends on the weather whether the Bordeaux has a bad effect. If it is bad weather the russeting will be worse. Q. Did you at the same time spray with lime-sulphur? A, Yes, sir. Q. And no bad effects? A. No, sir. Chairman: While this discussion is extremely interesting, we have some other topics on the program and we do not want to cut out these other fellows. They have a whole lot of oratory that we do not want to cut out. The think that we all like is a practical fellow, a man who has accomplished some good results. We are pleased to have with us 1 0-day one of our big orchard fellows who piles up his great big pile of dollars, and that is what counts — Mr. Henry C. Smith, a horticulturist and fruit farmer of Falls City, who will now tell us how to grow apples. Mr. Smith spoke as follows: HOW WE GROW APPLES. HENRY C. SMITH, FALLS CITY. I do not know what I am going to say, did not when I started up here, so what I say will be without order or connection. In Illinois, where I was born, lived a family by the name of Ingersoll. Robert G. used to come there. How I used to admire his deliberation and cool- ness, accompanied by his eloquence. Wished I possessed a small share of it at this time, enough at least to be at home. If you had told me a few years ago that I would talk to you on the growing of apples I would probably have been as much surprised as you may be. Unlike some professors, who believe any one can grow apples, I have found out long ago that you cannot make Luther Burbanks out of every one who plants fruit trees. Well you want to know how we grow apples, that is, "The Forest Hill Fruit Farm." I was not very old when I found that to make any business a success it had to have special attention and that one man could not learn it all. In the first place, that is to say, to be successful in any one line, in the growing of apples as well as anything else, a person must be interested in what he is doing. I believe this is essential with all people who succeed in any walk of life. When a little boy I used to play in my grandmother's flower garden. To me it was laid out very beautifully, with the beds arranged in colors, the grass was kept mowed, the borders of the flower beds were kept sheared, not a spear of hay or straw in the yard. I used to play there and it seems to me now, there was nothing more beautiful, so I early had a liking for the beautiful in nature. I have planted many trees in my lifetime, probably 100,000, and to-day HOW WE GROW APPLES. 163 nothing gives me more pleasure than to plant trees and watch them grow. In talking about gi-owing apples I will have to take you down to the sunny hills of the Missouri river with their mossy valleys. Here we find the loess soil which holds the moisture, does not bake and Is rTch and productive. It makes the best foundation for apples that I know of in the state. A number of years ago I was walking through our court house in FallT City, when Mr. Jack Stevens, a well known man of our county (who on account of being tall and slim was usually called, "the tall Sycamore from Barada") was selling a tract of land about thirteen miles northeast of Falls City, near Barada. He called to me saying, "What will you give me for this?" I did not know where the land was or what it was worth, but thought it was worth five dollars, so I said, "five dollars per acre." I then went over to my oflfice, forgetting all about the transaction. In a little while Mr. Stevens came over to my office and said, "You have bought it." As it was an executor's sale, I had to take it. I went over to the county treasurer and asked him if he did not want to take half interest with me and he said he would, so we owned one hundred and sixty acres of timber land northeast of Falls City and about two and one-half miles of the Missouri river. Later I bought his half interest. Shortly after that I met the late ex-Governor Robert Furnas, of Brownville, and was talking to him about apples. As I had been reading a great deal about orchards, I asked him what he thought of that location for an orchard and he said, "Fine, the Missouri river will pro- bably help you in moisture and you will always have a crop of apples." To post myself thoroughly I went over in northeastern Kansas, north- western Missouri and southwestern Iowa and to different parts of south- eastern Nebraska, talking with the best apple growers I could find, getting all information I could as to the growing of apples, and returning home determined to set out an orchard. Shortly after this I went out to see Mr. Russell's peach orchard, south of Wymore. To him I owe con- siderable of my information. With him I determined on the different varieties of trees to plant and I think arranged with him for the pur- chase of two-year-old trees. In the spring I hired about twenty men and went to work clearing off the timber and planting trees. Where there were growing forest trees in the morning there were growing fruit trees in the evening. We did not break up or plow the land as the soil was rich and loose. We planted the trees about thirty-three feet apart east and west and a little closer north and south. We thought it would be proper and right for the sun to shine on one side in the morning and on the other side in the afternoon. In planting trees we usually plant two rows of Ben Davis, two rows of Jonathans, two rows of Ganos and so on through the orchard as we think mixing the rows that way helps them to bear better than if all of one kind were in a block, however, we are not positive as to 164 • NEBRASKA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. this. In our orchard we planted Winesap, Ben Davis, Gano, Wealthy. .Jonathan and Grimes' Golden, but more of the Ben Davis than any other variety. We dug the holes for the trees with spades, cautioning the planters to straighten the roots out as well as possible and arrange the giound well around them. Out of nearly 4,000 trees I do not think we lost a dozen. We cultivated them and raised corn the first few years. Later, when the trees got larger, we ceased planting corn and grew potatoes and small fruit, such as black raspberries, red raspberries and strawberries. We also Planted a few rows of peaches between the trees, but the peaches did not do very well. We probably got enough fruit off of them to pay for planting the trees. We have never sown any kind of grass seed in the orchard except clover. When the trees were four years old they commenced to bear some apples, but not enough to count commercially until about the ninth year. There is about sixty-five acres in this orchard. Mr. Wileman, who helped to plant these trees, is still on the place and now owns a part of it. He had never gone to college but he was a good, level-headed man with natural tact, prudence and judgment. He was all right when he knew, but, like the man from Missouri, "you had to show him." As indicated before, a person to grow apples must have experience and with that experience a desire to succeed, accompanied with persistence, stick-to- itiveness, stubbornness and determination. Many times this same man and his wife came to town ready to quit, saying that the apples would not bear sufficiently to pay. I would encourage them and they returned to the farm and took a fresh start until the blues overtook them and they would come in again. When the trees were old enough to spray I wanted to spray, he did not. He called my attention to the fact that nature was here before I was and would be here after I was gone. He said. "The Great Ruler will take care of them." In return I said, "You planted corn in the field out there." He said, "Yes." "Well, what are you going and cultivat- ing for? Nature was here before you was and will be here after you are gone. I do not expect to change nature but only to assist it." Soon after some government experts come down and gave a demonstration of spray- ing. Some trees were not sprayed, some were sprayed once, some twice and some three times. That settled the question. We commenced to spray and have been spraying ever since and Mr. Wileman is probably stronger for spraying now than I am. He does not want to leave the orchard now. Last year we sprayed six times and cultivated eight times. We cultivate in the middle of the rows with a good farm disc drown by four horses. Under the trees we used the Johnson orchard disc which can be extended under the trees. Discing keeps the ground moist all summer. The apples do not stop gi'owing if a dry spell comes on. As to time of spraying we think it a good time to spray, once in the fall soon after the apples are gathered, with lime-sulphur, a spray DISCUSSION. 165 material with which you are all acquainted. We spray in the spring just before budding time with lime-sulphur; again after the buds have opened and the blossoms are fully developed, and when one-half or more of the petals have fallen to the ground we spray with arsenate of lead. As stated before, we sprayed last season six times. Mr. Wileman, who is on the farm and interested with me, thinks he will spray oftener this year. We use a pressure of about one hundred eighty to two hundred rounds, which makes a good fog. This fog goes through the trees thor- oughly and coats the under side of the leaf as well as the upper side, reaching the insects on both sides at the same time. When the time comes to gather the apples we get the best men we can, — men who have had experience in gathering apples as well as packing. We had about five hundred apple picking boxes, made in St. Joseph, Mo., which we scattered along down the rows of apple trees. We use the regular picking sacks for gathering the apples and use orchard ladders for going up in the trees. When the boxes are filled (each holds one bushel of apples) we have a low wheeled wagon and put the boxes on this wagon, taking them to the packing house where they are sorted over and graded for the market. Last fall we employed about fifty people in gathering, packing and hauling to market. The apples are loaded on the cars at once and sent to cold storage. This all sounds easy enough but you will find out you will need men of good brains and sense for the best picking and packing of apples. We have had all kinds of men in our orchard, from the graduate of Harvard to the man who never had been in a school-room. We pack most of our apples in barrels, as they seem to be in good demand, are more satisfactory to handle, less storage charges and less expense in packing. We store in different places on account of the market. We sold our Jonathans last season for $6 per barrel and are now offered over $4 for Ben Davis in storage. On this orchard of sixty-five acres we had twenty thousand bushels of apples. Off of one acre of Wealthy we sold $600 worth of apples. What we have done anyone can do if they will go at it with a determination to succeed. You must figure on ten to twelve years before you realize your anticipa- tion on apples. Nothing will work for you like nature. Nothing that I know of in the fruit line equals apple trees. Off of one tree we gathered forty bushels. DISCUSSION. • Mr. Williams: What kind? A. Snow apples. Mr. Williams: Do you believe in cultivating your orchard. A. Yes, sir. ' Q. Every year? .i 166 NEBRASKA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. I A. Yes, I would do it now; I believe it would be good to sow red clover in the orchard occasionally. Q. For how long? A. For a year, I think, at a time, as the cleaner you keep the orchard the less insects you have. We also believe in pruning, as the apples grow larger and are better colored. You cannot grow wood at the expense of the fruit. Mr. Williams: Do you head any of them? A. We will try a few this year. We sprayed our orchard last fall after we gathered the apples. We do this to catch any insects that might possibly be about. The trees are shining and bright and we wish to keep them that way. It does not cost much and we do it to be on the safe side. You remember the old saying, "A stitch in time saves nine." Mr. Williams: What kind of spray material do you use for winter spraying? A. Lime-sulphur. It has been suggested by some here that the farmer mix his own lime-sulphur. We think that it can be bought to better advantage from people who are in the business than for a farmer to undertake to mix it. Life is too short. Mr. Williams: Do you get this from the Rex people? A. Yes, the past year. There are quite a number of good firms who make lime-sulphur spray. We used last year the Grasselli arsenate of lead. Q. Do you fertilize your orchard? A. None at all, as we understand it. Q. Do you sow your ground? A. This last season we let the natural growth come up in August; the ground was well covered. Mr. Van Keyser: How many acres did it take to produce that 20,000 bushels of apples? A. Sixty-five acres. Q. Do you have any trouble from soil wash? A. Yes, it will wash during heavy rains if not taken care of. We cultivate the ground well by disc and when that is done the ground will take in any ordinary rain. Q. You do not manure? A. No, sir: If you did not have timber soil you would have to manure; that is the reason we planted on timber soil. Mr. Van Keyser: How do you dispose of your windfalls? A. We have a vinegar factory in Falls City which uses all of our cull apples in the manufacture of vinegar, O. How old is your orchard? A. Thirteen years old. Mr. Williams: You say you sow clover; how long do you let it grow? A. About a year; if busy, possibly two years. DISCUSSION. 167 Q. What do you do then? A. We cultivate again. Q. Do you just turn it in? A. Yes, disc it and not cut it. Q. That is fertilizing, isn't it? A. Yes, to a certain extent. Mr. Val Keyser: What sort of a plow do you use? A. We just disc it as stated before by a good farm disc and use an extension disc to go under the trees. Mr. Pollard: Do you have orchard ladders? A. Yes, sir. We have the Bacon ladder of Appleton, New York. Q. Did you ever try Clark's cut-away disc? A. Yes, sir. Q. Where do you get this Johnson disc? A. In Omaha, from the Lininger Implement Co. Q. Do you believe in smudging? A. We never have. I believe if you make your orchard right, have the trees healthy, the buds will grow strong and resist any ordinary frost. Mr. Williams: How much is your orchard elevated above the Missouri river? A. I do not know. I think about one hundred feet. The altitude In our part of the country is about nine hundred feet; possibly a little less. The altitude is not as high there as here. The matter that seems to have a great influence in the raising of apples is being there your- self, which means, as poor Richard said: "He that by the plow would thrive himself must either hold or drive." "Handle your tools without mittens." "A used key is always bright," — are some of the rules that are good to follow in the growing of apples. Mr. HofMann: If I had twenty-five acres to plant to apples, what kinds would you advise my planting? A. I would plant largely with Ben Davis. We find that the Ben Davis bears very evenly and well. In the spring when all others are gone they come up smiling. Q. You planted mostly Ben Davis? A. Yes, sir. Q. What other varieties would you plant? A. I would plant Weathly in a commercial orchard, enough to grow two or three car-loads, say two hundred trees. I would also plant about two hundred trees of Yellow Transparent. Our experience is that they do well. A man east of us had five acres and says he received $2,000 for the apples. Q. What is the matter with Jonathans? A. They are all right, but they do not keep so well; they are hard to handle and are consequently more trouble to the grower. Mr. Williams: They last as long as the Wealthy, don't they? 168 NEBRASKA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. A. Yes, sir; but the Wealthy is an early apple, and when you have the kind we raise they buy them right off of the trees in the summer. Q. What are the other early apples? A. Transparent and Grimes' Golden. Mr. HofMann: How do your Grimes' Golden trees do? A. Fine. Q. How about the New York Pippins, have you got them? A. No, sir, we have not. O. How far apart do you plant the Ben Davis trees? A. In the rows east and west thirty-three feet apart and in the rows north and south at least eighteen feet. We have good rich soil and thought by pruning that this would be a good distance. In planting corn there are frequently three stalks in one hill. Sometimes you distribute them along with a drill. We planted our trees closer in the rows north and south and thought that would do if we kept them pruned as the soil is very rich. Mr. HofMann: Does that leave room to drive your sprayer between the rows? A. Yes, sir. Q. Have you plenty of room to cultivate? A. Yes, sir. Q. Have you plenty of room to drive through and spray your Ben Davis trees that are thirteen years old? A, Yes, plenty. We keep them cleaned out and thinned so that fruit will grow a good size and be well colored. Some people say you will kill the trees, but it does not seem to hurt them. The first time the trees were heavily pruned people thought it would kill them, but the next year we had a crop that was a surprise to every one. I do not think that people prune enough. Mr. Williams: Do you do your pruning In the winter time? A. Any time of the year. I know what many of the professors say about that. The general theory is that if you prune in the winter you get more wood; if you prune in the summer you get more fruit. We prune any time of the year when we have time. We really think that in July and August the trees seem to be healthier and heal better. Mr. Pollard: Do you paint the knots? A. Yes, sir. We always paint at time of pruning and any time afterwards we think best. Mr. Williams: Do you use white lead paint? A. We use Venetian red and linseed oil. Mr. Pollard: You would not recommend pruning in the winter time unless you did paint, would you? A. I would not prune any time without painting the cuts at time of pruning. Pruning in July and August, they will heal up quick. Mr. Wlleman on the farm thinks that this is the time to prune, but he does not like to cut the apples off. Referring again to the planting of the DISCUSSION. 169 trees, would say as to distance of planting the trees apart and their cultivation, all these matters have to be governed by the locality. Q. Do you plow deep and cut the roots when you cultivate? A. No, we do not plow at all excepting with the disc. Q. How do you get rid of the brush? A. We take a couple of long poles and tie them up in front, then stand a couple of poles up in the front and rear and pile brush in between. When we get a load on we drag it out with a team. Mr. Williams: Do you favor boxing the choice varieties? A. Well, if I had good boxes I would box a few. There are but few apples boxed with us, there being no experienced hands. Our experience is that apples packed in barrels are more in demand and give more general satisfaction. This was the case where we stored in Kansas City, Malvern, Iowa, Omaha, Council Bluffs, St. Paul, Chicago and Hannibal this year. Distributing your stock this way you can handle it to better advantage, for the reason an apple buyer will think that what you have in this place is all and he will be anxious to get a car before they are gone. Q. Are they all uniform? A. Yes. Now as to storage, if you raise good apples the storage houses know it and they will all write you soliciting your storing with them, also offering you a good rate for the season or otherwise. A few years ago we had to hunt for storage at a high rate, now it is different. Mr. HofMann: Where can you get a 35-cent rate in Omaha? A. Different places. Q. Are they all uniform? A. No, sir. Q. You do not mean to say you can get that rate for the whole season whether it runs past the first of April or not? A. Yes, sir. You can get it as well as we can, if you have a few thousand barrels to store and have good stuff. Storage houses are very particular about that. As stated before, if you have good stock they will write you making you a proposition. Mr. Pollard: I would like to question you a little on this Ben Davis, you recommended Ben Davis. How old are your Ben Davis trees in your orchard? A. Thirteen years. Q. You haven't Ben Davis that have come to their maturity then, I have Ben Davis that are dying of old age, lots of them. A. You have never been in our orchard? Mr. Pollard: No, sir. Yours are thirteen years old. A. Yes, there are Ben Davis nearly thirty-five years old. Mr. Pollard: I have Ben Davis trees about thirty -eight years old and I expect that orchard will live as long as I do. Our oldest bearing trees are Winesaps and Jonathans; they have been planted forty-eight years. They are healthy and sound and are bearing good apples. We haven't any other kind that will do that. 170 NEBRASKA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. A. I do not know how old the trees are in your section. Mr. Pollard: The Ben Davis has given out with us in the last three or four years. A. I know trees that are six and seven feet in circumference. Mr. Pollard: Are they Ben Davis? A. I do not know what varieties they are, but I believe Spitzenberg. Will try to get a photograph for this society of a large tree. Chairman: Ladies and Gentlemen — It has delighted us to listen to Mr. Smith talk, and I know we would like to hear him talk for two hours longer and allow you to question him on this matter. He has been a successful man and that is the fellow we want to talk to. I wish we could line up about 400 of these kickers on the raising of fruit in this country and let them look at him, and see if he, don't look prosperous' when he talks about having raised 20,000 bushels of apples which we know he has done. Mr. Williams: He is an old bachelor and don't have any family to take care of. Chairman: He has produced the goods and that is what we are looking for. Chairman: We will now have a paper by Mr. Val Keyser on the subject of "Tendencies in Horticulture." Mr. Val Keyser spoke as follows: TENDENCIES IN HORTICULTURE. VAL KEYSER, LINCOLN. Since the introduction of the orchard heater there has been a wonder- ful awakening among progressive orchardists concerning the possibilities of eastern Nebraska for growing high class market apples. $600 an acre for Wealthy apples, and $20,000 profit from sixty-five acres of orchard, cannot help but awaken an interest in any fruit grower or farmer who has an eye for business. Such profits were produced during the past season in the orchard owned by Henry C. Smith, of Falls City, Neb., and there are thousands of acres of good apple lands in the river counties, from Burt county down to the Kansas line, which could be made equally profitable. There are also many districts in the counties of Johnson, Gage and Pawnee, which can be grown to apples and made commercially profitable. The writer has been a student of horticulture for the last ten years and had the pleasure of spraying four demonstration orchards in soutli- eastern Nebraska during the season of 1906. It was at this time that Mr. Smith's attention was called to the possibilities of his orchard, if only proper methods were applied. The people of eastern Nebraska are not awake to the possibilities of their country. In the writer's judgment (and this has been verified by TENDENCIES IN HORTICULTURE. 171 H number of commercial fruit growers in Missouri, Arkansas and our own state) the southeastern section of the state, and especially the section comprising the river counties, is one of the finest apple growing regions in the world. This section of the state has the natural con- ditions, the soil, the climate, the natural rainfall, the bright, sunny days to produce fruit of the very highest quality. The great fruit regions of the western United States — Oregon, Wash- ington and Idaho — have just as many difficult problems confronting the apple growing business as we find in eastern Nebraska, and when the fruit is produced they cannot compete with this section of the state in quality. To grow fruit successfully in any country requires a high classed man and a knowledge of the subject, and one who is not willing to equip himself with this accomplishment had better stay out of the business and continue to be satisfied with from $25 to $40 an acre profits from growing corn, hogs and alfalfa, and it might be stated in this connection that the average farmer in eastern Nebraska is content with a smaller profit than above mentioned. If a man is anxious to make a safe investment, which after ten years' time will return great profits, he can buy a patch of land in eastern Nebraska from twenty acres up, plant it to apple trees of the right varieties, and duplicate the returns from the land which we see in the orchard of Henry C. Smith, of Falls City. $600 per acre in a single year is equivalent to $60 an acre for a period of ten years. A man need not ask returns of such propor- tions for a single year because an orchard in eastern Nebraska ten years of age is just commencing to bear. For the next ten years, properly handled, it should return a net profit of from $150 to $200 an acre, and this can be done. There are as many horticulturists in the state of Nebraska as any other class of people, but ignorance of horticultural methods has pre- vented a large majority of tillers of the soil from engaging in this class of work. Hundreds of families have been discouraged with ordinary farming in the state and have gone west — to Idaho, Washington and Oregon to engage in the raising of fruit. Just what frame of mind a man must be in to prompt him to travel all over the United States in search of some pleasant spot where he might plant an orchard, is difficult to analyze. Here in eastern Nebraska we find that nature has been most generous in supplying all the elements and conditions necessary to the production of fruit. This is not the case in the great irrigated districts of the west. There are about five propositions with which it will be necessary for the fruit grower to become acquainted if he expects to make a success of commercial orcharding. First, the choice of land, its preparation and methods of planting the trees; second, the proper selec- tion and proportions of commercial varieties; third, cultivation and pruning; fourth, smudging and orchard heating to keep off frost; fifth, spraying. To these must also be added perhaps the most important con- 172 NEBRASKA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. sideration, the harvesting and marketing of the fruit. By the use of up-to-date methods in each of these phases of orchard management, success is sure to result. What man has done, man may do. In many places in the western part of the United States orchard lands are selling as high as a thousand dollars per acre. Much of the land is commanding prices from $400 to $700 per acre. Here in eastern Nebraska, much of the desirable orchard land can yet be purchased for the sum of from $75 to $100 per acre, and there are thousands of acres for sale at a much lower figure. Strange as it may seem, fruit growing, with the possible exception of vegetable gardening, are the only lines of agricultural practice which can be made to pay dividends over and above taxes and interest on the investment, in land valued above $400 an acre. If it is true that our population is increasing, and the report of the Bureau of Commerce shows this to be the case, if it is true that the general value of our lands are rapidly increasing in price, and this is surely apparent to the man who is anxious to invest in land, then this increase in population and value of land commands of our farming population that greater dividends must be paid on the invest- ment. The time will come when land reaches a figure above $200 an acre. Then many will turn to horticulture, for in fruit growing it is easy to pay large dividends on land valued at $200 an acre. With one acre of apple trees twelve to fifteen years 'of age, properly handled, the owner should be able to double the number of acres he owns every year. This cannot be done with any of the ordinary field crops. For a number of years the writer maintained the idea that the thing most needed in Nebraska to build up attractive rural conditions was the small family orchard. It was hoped that through the influence of the agricultural press and the Experiment Station bulletins, and the living advocates on the institute platform, that thousands of farmers would be induced to plant and properly care for a small orchard, growing a sufllcient quantity of fruit to supply the needs of the family. After ten years of constantly encouraging this practice, and continually seeing the orchard neglected and abused, the writer has abandoned this idea. The technicalities and difficulties in the successful handling of fruit requires co-operation, some outlay of capital and a careful study of the life history and habits of many insects and diseases. The difficulty Tn storing also complicates the problems of commercial apple growing and is equally applicable to the growing of fruit on a small scale. Another condition which has tended to discourage the small orchard is unfor- tunate climatic and soil conditions. Many of the small orchards will never succeed on account of these unfavorable factors. The eastern and especially the southeastern portion of the state is not confronted with these problems. The soil is not too rich. The natural rainfall and other climatic conditions favor the production of better quality of fruit than it if- possible to grow in many of the counties in the central portion of the state. We find this true in nearly every state in the Union, even in the states of Oregon, Washington and Idaho, the famous Hood River district. TKNDENCIKS IN HORTICULTURIO. 173 PLANTING THE ORCHARD. There are a few essential points to be considered in planting the apple orchard, and it is important that each of these receive proper con- sideration. The following questions naturally occur to the man who is planning to plant an orchard this spring: Where shall I buy the trees? Shall I buy one-year-old or two-year-old trees? What points should I consider in selecting the orchard site? (The land upon which the trees are to be planted.) (a) Should the land be level or rolling? (b) Hill side or bottom land? (c) Northern or southern aspect? (d) Should it be clay, sandy or loamy soil? (e) What crops should and should not precede the planting of an orchard? ' What method of preparing the land should I use before planting the trees? How should the trees be handled when received from the railroad station? What distance apart should the trees be planted? What points need I observe in the actual planting of the trees? Where to Buy Trees. — As a rule it is better to purchase trees of your home nurseryman. Different nurserymen, however, have different methods of handling their nursery stock, and different methods of storing their trees over winter. If one is a critical student of the effect of certain methods on the vitality of the trees, this might determine his judgment as to the proper nursery from which to buy. It should be remembered, however, that the nurseryman is in the business to stay, and very likely his method of handling the trees has proven to be most satisfactory. There are many ways which trees can be kept without injuring their vitality. The usual custom is to dig in the fall and store in packing houses and storage cellars, where the roots of the trees are covered with dampened moss (spagnum) or straw. The continued association of the different nurserymen of our own state, has brought into use quite uniform methods of handling trees. It Is much better for the inexperienced man to trust to the judgment of the nurseryman in buying trees, and so long as the nurseryman usually guarantees his trees to live, if properly handled, this matter need not give us much concern. Age Tree to Buy. — Some planters prefer yearling trees, but as a rule It is just as well to let the nurseryman go to the expense of growing these trees to a two-year -old, as experience has shown that there is very little time gained in planting yearling trees, and they are so small when planted in the orchard, that the damage from culture machinery is greatly increased. In reference to the age of these trees we mean, a 174 NEBRASKA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. two-year-old top on a three-year-old root, the trees having been cut back the first year to secure a better trunk and head. In planting an orchard always buy first-class trees. It never pays to buy culls and inferior stock, even though you get these trees for the asking. Choosing the Site. — There has been much discussion since the early history of orchard planting in Nebraska, concerning the proper site for an orchard. Perhaps each slope or aspect has its advocates. At one time it was quite generally agreed among horticulturists that a north- east slope was preferable for apple orchard, and volumes of argu- ments have been produced to prove the advantages of the northern slope. The facts that have been borne out by experience in orchard planting do not verify the conclusion that one slope has any advantage over another. The things to be considered in planting an orchard on rolling land, are, what will be the effect of the wind, the frost and the washing of the soil? We have seen our buds freeze on northeast slopes as rapidly as they do on southwest. Perhaps the northern aspect has an advantage, when we consider the detrimental effects of hot winds from the southwest, in July and August, but other things are of so much more importance, that the slope need not concern us to any alarming degree. Preparation of Land. — If the orchard is to be planted in a field which has been under cultivation for some time, and which has been cropped to the ordinary grains grown upon the farm, the land should be prepared similar to the preparation necessary for growing a crop of wheat. By plowing deep in the fall of the year, and working the land down early In the spring by the use of the disk, this method holds the moisture, which is very essential in starting the trees early after planting. There are certain crops after which it would not be advisable to plant an orchard. Alfalfa would perhaps be the most striking example. Alfalfa land should be broken and cropped to some grain crops for at least one season before an orchard is planted. The chief reason for doing this is to rid the ground of the alfalfa plants and provide for the storage of moisture, which it is impossible to acquire while the alfalfa is growing on the ground. As a rule the lands in eastern and southeastern Nebraska are preferable for tree growing and commercial planting, because of the nature of the soil. The limestone outcrop along the creeks indicates that all this country is underlaid by this lime-stone formation. Much of the soil above this lime-stone is clay, and above the clay comes the rich black loam, which in many cases has been nearly all washed away. In selecting a plot of ground upon which the orchard is to be planted, the grower should aim to plow every foot of this land, as though he was preparing for corn. This refers to the average land. Many of the steep hill sides in that portion of the state just referred to, would be better adapted for fruit land than the rich bottoms where the loam soils predominate. In preparing a hill side, it may not be advisable to plow all of the land. It would perhaps be better to plow at right angles to TENDENCIES IN HORTICULTURE. 175 the slopes of the hill, stirring a strip about ten or twelve feet wide, which would be thoroughly prepared, and in which the row of trees is to be planted, leaving the virgin sod untouched. After the trees are well established, the strips about the rows of trees may be seeded to clover and the space between the rows broken up and cropped, or kept thoroughly cultivated. There are several orchards in the state which stand as living monuments to the method of culture, which should not be used. Soil should not be allowed to wash away between the tree rows, and leave the trees mounted on a hill to dry out and produce only a feeble growth, and later a disappointment instead of a crop of apples. Heeling in Trees. — Trees packed at the nursery are usually in ideal condition for shipping, and they will endure many days of exposure, which is usually necessary in shipment in the freight cars, and while stored at the freight depot, but the trees should be considered, and as soon as the shipment is received at the nearest railway station, the owner should get these trees, remove them from the package (which is usually a box or a bale) and heel them in. Many nurseries put out instructions for handling the trees after receiving the shipment, but the usual way of heeling in is to dig a trench one foot deep, and wide enough to admit the roots of the first layer of trees, then spade off the north side of this trench, piling the dirt back on the trees and admitting another layer as soon as the first layer is covered four or five inches beneath the soil. Place another layer of trees and cover as before. As a rule it is advisable to point the tops toward the south, as this positSon seems to lessen evaporation, and protect the trees from the direct rays of the sun. The soil in which the trees are heeled should be moist and in good condition for planting. This usually is not difficult to find in the spring of the year. Distance Between Trees.— The distance apart which apple trees should be planted is the next important consideration. It is true the varieties to be planted will govern somewhat the distance apart they should stand in the orchard, but experience has shown that thirty-three feet each way is about the right distance for planting most commercial varieties, especially winter sorts like Winesap, Ben Davis, Northwest Greening and York Imperial. Some varieties are upright growers and will therefore occupy not more than half the space. To this class belong mostly summer and fall varieties, such as Whitney, Yellow Transparent, Chenaga Strawberry and "Wealthy. Much will depend upon the slope of the land and the purpose of the orchard, but it is probably better to plant the rows north and south, making these rows thirty-three feet apart, and placing the trees sixteen and one-half feet apart in the rows. The writer has had experience in spraying and harvesting the crops in an orchard planted in this manner, in which Missouri Pippin were used for fillers. It was the owner's intention to cut out the Missouri Pippin after five or six crops. The advantage of this method of planting has impressed itself upon the wi-iter to such a degree that it is here 176 NEBRASKA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. recommended for your careful consideration. When an orchard is planted in this manner after the fillers are removed it will make the trees thirty -three feet apart each way; with some varieties of trees the orchard will be found crowded even at this distance, but it is the writer's opinion that if the orchard is properly handled and pruned each year, from the time planted, that it will not pay to keep the trees after they have reached the age of twenty-six to thirty years. Planting the Tree. — After the plan of planting has been decided upon, which should be worked out before time to ship the trees, the actual planting of the tree is perhaps the most important consideration, in the starting of an orchard. Very little pruning should be done on the roots as the nurseryman usually attends to this feature. The top of a tree should not be pruned until after it is planted. A hole should be dug at least eighteen inches in diameter, to admit the roots of the average two-year-old apple tree, and as a rule two feet in diameter is better. The plan should be to plant the tree not over two inches deeper than it stood in the nursery row, which can be told by the ground mark on the trunk of the tree, just. about the brace roots. The trees should be slanted slightly toward the southwest, and care should be taken to get the rows straight each way so that the orchard presents the appearance of a carefully checked field of corn. Just enough dirt should be thrown in over the roots in the bottom of the hole to nicely cover them, and this should be tamped firmly with a liberal use of the heel. It is very important that the soil should be tamped firmly around the roots, making it at least as firm as it was when growing in the nursery. Always plant an apple tree as though you were expecting a drouth. When the hole has been filled half to two-thirds full of dirt, carefully tamped in, two or three buckets of water should be poured in the hole and allowed to soak down. It is perhaps better not to finish filling the hole until the next morning, and then it is well to leave the ground slightly hollow about the tree to catch all rainfall which may come later. If the ground has been properly prepared, following the directions as outlined above, the tree should not receive a set-back by the necessary handling before planting. After the tree is planted it is necessary to prune back the top. As a rule at least one-half the previous year's growth should be cut away, and not over four or five limbs left to bear the head. It is difiicult to describe just the method of pruning, and each tree will need a little different treatment. The writer wishes to state that he is personally acquainted with many of the nurserymen in the state, and that each of these men are a walking encyclopedia on orchard planting, and every new planter should make a liberal use of this fund of information. SPRAYING. There seems to be something in the atmosphere this spring, that is creating an ususal interest in the care of the apple orchard. There has been more pruning during the months of March and April, than was ever witnessed before in the history of apple growing in Nebraska. TENDENCIES IN HORTICULTURE. 177 • ' ' "^^v^W There is also an unusual interest in the subject of spraying. The secretary of the State Horticultural Society and the Department of Horticulture at the Experiment Station, are receiving constant requests for information along the line of spraying apple orchards. Since the introduction of lime-sulphur as a fungicide spray, the question naturally arises in the mind of the orchard manager as to whether it is better to spray with lime-sulphur or Bordeaux. The answer to this question will depend largely upon the previous care of the orchard. Where an orchard has not been sprayed properly, and there is every evidence of abundance of scab and other diseases of the foliage, and fruit, it is quite likely that it is better to spray the first time with Bordeaux jnixture. Our experience with lime-sulphur is so limited that it does not entitle us to draw definite conclusions. Where apples are grown on a commercial scale (and it Is that phase of apple gi'owing the writer has in mind in outlining this article), every care should be exercised to produce the cleanest and best quality of fruit. The chief objection to the use of Bordeaux in spraying has been its tendency to russet the fruit and injure the foliage. With lime-sulphur there is little danger in this respect as the lime-sulphur apparently does not, to any extent, injure the skin of the fruit or the foliage, and seems to be in most cases equally effective as a fungicide. The Rex lime-sulphur, manufactured by the Rex Company, perhaps has the greatest reputation as commercial lime-sulphur of any brand manufactured. Another feature in favor of lime-sulphur is the ease with which it is mixed ready for application. As it comes from the factory the solution tests from thirty to thirty-two. The explanation of this test, and the use of the hydrometer, are thoroughly explained in Professor Howard's article on co-operative spraying. To state briefly, when the lime-sulphur tests thirty, we add thirty gallons of water to every gallon of lime-sulphur solution. This is merely poured into the spray tank together with the poison, which is usually four pounds of lead arsenate to every one hundred gallons of water. The tank is then filled with water and you are ready to spray. We know that Bordeaux mixture is an effective spray, and we know that Bordeaux mixture has its disadvantages. Horticulturists should not, however, forget how to make Bordeaux, for it is quite likely it will play an important part in the renovation of neglected orchards. At present Bordeaux is cheaper than lime-sulphur. There are just three important considerations in the successful spraying of an apple orchard. The orchardist should keep ever in mind these considerations: First, the mixture must be properly prepared. Second, it must be properly applied. Third, spray -at the right time. The question is often asked, how many acres of trees ought two men with a hand pump or two men with the gasoline power outfit be able tc spray in a day? It is next to impossible to answer this question directly, as trees vary in size, and require varying amounts of the mixture. Two men with a hand pump and one lead of hose ought to 178 NEBRASKA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. spray three acres of trees, set forty trees to the acre, and twenty years old; while two men with two leads of hose and a CuShman gasoline power outfit, ought to spray ten acres a day if the machinery is in good running order. Before concluding these remarks the writer wishes to say just a little about cultivation of the orchard. In growing a crop of apples there Is a continual warfare against insect enemies, and diseases, cold weather and weeds. If the orchard is allowed to grow up to grass and weeds there is no question but that the danger from diseases and insects is greatly increased. Many young orchards are materially injured by the Buffalo Tree Hopper, and various other biting and sucking insects, which would not bother the trees if they were kept under an ordinary state of cultivation. Almost any orchard needs cultivation of some sort occasionally. Many orchards are benefitted by a liberal application of barnyard manure. Some advantages of early cultivation, perhaps just as the frost is coming out of the ground, are that the soil can be torn to pieces, and the blue grass sod such as is ordinarily found in orchards is not so tenacious, and lends itself much better to cultivation. The object of early cultivation is not usually a question of conserving moisture, especially in the eastern portion of the state, but rather a question of putting the soil in such condition as will allow for later cultivations during the latter part of June, July and August, when there is a dearth of moisture, and when the tree is making its heaviest drains upon the water supply in the soil. Whatever cultivation is given to an old orchard should be shallow. There certainly can be no advantage in deep plowing and cutting off old roots. A light plowing is not objectionable, but more of the cultivation should be done with a disc and harrow. The unusual interest in the subject of orchard management is awaken- ing an ideal which is now in its embryonic stage of development. The time is near at hand when southeastern Nebraska will be put on the map as one of the leading apple producing sections in the United States. Chairman: I see it is ten minutes to 12 and most everybody eats about that time. I was on the last part of the program, but I will not keep any of you from dinner, but I will say I had a very fine paper prepared, con- sists of eight or ten pages of carefully prepared statistics. The paper is in the hands of the Secretary and it would probably take half an hour to deliver it, but I am glad I can't; it was rambling and told how to raise fruit and boys and lots of things; it went from the ridiculous to the serious and I will not burden you with it, but as temporary chair- man I will thank you for your kind attendance. Meeting adjourned sine die. AWARDS. 1 71» APPLE JUDGING CONTEST. An apple judging contest was held Thursday afternoon. Four plates, each, of ten standard varieties were used. The contestants ranked the plates 1, 2, 3 and 4 according to their merits and noted substituted apples. One hundred dollars was prorated among the contestants scoring more than 60 points out of a total of 100. Fifty entered the contest, most of them students of the College of Agriculture, and all but one scored above 60, sharing in the premium money. The total number of points scored above 60 was 1,070, making each point worth about nine cents. The highest score was 95, the lowest 58 and the average 81. These ten men scored the highest: H. L. Mathews, Peru; Howard Gramlich, South Omaha; E. H. Herminghaus, Lincoln; P. W. Hoffman. Peru; Frank Williams, Tecumseh; W. Rogge, Sterling; J. B. Kuska. Ohiowa; H. W. Ritchey, Omaha; R. E. Marshall, Lincoln, and Otto Liebers. Minden. AWARDS AT THE WINTER FRUIT AND FLORAL EXHIBIT. APPLES. Best fifty plates of Nebraska grown winter apples, 3 or more varieties judged by scales of points; not less than ten plates of any variety — 1st. $10; 2d, $7; 3d, $5; 4th, $3. Homer Mathews, Peru, 1st; Ray W. Hessel- tine, Peru, 2d; Clair C. Christy, Johnson, 3d; Frank Williams, Tecumseh. 4th. Collection of five varieties of Nebraska grown winter apples, judged by the scale of points— 1st, $5; 2d, $3; 3d, $2. Ray W. Hesseltine, 1st; Frank Williams, 2d; Clair C. Christy, 3d. Single plates of five specimens each— 1st, $2; 2d, $1. Ben Davis— C. H. Barnard, Table Rock, 1st; Ray W. Hesseltine, 2d. Gano— Ray W. Hesseltine, 1st; Clair C. Christy, 2d. Genet — Ray W. Hesseltine, 1st; Clair C. Christy, 2d. Grimes' Golden — C. W. Brinton, Jr., Lincoln, 1st. Iowa Blush — Clair C. Christy, 1st. Jonathan — Ray W. Hesseltine, 1st; Homer L. Mathews, 2d. Mammoth Black Twig — Clair C. Christy, 1st; Frank Williams, 2d. Minkler — C. H. Barnard, 1st; Ray W. Hesseltine. 2d. Missouri Pippin — Ray W. Hesseltine, 1st; Homer L. Mathews, 2d. Northwestern Greening — Frank Williams, 1st. Virginia Beauty — Clair C. Christy, 1st. Willow Twig — Clair C. Christy, 1st. Winesap— Clair C. Christy, 1st; Homer L. Mathews, 2d. Yellow Bellflower — C. H, Barnard. 1st; Frank Williams, 2d. York Imperial — Homer L. Mathews, 1st; Clair C. Christy, 2d. CUT FLOWERS. Vase of 12 American Beauties — L. Henderson, Omaha, 1st, $8, Vase of 36 Tea Roses, not less than five varieties — Dole Floral Co.. Beatrice, 1st, $8; L. Henderson, 2d, $5. 180 NEBRASKA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. Vase of 50 Carnations, 6 varieties — Dole Floral Co., 1st, $8; C. M. Hurlburt, Fairbury, 2d, $5; Frey & Frey, Lincoln, 3d, $3. Vase of 100 Violets— Dole Floral Co., 1st, $5; L. Henderson, 2d, $3; Simanton & Pence, Falls City, 3d, $2. Diploma was awarded L. Henderson of Omaha for the best general collection of cut flowers entered, including a number of other flowers and plants staged. Diploma was awarded the Chicago Carnation Co., Joliet, 111., on two new and promising varieties of carnations, Washington and Princess Charming. HORTICULTURAL EXHIBITS AT THE STATE FAIR. STAGED BY THE STATE HOPvTICULTURAL SOCIETY. Horticultural Hall was taxed to its capacity to house the fruit and floral products offered for exhibition. More than 3,500 plates of fruit were shown on the tables and every plate exhibited was entered for pre- miums. Practically every class was filled and less than $50 of the money offered was not taken. The fruit was exceptionally clean and well colored, due to spraying and sunshine, but was slightly below normal size owing to the drouth. A few boxes of apples were shown, packed according to western style and attracted much attention. Five car-loads of plants and flowers were exhibited, making the largest display of greenhouse productions shown at the state fair for several years. The display of cut flowers and designs were exceptionally fine and excited much admiration. Following are the principal awards: County collections, fruits (50 or more varieties) — Washington, 1st; Douglas, 2d; Nemaha, 3d; Lancaster, 4th. Individual collections (30 or more varieties) — Marshall Bros., Arling- ton, 1st; C. B. Campe, Cheney, 2d; Ray W. Hesseltine, Peru, 3d; F. W. HofMann, Peru, 4th. Fifty plates summer or fall apples (display and condition to rule) — Ray W. Hesseltine, 1st; Marshall Bros., 2d; G. S. Christy, Johnson, 3d. Fifty plates summer or fall apples (judged by score) — Marshall Bros., 1st; Keyser & Marshall, Weeping Water, 2d; C. B. Campe, 3d. Five varieties summer apples — Marshall Bros., 1st; Ray W. Hessel- tine, 2d; F. W. HofMann, 3d. Ten varieties autumn apples — Marshall Bros., 1st; Edw. Nonnamaker. Arlington, 2d; Keyser & Marshall, 3d. Ten varieties winter apples — Marshall Bros., 1st; Wm. Lonergan, Florence, 2d; Ray W. Hesseltine, 3d. Five varieties winter apples — Marshall Bros., 1st; W. A. Prater, DuBois, 2d; J. H. Viele, Havelock, 3d. Single plates, apples (principal varieties) — Ben Davis, Marshall Bros. HORTICULTUKAI. EXHIBITS AT STATE FAIR. 181 Snow, Ray W. Hesseltine. Gano, C. H. Barnard, Table Rock. Genet, Marshall Bros. Grimes, W. A. Prater. .Jonathan, G S. Christy. Maiden's Blush, G. S. Christy Oldenburg (Duchess), H W. Witencamp, Bethany. Wealthy, U. Cachelin, De Soto. Winesap, G. S. Christy. Pears — Collection — R. T. Chambers, Bennet, 1st; A. Martin, DuBois, 2d. Bartlett, G. S. ChristJ^ Keifter, .T. R. Huffman, Auburn. Plums — Collection — Marshall Bros. Lombard, Mrs. H. Burgess, Lin- •coln. Miner, C. H. Shivvers, Lincoln. Wyant, L. O. Williams, University Place. Grapes — Collection — F. W^. Hoffman. Collection, five varieties — C. B. Oampe. Concord, G. S. Christy. Pocklington, F. W. HofMann. Plants and flowers — Collection greenhouse plants — 1, L. Henderson. Omaha; 2, C. H. Green, Fremont. Palms, L. Henderson. Ferns, L. Hen- derson. Cut flowers, Frey & Frey, Lincoln. Floral design, C. H. Green. HENRY C. SMITH (182) IN MEMORIAM Henry C. Smith was born in Canton, Illinois, March 7, 1856. Received his schooling mostly thjre and in March, 1869, removed with his father to Richardson county, Nebraska, where he assisted his father, the latter having established an agricul- tural implement warehouse, etc., in Falls City, the first in the county. Also ran a real estate agency in connection with which he carried on a farm. Mr. Smith was one of the most widely known business men of Falls City and had occupied the same oflBce continuously for a longer term than any other business man in the city and was probably longer in business there than any other person, having established a real estate office in 1879. He was one of the first in Richardson county to plant or- chards on a commercial scale. The seventy-acre orchard in Barada township has been a heavy producer and since they have taken to spraying and giving the soil the regular summer cul- tivation, in which he also w^as the pioneer for this county, that orchard has produced fruit of unexcelled quality and has gained a reputation that is widely extended in the larger markets. His Nemaha county farm and also the one in Pawnee county have both been largely set to apples and other fruits, and are com ing into productive bearing. His theory always was that every growing apple tree he owned added a dollar every year to the value of his estate^ He was laughed at some by his neighbors in the years of poor fruit crops, but that made no difference. He was confident of the outcome, and several times his judg- ment has been vindicated by apple crops that were worth more than the value of the land. Mr. Smith became a life member of the State Horticultural Society in 1896. He was stricken with paralysis and passed away at the Union Hotel in Falls City, where he had lived for a number of years. Saturday, October 21, 1911. (183) LEWIS ALLEN BELTZER (184) IN MEMORIAM Lewis Allen Beltzek was born in Hagerstown, Md., De- cember 24, 1839, and prior to the Civil War resided with his parents at Chillicothe, Ohio, Warsaw, 111., and Eddyville, la. In the second year of the rebellion, Mr. Beltzer enlisted in Co. F, 18th Iowa Volunteer Infantry, joining the regiment in August, 1862, at Benton Barracks, St. Louis, and was mustered into the field service near Sedalia. He fought till the close of the war, and was mustered out in August 1865, receiving a second lieu- tenant's commission. He then located at Bloomington, 111., and in' 1872 came to Osceola, Neb., and homesteaded near that place. On October 24, 1874, Mr. Beltzer was united in marriage to Mary A. McWilliams, and after a year spent in Missouri they returned to Osceola, where they have since resided. To this union four children were born. Mr. Beltzer received a good common school education, and spent most of his early life in farming. He was identified with the early history of Polk county, having been engaged in vari- ous callings. For over ten years he served as deputy sheriff, and has followed tne nursery business for the past thirty years. In 1892 he joined the State Horticultural Society and in 1893 became a life member. He has been an enthusiastic and un tiring worker, always present and taking an active part, in the horticultural meetings. The deceased passed away at his home in Osceola at 2:30 Sunday afternoon, November 12, 1911, of valvular heart trouble, aged 71 years, 10 months and 18 days. He leaves a wife, three sons, two brothers and one sister, besides many friends to mourn his departure. (185) MISCELLANEOUS (187) DEVELOPMENT OF HORTICULTURE IN EASTERN NEBRASKA. (Paper read at State Conservation and Development Congress, Lincoln, February 23 and 24, 1911, by G. A. Marshall, Arlington, Nebr.) It is with much pleasure that I say a few words regarding commer- cial horticulture along the eastern boundary of this state. Twenty to thirty years ago thousands of acres were planted to orchards along the Missouri river between Omaha and St. Joseph. The orchards which were then bearing yielded such nice, clear and attractive fruit that the i<]ea prevailed that all that had to be done was to plant the trees and gather the fruit. The enthusiasm \im high and people from all walks oi life, including doctors, lawyers, merchants, railroad men, capitalists and others F;or. the fever and fairly fell over themselves to procure a piece oi land and plant a commercial orchard. Time went on and nature smiled on this country as usual and the small trees planted on these many hills grew into vigorous, beautiful orchards and began bearing friiit. Yoii know nature has decreed that "we cannoi obtain something foi- nothing;'' well, tor lack of care the bugs and worms and fungus thrived and got in tlieir destructive wort; and the result was second and third class fruit, slow sales and second and third class prices and small profits. And as many of these orchards were planted on good farm land where annual crops of almost anything one cared to ijlant could be grown with ease and certainty, the orchard enthusiasm waned and the enterprise dropped to a low ebb. The care of orchards dropped to the same level. The few orchards, however, that escaped the ax, lived and bore and bore. Finally their unceasing per- sistence was noticed and many of them have been leased and others are now being leased by the more enterprising gardeners and fruit growers or taken up again by their owners and after a year or so of cleaning up, pruning, spraying and cultivating, the orchard responding nicely, pro- duces an abundant yield of fruit of good quality wL'ch will sell and be acceptable to any market. The conditions for commercial orcharding now are pretty well under- stood. We know about what to expect of a tree and what to plant to receive the best results. In fact I know of no country that has been more thoroughly tested. I have looked east, west, north and south and made all kinds of comparisons, and I firmly believe, everything con- sidered, that this same Missouri river hill country has them all beaten for commercial orcharding. The advantages here are many and telling: First, we are far enough south so the tree will live and do well, yet far enough north so the fruit is at home and is perfect in color, size and quality. We also get just about the right amount of rainfall to mature the fruit with the highest of quality and it is not reduced in flavor and keeping qualities by artificial watering as when irrigated. Neither is the (189) 190 NEBRASKA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. orchard at the mercy of the irrigation company and that terrible annual water tax forever absent. Second, the land is cheap, much cheaper than the farm land in the same community and many times cheaper than the apple lands of the West. Third, the wonderful certainty, ease and cheapness with which the tree is transplanted and gi-own into bear- ing. Fourth, nearness to market, which is a greater factor than we at first imagined. Gentlemen, this land is most wonderfully endowed and it is up to us as to what the outcome will be. We should wake up and get in the ranks. Our old, slow-poky way will not be tolerated longer. We must get out of the old ruts. The world demands things strictly up-to-date. Much better fruit is demanded now than ten or fifteen years ago. Neat, new packages are in demand. Apples should be unblotched and sound. Grades should be even, dividing our ordinary old barrel grades into at least three grades. All these uneven sized apples mixed together, al- though they may be good apples, look much worse than even the smaller ones if alone, and how much better the large specimens look when they are placed with others of equal size and appearance. Let the expert grader regrade these same barrel apples and I venture the assertion that the third grade will appear more attractive and bring a better price than the original pack did. Then you have the advance price on the second grade and a still larger advance on the first, which will very materially increase the profits. We should not think about the size of the cull pile when grading apples. The proper time to reduce this pile is during the previous season when we are pruning, cultivating, spraying and caring for the orchard. We are too apt to let the orchard take care of itself, then try to reduce the cull pile by putting these apples in with the upper grades, which spoils all. Co-operation is another factor toward success in commercial orchard- ing. On investigation, I find that fruit associations get much better prices for their fruits than the average individual can possibly expect. When buying from associations, buyers can be sure they are buying from localities where there is plenty of fruit, they can have standard grades and the markings on the box will tell them exactly what there is in each and no disappointment will follow. Then these same associations can acquaint themselves with market conditions in every direction and know Just where to place fruit at all times. They are also in position to pur- chase the best packages on the market at the lowest possible price. Also, sprayers and spraying materials and in fact all kinds of orchard tools that go with the growing business. The individual grower will also be stimulated to produce and deliver the best that is possible as he will know the consequence if he fails. He soon learns that the association is his best friend if he will only be good. Now, as I said before, we have the country, all we have to do is to develop it. If we will only exercise the same determination that Western growers do, we can show the world how to grow fruit. REPORT OP COMMITTEE ON FRTIIT RAISING. 191 REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON FRUIT RAISING. AT THE STATE CONSERVATION AND DEVELOPMENT CONGRESS. LINCOLN, FEBRUARY 23-24. Mr. President: Your Committee on Fruit Raising begs to submit the following report and recommendations: The experience of farmers, fruit-growers, and planters in general in Nebraska has proven that the natural conditions, soil, climate, etc., are favorable for fruit production in the state. Pioneers coming to Ne- braska found splendid wild fruits growing along almost every water- course extending out into the state where protection from forest fires was afforded. They found wild plums, grapes, crabapples, raspberries, blackberries, etc., growing in abundance and which were finer flavored, larger, and in every way better than wild fruits growing in other sec- tions. The varieties were also greater and aside from the annual prairie fires conditions seemed to be ideal for the growth of these wild fruits. General J. C. Fremont and other real pathfinders for the Western pioneers noticed this indication of natural and favorable conditions for fruit development and referred to it in their early writings. General Fremont said: "The best indication of the richness of the Nebraska river (Platte river) country is the luxuriance and prodigality of the wild fruits, found growing wherever there is the slightest protection of trees. Our men gathered and enjoyed more than twenty different varieties of plums and grapes, all very much finer than any we had ever before seen. There were also many varieties of blackberries, raspberries, dewberries, and other kinds of berries that were new to us." General Dodge, in one of his reminiscences of the building of the Union Pacific railroad, said: "We were seldomly without an abundant supply of some sort of wild fruit during the time we were working in Nebraska, throughout the season from June till September, and from the Missouri river to the Rocky mountain foothills. The rich lands produced the finest wild fruits we have ever seen, with the finest flavor and in (he greatest varieties." Since that time there has been great developments in fruit culture in the state and today almost every farm-home has its orchard and fruit garden. Many mistakes have been made and many orchards and small fruit plantations have not been profitable to their owners. We find, however, that the natural conditions are not responsible for these condi- tions but that lack of information as to the varieties best adapted, loca- tion, culture, etc., and neglect of these important factors which are essential to successful fruit culture are usually responsible for failures. On the other hand we find that in practically all of the state where proper varieties have been planted on suitable locations, and where reasonable good care has been given, that apples, grapes, cherries, and other fruits grow remarkably well and bear fruit of good size, color and quality. 192 NEBRASKA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. Plantations of commercial proportions have been very profitable undertakings for those who have given the business the required atten- tion. We find this ti'ue, especially, in the older counties along the Missouri river. Orchards, vineyards and small fruit plantations are proving exceedingly profitable in this section and much of this land is better suited for fruit culture than for any other use. The soil is rich in potash, phosphates and other elements favorable to the best develop- ment of both wood and fruit. Its texture is such that it readily absorbs the water of heavy rains and melting snows. Then due to its sponge-like nature it is able to hold sufficient moisture in reserve. The topography of the land provides for good drainage, both soil and air, which are im- portant factors to fruit production. We believe this section of Nebraska is unexcelled, everything con- sidered, by any and equaled by few of the widely advertised sections of the country for commercial fruit growing; that with the same energy expended in growing apples and some of the small fruits commercially, better returns for the investment may be secured than is secured in many of the famous fruit sections of the country. The advantage of being from 800 to 2,000 miles nearer the principal market, than Western fruit sections, thereby saving the growers much in freight charges and loss from the long haul that the Western fruits are subjected to. are also great advantages to the Nebraska growers. As a result of the success of a few commercial apple growers in this section who have practiced thorough and up-to-date methods of handling their orchards, a revived interest in this business is shown and indica- tions now point to more thorough methods being pi-acticed in handling the old and heretofore neglected orchards and to more planting of orchards for commei'cial purposes. During the seasons of 1909 and 1910 growers reported returns of from $100 to .$1,000 per acre from their orchards. Vineyard and small fruit plantations have also been proving very profitable. Numerous instances may be cited where such plantings have returned from $800 to $1,000 pet acre. With the natural conditions favorable to fruit growing in this section, growers by observing four important factors, i. e, cultivation, pruning, spraying and heating, can make crop failures very rare jind the business a source of great profit. We recommend that this congress go on record as favoring and en- couraging the development of the fruit industry in eastern Nebraska to its fullest capacity and that the attention of the farmers and growers of fruit in general be called to the much neglected condition of the orchards and fruit plantations of the state and that they be urged to give better care and culture to their orchards and fruit gardens. (The above report was unanimously adopted.) FRUIT FOR THK HOME. 193 FRUIT FOR TUFj HOME. VAL KEYSEl!, LINCOLN. Every farmer is interested and anxious to grow a sufficient amount of good fruit for the home supply. The fact that the business of success- ful fruit growing incurs a few technical problems such as, prevention of killing frosts during the blooming season, the necessary warfare against injurious insects and destructive diseases, and the fact that all fruit grown in Nebraska, except apples, is by nature so quickly perishable after ripening, has discouraged many farmers from trying to provide these luxuries for the home. In some sections of the state an occasional visitation of hail has also added to the discouragement of the farmer growing fruit. These are problems which require experience with careful thought and study to overcome. A few Nebraska farmers, assisted by the experience of the nurserymen and fruit growers and the Experiment Station and State Horticultural Society, have had the courage to master these problems sufficiently to make Nebraska recognized as one of the leading fruit growing states in the corn belt.- There has never been a season in the last quarter century so un- favorable that it would not produce an abundance of fruit of certain kinds and varieties, where the grower applied his knowledge and gave his trees, vines, bushes and plants a fair chance to show what they could do. There have been seasons that most varieties of apples failed to pro- duce, but some varieties were sure to bear at least a light crop of choice specimens. This occurs even in the best fruit growing sections of the country. A failure of the cherry crop is a rare exception in Nebraska. Grapes and strawberries are absolutely reliable and can be grown as a profitable commercial crop on nearly every farm in the eastern half of the state. Peaches have come to be considered too uncertain for com- mercial planting except in the southeast corner of the state, but every farmer can afford to keep a dozen trees of mixed varieties for the crop which comes occasionally. Plums, pears and apricots are also rather uncertain producers except in certain localities or when given special care. There are a few localities where certain varieties bear nearly every year. These can only be ascertained by experimenting. The different steps necessary in growing fruit are about as follows: The choice of site or place to plant the trees, vines, etc., which naturally would be on well drained land and as near the house as possible, the preparation of the soil, the x;hoice of varieties, the planting, cultivation, pruning and spraying. A two acre apple orchard is as large as any farmer should attempt to plant. This will give a nice collection of va- rieties, as the apple trees may be planted thirty-three feet each way, which would require about forty trees i>er acre. Cherry and peach may be used as fillers between the apple trees, filling the rows north and south, leaving a wider space between the rows east and west. This affords more room and better conditions for cropping between the rows with 194 NEBRASKA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. potatoes, corn and other crops. The orchard can be used for such crops when young to good advantage if proper care is exercised in the cultiva- tion. All kinds of garden crops and strawberries do well in such cases if planted in rows to allow the use of the cultivator. Small grain and alfalfa or grasses should not be grown in the orchard in most sections of the state as the trees must be cultivated to succeed well. Nearly every orchard should be cultivated up to the middle of July until it is eight or ten years old and during very dry seasons it is advisable to continue the cultivation a few weeks longer. It Is also often advisable to cultivate early in the season in old orchards, continuing this cultivation should there be a heavy crop of fruit maturing and not a liberal amount of rain- fall. Small fruit, such as raspberries, currants and gooseberries may be grown in the rows of trees, and will do better where partly shaded. The chief consideration in planting is to get the soil firmly packed about the roots. In planting cherries and plums care should be taken not to plant so deep that roots may start above the graft union. The severing of such roots in cultivating will often cause them to send up sprouts which are very annoying. Most cherries and plums are budded or grafted on stocks that do not sprout from the root and the bud or graft union should not be placed more than an inch and a half or tw'O inches below the surface of the ground so that the improved top which will sprout up is not deep enough in the ground to form roots. A good wind-break should be planted on the north, west, and south sides of the orchard. The Austrian, Scotch or Bull pine are the best for this purpose. Do not plant cedar trees as the cedar rust has become a serious pest. In orchards with cedar trees growing near, such varieties as Whitney, Wealthy, Jonathan and Northwestern Greening have b'?en defoliated by this disease which is common to the apple as the cedar. A row or two of some fast growing deciduous tree may be planted on the outside of the pines to serve as a protection until the pines ??ei well started. The following varieties of fruits are recommended for general plant- ing in Nebraska: Winter Apples — Janet, Northwestern Greening, Grimes' Golden. York Imperial, Ben Davis, Jonathan, Missouri Pippin. Fall Apples — Plumb's Cider, Snow, Wealthy, Utter's Red. Summer Apples — Duchess, Yellow Transparent, Chenango Straw- berry, Early Harvest, Whitney No. 20, Cooper's Early White. Upright growing varieties, such as Whitney, Yellow Transparent, Chenango Strawberry, Missouri Pippin and Wealthy, do not require so much space as varieties which spread more like the Northwestern Green- ing, York Imperial, Utter's Red and Winsap, and when planting this fa«-t should be taken into consideration if space is limited. The Early Richmond and Montmorency cherries are about The only varieties that can be recommended for general planting. They are both medium early kinds but can be relied upon nearly every year. Most of TRKK PLANTING IN NEBRASKA. 11>5 the late varieties are more susceptible to fungus diseases and lavort^u by wet seasons these diseases play havoc with them. Hardy varieties of grapes are Concord, Moore's Early, Worden, Camp- bell's Early, Brighton and Elvira. They should be put on wires o- trellis after they are two years old and pruned every sprinfe. cutting back so there will be an average of about three buds left for each cane of the last year's growth. Strawberries should be planted in combinations as some varieties are not self fertilizing. The Senator Dunlap, Gandy, Crescent, Sample, War- field and Bederwood are desirable varieties. There are many other va- rieties equally meritorious for certain soils and localities, but for gen- eral planting those mentioned are the leaders. A liberal use of fertUij'.er of which barnyard manure is excellent may be used to advantage m the strawberry patch. Spraying has become an essential factor in profitable fruit produc tion. It is only the job of a half a day to spray the home orchard of the size above described, and it often makes the difference between success and failure in a fruit crop. Directions for spraying depend upon the fruit to be sprayed. This information can alway be obtained from the secretary of rhe State Horticultural Society, or the Experiment Station. TREE PLANTING IN NEBRASKA. HON, CHARLES W. SLOAN, GENEVA. Nebraska is less than fifty years old. The men prominent in its early history have nearly all passed to the beyond. There were those noted in pioneer life; there were great lawyers; great journalists; some noted military men, and some noted for state-craft. All their claims for recog- nition and fame have been submitted to the impartial judgment of his- tory; but among those, the favorable consideration of Nebraska is per- haps more uniformly accorded to J. Sterling Morton, than to any other. Brilliant though he was, — a ripened scholar and finished orator and bold and uncompromising as were his political views, none of these constitute the basis of his fame. His enduring fame rests large ly upori the outgrowth and development of a sentiment which in his later years appeared upon every letterhead which left Arbor Lodge. That v-as in the form of a command to "Plant Trees." The Kings of Controversy and the Dukes of Discussion seldom work great good to their country, state, or nation. The valuable man is he who can discover the greatest need and combine that with a valuable present and effective means of satisfying it. Nebraska was ushered into statehood an apparently barren, treeless plain, which condition pre- vented uniform rainfall, or the complete and satisfactory use of that which fell. The comfort of shade in summer was confined *^o those 196 NEBRASKA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. structures erected by men from materials which had been trau^i^ortea from distant forests at enormous expense. The foresight of Morron. and those who thought with him loolted forward to the time, when the irreat forests should be depleted, and all the attendant evil results th.irefroin would begin to be felt by, not only local communities, but the aatiou at large, and that in the even limited forestization of these plains, ihese things would occur: Rain-fall would increase, rain-fall would i)> con- served and held, soil would be enriched and rich soil protected, while the beautifying of the landscape would follow as the day follows the night. In the more than a quarter of a century that I have lived in your midst, I have seen four classes of men who used, for their pleasure or livelihood, Nebraska soil. The first was typified by a man on the plains, year after year, sowing and planting in the spring, reaping in summer and garnering in the fall. I saw no trees about his home or along the borders of his land. I saw the constantly diminishing crops of wheat and corn from year to year and the rank sunflowers waving in the wind while the cockleburr clung tenaciously to the soil. Again I saw another, who, within reasonable bounds rotated his crops, and and used now and then scant fertilizer. He gathered what he had sown, but year by year there was a larger impoverishment of the soil and lean years was the prospect for his future. He wrought, as some men live, from hand to mouth. « Again I saw a thrifty man, whose crops were rotated with timothy and clover and better than these, with alfalfa. That man was using foresight for at least a decade ahead in sowing the last, and its growth, for a num ber of years. He was restoring the soil to its virgin fatness. And I saw another man looking farther into the future and in ad- dition to the sowing of clover, alfalfa, and other legumes, upon the hill- side, in the low and wet places, and along the roadside, he planted trees suitable to the place and their probable use in the generations to come. That man was planting for future generations. He was not only en- riching the legacy and devise to his heirs, but he was enriching the holdings of his neighbors. He was not only looking after the interests of self, but he was blessing and enriching the country present and future. Historians agree that the cradle of the race lay eastward and from the southern European seas and that Palestine, Persia, Arabia, and Egypt, were the earliest settled portions of the globe. True, there were early deserts, but the deserts have increased uniformly with the progress of the centuries. We read of the fertile plains and the rich, luxuriant river valleys, along such streams as the .Jordan, the Tigris, the Euphrates and the Nile. We read about the moimtains. clad with forests of which the cedars of Lebanon were the highest type. But man, thinking more of his city than of his country, impoverished the soil and despoiled the forests, so that the shifting sands have broken their former limits, and the vast domain which fed, for centuries, the multitudes of earth. TUEB PLANTING IN NEBRASKA. 1->T have become desert wastes. The millions who there resided, and followed their rude agriculture and the commerce and manufacture of the vast cities have seen year by year the arable lands decrease until the waves of sand lapped the postern gates, and dozens of cities prominent in his- tory are in ruins, or lie buried in great depths by the desert. Inhabitants who lived there, prospered, suffered and died. Nomadic tribes, carrying on more or less precarious and doubtful existence, oc- cupy the montain fastness or travel along the narrowed river valleys. Over in western Europe, a few centuries ago, Spain was regarded as the granary of the world. Choicest cereals and rich product of the vine, came from Spain to sustain and stimulate the inhabitants of every port where shipping was carried on. She destroyed her forests and with their destruction came the washing away of the best of her soil and Spain is dotted over with barren and denuded tracts, while, agriculturally, she cannot feed her own people. Europe has awakened to the situation. France, up till about fifty years ago, allowed her forests to be depleted and exploited, for private use, but for more than forty years there has been no sale of forest lands, and France is building up forestry in place of that destroyed. In the last year $40,000,000 has been spent in France in foresting the sand dunes and_ mountain sides. Since 1831, Germany has been planting forestry to take the place of that destroyed by the deforesting of that country, prior to that time. The result is that the government has great forestry of its own, which is being cared for, and in nearly every rich estate and every small farm holding, we find the government's work emulated by private effort, until men tell you that, small as Germany is, its tree growth and products are increasing and are becoming a source of vast wealth as well as the means of national and community beauty. Even in India, where vast forestry always existed, but in the early part of the last century was to a large extent wasted, we find that the British government began in 1872 to replace the destroyed timber of the vast empire. Among the states of the Union whose legislators have looked about and noted the destruction of forestry and the ill effect it was having, not only on building material, but in the injury to the landscape and wasting of the soil, New York, in 1885, began extensive work and expenditure to reforest the Empire state. In Nebraska, man found it without forestry. Vandalism never had an opportunity to work its ruin along forest lines, but it was left to man to build up and improve that condition which showed nature's manifest neglect. In doing this, we know the federal government had encouraged the planting of trees upon government lands but this was working from above down to the bottom and the success following it was not measur- ably great. The real and effective tree planting, and which should be -prosecuted. 198 NEBRASKA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. begins at the bottom, that is, with the individual, and expanding from year to year, will follow the course of development which is usually successful, that is, the enterprise begins with the individual; it spreads like a contagion among the individuals and then when those interested develop a standard of production or achievement, the state is asked to make uniform the enterprise and require those who do not volunteer their share to perform or contribute toward their respective parts. So in Nebraska, men like Morton have planted areas and stretches of trees. They built up a sentiment until, following the adoption by the various state organizations of the name "Tree Planters" ascribed to Nebraska, the legislature and governor officially called this the "Tree Planters' State." Quite recently, Professor Bessey, America's leading botanist, speaking before the Conservation Congress, recommended the planting of trees, by private, co-operative and state action, one-fourth of the area of Ne- braska. Professor Bessey is probably an enthusiast; the mark set by him involves, perhaps, too much, yet I have no doubt that an approxima- tion of his ideal would make this state a wealthier, more beautiful, and better commonwealth. Tree planting in cities and villages in Nebraska has been usually observed. A quarter of a century ago, Fillmore county villages we^e of oblong architecture, shingle roofed, lightning rodded dwellings. No tree, for a child to sit in its shade; no branch from which a man could commit suicide. Now, like our own county seat town, they are largely wooden bowered, a luxuriant shade provided in nearly every home and yard. Tree planting in the country should be encouraged. We submit the following reasons: It holds the soil in place, therefore to a large extent . the trees should be planted where the soil is liable to be eroded. The leaves enrich the immediate locality. The groves conserve the moisture and within limits, aid its increase. They protect the crops, both cereal and fruit, in summer against the sun and in winter against storm. They protect the flocks and herds against the rigorous winterblast. Placed at proper intervals, they beautify the public highway, and are to the wayfaring man and the denizen, as well, friends along the way. The landscape is not only enriched but is beautified. Trees and forestry in and about the home, fruit-producing, nut-bear- ing, shade offering, rich coloring — all those qualities, all beautify and render attractive the country home. They will aid in keeping the boys and girls In and about a country home and away from the cities and those lives and influences which work 111 to the individual and weaken the republic. In Nebraska, which is on dress parade in summer and bleak and more or less uninviting in winter, many evergreens should be planted. When the winter's sun is beaming upon a cold coat of snow, to the eye the green Is restful and pleasant. There should be placed in proper places TREE PLANTING IN NEBRASKA. 109 and at proper Intervals, the oak of strength, the maple of beauty, the elm of grandeur and the pine of pride, and If need be, the willow of woe. Each In itself conveys some lesson to the young and old. Each one will have the effect of binding the man and the woman, the boy and the girl to the soil to stay by It, to love it, to defend it, if need be. The trees about a home more than anything else give its character. I have often thought that farmers should instead of speaking of the Jones farm, or the Smith quarter, or the Brown eighty, should give some name to their abode, something significant to its appearance and charac- ter, elevating and suggestive. I know a few people in the county who have done this and I would like to see more of it and one of the greatest sources of proper farm nomenclature would be the trees about the home. Men and women will endeavor to live up to the names they give their homes as professional men live up to their calling. And I would like to see this organization start and keep a record of the various farm names that may be furnished the society. I believe that it would be a good and helpful sentiment. My own farm is named, I call it "Fair Montlcello," named for the place of my birth and my first home in Nebraska. There is another reason why I urge the planting of trees and the naming of farm homes and this is that men and women, boys and girls, may foster an interest and pride in these farm homes. I have visited cities, large and small, and have seen the varied life of their numerous Inhabitants and had some opportunity to observe their ways, their lives, their motives and ambitions. I have considered these with reference to the future of our state and country and have noted the somewhat in- creasing unrest of the swarming millions as they touch and crowd should- ers, one with another, and I have thought that tranquility and harmony cannot always prevail and that when friction shall become trouble, and trouble grow Into riot, and riot shall swell Into rebellion, and rebellion threaten revolution, the strong conservative element of balance and con- trol will be found in our farm homes where our young and old live in health and comfort, work with strong hands and think with clear brains. There will be the force which will overcome state or national danger and keep our country and its institutions Intact, free and strong. That for this, and for other reasons here given, we should encourage tree planting. More than that, we should plant trees! Thomas Dunn Was an English poet, who saw the pleasures and beauties of pastoral life and saw that much of them spring from the perennial products of the soil. He wrote the following: , "That was a day of delight and wonder While lying in the shade of the maple tree under. He felt the soft breeze of Its frolicsome play. He smelt the sweet odor of newly mown hay, ' Of wilding blossoms in meadow and wood, I ' And flowers in the garden that orderly stood; 200 NEBRASKA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. He drank of the milk foaming fresh from th-e cow He ate the ripe apple just pulled from the bough; And lifted his hand to where hung in his reach. All laden with honey the ruddy cheeked peach; Beside him the blackberries juicy and fresh Before him the melon with odorous flesh, Then he had all for his use or his vision All that the wishes of mortal could seize Then when he lay in a country Elysian Happily, dreamily, under the trees." HORTICULTURE IN THE NORTH PLATTE VALLEY. MAX PFAENDER, U. S. EXrEIilMFNT STATION, MITCHELL, NEB. On the North Platte river there is a considerable area which is or will be under irrigation. Here we want horticulture to gain a foothold and thrive in its various branches. Before this area was irrigated, horticulture could not develop on account of lack of moisture. Being supplied with sufficient water now our worst hindrances are the strong and drying winds and the lack of winter moisture. In such a climate as we have here we must develop a horticulture of our own. Various factors will assist in such a development. For fruits and ornamental plants we must go to our native species first, put Them under cultivation and cross them with our hardiest varieties. If we graft trees we should see that we have hardy stocks. The same is true of nursery stock, the root should be hardy. Top-grafted apple ti'ees are very desirable if the stock is the Hibernal apple or the Virginia crab. Budded apple trees should not be bought. It is best to buy grafted trees and if possible trees should be secured that have been grown from long scion grafts. Apple and other trees liable to root-killing should be planted four to six inches deeper than they stood in the nursery. These are some of the precautions against root-killing. Winter-killing, both in branch and in root is often nothing but actual drying out. In this section plants and trees can very often be insured against winter-killing by a late irrigation or watering. This application of water should be made after the leaves are off the trees and before the ground freezes deeply. The only way to contend with our severe and harmful winds and to protect ourselves against them is to plant good wind-breaks. On farms, the orchard, garden, stockyard and home gi'ounds should all be sur- rounded by a good wind-break. Such a wind-break should consist of from five to ten rows or more of trees including the following kinds: Cottonwood or Norway poplars, willows, green ash and hackberry. The nearest row of trees should be at least two rods from orchard or building. AN APPLE DISTRICT INVKSTIGATION. H)l A wind-break is the main essential to success in raising horticultural crops. But then there are also other ways in which we can lessen the elTect of the strong winds. Api)le trees and other fruit trees should be headed low. About twenty-foui' inches is a good height. Prune or trim all trees so that there will be a main central axis and no weak joints. Avoid crotched trees. As our section has been settled for only a very few years by actual home-builders, information concerning varieties is scarce and scattered. But the following list will give a few varieties of the dif- ferent fruits that will be found valuable in the North Platte Valley: Apples — Duchess. Hibernal. Patten Greening and Wealthy. Crabs — Whitney, Transcendent, Hyslop. Plums— DeSoto, Wolf, Wyant. Grapes — Beta (does not require covering), Concord, Moore's Early. Raspberries — King, Sunbeam. Blackberries — Ancient Briton, Eldorado. Currants — Long Bunch Holland, Pomona, Perfection, White Grape. Gooseberries — Houghton, Downing. Strawberries — Bederwood, Warfield, Dunlap. AN APPLE DISTRICT INVESTIGATION. G. S. CHRISTY, JOHNSON. For years my desk has been piled with literature describing the ihe wonderful profits of Western horticulture. With a love for horti- culture and desiring the greatest returns for the least outlay of energy and capital. I determined to go and investigate for myself. After dis- posing of 20,000 bushels of Nebraska apples last fall I bought a ticket •with unlimited stopover privileges and calling for 6,000 miles of travel and started out. I aimed to visit the best advertised, and the districts from which I have so often seen apples at the big frtiit shows. To get the information I wanted, I planned to visit in each of these sections first, the land agent: second, the officers of the shipping associations: third, the growers who were reported to have the largest yields: fourth, the fellows who were not succeeding; fifth, men engaged in other voca tions; and last the chronic kicker with which evei-y community is sup- plied. In this article I can only give conditions, and I have the following as a summary of the trip. The right man is making a good living and some for luxuries every where, and vice versa. Nebraska methods anywhere west of the Rocky mountains would not pay taxes on their water rights. The land agents stories can be verified generally. Their stories figured as they do can be duplicated within 40 miles of my home. At no place in my trip did I find apples equal in flavor to the apples of Nebraska. Some of the stringent laws against the sale of wormy or infected fruit if applied 202 .NEBRASKA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. In Nebraska would only permit the sale of apples from about twelve orchards in Nemaha county. I found one orchard in the west with 16,000 bushels of apples still in it in January because the state inspector would not allow them hauled to town. Their methods of packing perfect fruit and culled to size enable the buyer to know exactly what he is paying for, and are largely responsible for the high prices. Having taken several side trips not named in my ticket, and traveling until the conductor had taken the last piece of my 6,000-mile ticket, I returned home convinced that between the Missouri river and the Pacific ocean there are no fruit districts that will produce more apples or of better quality, and where there are fewer obstacles to overcome than in the favored fruit districts of Nebraska. GRAPE GROWING IN SOUTHEASTERN NEBRASKA. J. K. DUNCAN, PERU. Grape growing in a commercial way in southeastern Nebraska is just in its infancy. This section of the state is destined to become a great fruit section. Soil, climate and location all favor the production of high quality fruit. The bluff land lying adjacent to the Missouri river is a rich loose soil. This is natural timber country making it ideal fruit land. As to its adaptability for grape culture the bearing vineyards give abundant evidence by their big yields of high quality fruit. Grapes grown on Missouri River bluff land cannot be excelled for quality by grapes grown in any other section. At present only a few men are engaged in growing grapes commercially and as they are making a success of it a larger acreage is being planted each year. How much will it cost to bring a vineyard into bearing, how long will it be before returns will come in, and what revenue can be expected from bearing vineyards are pertinent questions to beginners in grape culture. Land may be purchased for from $50 to $125 per acre depend- ing on location. Any land that can be cultivated may be utilized for vineyard purposes. The cost of vines (one year No. 1), planting, post and wire for trellis, labor necessary to bring vineyard into bearing, will vary according to kind of grape set out, labor put on land, etc. The varieties commonly grown are Concord, Worden, Moore's Early and Brighton. Several newer sorts are being tested out with gratifying success. Notable among these is the Campbell's Early. This is a large black grape that commences to ripen with Moore's Early and will hang on the vine for ten weeks and be in marketable condition. With us the past two seasons it has excelled the standard sorts In throw- ing out a heavier crop after being frozen back by spring frosts. It stands at the top as a commercial sort in this section. Late spring frosts have of late years been the bane of the fruit grower. This enemy of the fruit grower can now be eliminated by equipping the orchards and vineyard with orchard heaters. Orchard heaters have APPLKS POU KXHIBITION PURPOSES. 20:i been used in Nebraska and neighboring states the past spring with gratifying results. A number of growers in this section are intending to equip their orchards with heaters this spring and thus insure a crop of fruit. With the advent of orchard heaters grapes become one of our most profitable crops. The approximate cost of bringing a vine- yard into bearing and equipping with orchard heaters is frora $100 to $150 per acre. Add to this the cost of land, interest, taxes, depreciation of trellis and vines, and an acre would cost from $175 to $250 to change it from the bare land to a bearing vineyard. An acre of grapes will yield from 200 to 2,000 eight-pound baskets of fruit. The price obtained varies from 2 to 4 cents per pound, so that an acre will return from $100 to $500 net. Taking the greatest cost per acre ($250) and least returns ($100) and an acre will give 4 per cent on investment. Is the average farm growing ordinary farm crops bringing in these returns? I think not. I believe that southeastern Nebraska has as a great a future as any section of the country for the production of fancy table grapes, apples and other fruits. Our fruits, when given proper care and put in competition with fruit from other sections, have taken their share of blue ribbons and have sold on the market at the top. Why go to Washington, Oregon. Idaho, Colorado, or other widely advertised fruit sections and pay from $500 to $3,000 per acre for land when just as good land (better than some) several hundred miles nearer the big markets can be bought in Nemaha, Richardson, Pawnee, Otoe and other eastern counties for from $50 to $125 per acre. Our land will produce as much per acre and if proper care is given fruit will sell on markets for top prices. "Distance lends enchantment" is only too true in the fruit business. If you contemplate engaging in the fruit business you can make no mistake to buy a few acres in southeastern Nebraska, setting it largely to grapes and if you put same care and attention acre for acre as Western fruit growers do the net returns will be larger. Stand up for southeastern Nebraska as being as good a fruit section as is found in these United States of ours. HOW TO SELECT APPLES FOR EXHIBITION PURPOSES. R. F. HOWARD, DEPAETMENT OF HORTICULTUKE, tJNr\"ERSITT FARM. The appearance of our fruit exhibits would be raised considerably and more prize money would go to men who really have fruit of merit if a little more attention were paid to selecting the fruit. It is. pre supposed that the fruit one exhibits is the best he has. Unfortunately, this is not always true. Too often men go into their orchards or cellars for exhibition fruit with nothing more in mind than to select the largest and perhaps the reddest specimens they can find. Apples selected in this manner are no more apt to take first place at an apple 204 NEBRASKA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. show than the largest ear of corn or the heaviest steer, are apt to take first place at coi'n and live stock shows. Size and color have their importance, but unless associated with the several other things that con- stitute perfection they are not often of sufficient importance to place a plate of apples in the blue ribbon class. There are at least five things that should be kept in mind when one is selecting apples for show purposes. They are: Uniformity, soundness, color, size, and shape. The five specimens constituting a plate should be as nearly alike in color, size and shape as it is possible to get them. Uniformity, or the lack of it, are usually the most* noticeable things about a plate, and the tendency of most judges is to lay the maximum amount of stress upon this point. Score cards differ in different states and in different horticultural societies, but most of them allow about thirty out of a possible one hundred points for perfection in uniformity. One should never be tempted to place an abnormally developed speci- men in color or size upon a plate with the other four unless they, too, have the same characteristics equally well developed. The condition of the fruit with respect to the various kinds of blemishes and diseases is an important matter. About thirty points are usually allowed for perfection in soundness. Some of the common blemishes to be avoided are: Wormy a'uit (notice the blossom end carefully), apple scab, spray burn or russet, stemless fruits, bruised places and the sooty or fly-specked fungus patches. Never try to improve the appearance of show fruit by rubbing or polishing it. Fruit that has been kept too long in common storage or has been taken from cold storage a few days is apt to be in a more or less withered condition. For show purposes apples should not be withered enough for wrinkles to form when they are pressed firmly in the hand. Select fruits that have the variety color well developed. Specimens with solid color should be avoided if you know the variety is normally a striped one. Nothing will be gained by trying to select abnormally large fruits. In fact color and shape are apt to be sacrificed if this is attempted. Study the variety shape and select show fruit that conforms with it. When show fruit is to be shipped it should be wrapped and care- fully packed in such a way that it can not bruise. HORTICUr/rURE IN SCHOOL OF AGRICULTURE. ROY E. MAKSHALL, LINCOLN. Horticulture is required of all students in the School of Agriculture. The men receive two years of instruction, freshman and senior years, and the women take the course during their sophomore year. The aim of the course is to give the student an understanding of all the practical operations connected with the different branches of horticulture, to- HOUTICULTURK IX SCHOOL OF AGUICULTURE. 20." gether with some of the scieiiiitic i)rinciples on which these operations are based. The course is taught by series of lectures and in addition the students have one two-hour laboratory or practice period each week. During this practice period the classes are divided into small sections of from five to eight students in order that each student may receive more thorough instruction. At the beginning of the first year the men take up the study of management of both the home and the commercial orchard. They begin with the propagation of trees, then the culture and care of the orchard and finally they study the harvesting, storing and marketing of the frvfits. Only the tree fruits adapted to Nebraska conditions are dealt with, and special emphasis is laid upon varieties best suited to our con- ditions. A great deal of stress is also laid upon the methods of tillage and spraying. After the tree fruits have been thoroughly covered in the lecture room as well as in the laboratory, the study of small fruits is taken up in much the same manner. During the senior year the men make a study of ornamental garden ing, vegetable gardening, plant breeding and fruit judging. The latter is taken up in the laboratory and several periods are devoted to the study of varieties and judging the fruit. In the study of ornamental gardening, the general principles, and the methods of ornamenting both farm and city homes are discussed. The students are instructed in the methods of propagation and identification of ornamental trees and shrubs. The students are required to draw up plans of their farmsteads and ornament the same. The course in vegetable gardening includes the choosing of the site, preparing the ground, rotating crops, the making and use of hotbeds, the testing of vegetable seeds under various condi- tions and the storing and judging of vegetables. The men receive three lectures each week during their freshman year and two during their senior year. In the course for women particular stress is laid upon the growing of flowers and other ornamental plants, both indoors and out. Home orchardarding and vegetable gardening are also briefly covered. Special emphasis is laid upon the principles of ornamental gardening as applied to the home. In the laboratory they deal largely with the propagation of shrubs and both annual and perennial outdoor and indoor flowers. The laboratory or practice period is a very essential part of the course. Let us take spraying as an illustration. This subject is thor oughly covered in the lecture room, but if the student really makes some of the spray material he remembers it longer and everything is made plain to him. He not only makes a small quantity of spray ma- terial, but in the case of Bordeaux mixture he uses three different methods for a short time, in order that he may see which one remains in suspension for the longest time. Students who complete this work satisfactorily and who have had some practical experience in addition are prepared to engage in com- 206 NEBRASKA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. raercial orcharding or gardening on their own account, to manage or chards for others and judge fruits and vegetables at county fairs and the like. A large number of students, upon graduating from the school, have returned to their homes and made their father's as well as their own orchards return much larger dividends. They have also been a help to the Experiment Station in securing data, and they are always more deeply interested in the subject. If a student cares to go into the subject deeper than the instructor goes in the class room he will be given any number of references to books and bulletins which may be found in the library and bulletin room. However, if a person wishes to specialize along some branch of horticulture, he had better enter the University proper, where the sub- ject and allied subjects are dealt with more deeply and scientifically. The horticultural department is crowded very much at present, but it will be located on the second floor of a new brick building on the site of the present Horticultural Hall, in about a year. It is hoped that there will be plenty of room then and that the laboratory equipment will meet the needs of the students as well as the department. BRIEF SURVEY OF HORTICULTURAL WORK OF SEASON AT THE NEBRASKA EXPERIMENT STATION. V. V. WESTGATE. The horticultural work at the Experiment Station has been more or less handicapped this season by a lack of rainfall. However, in the case of some of the special experiments artificial watering was resorted to, so that most of the experiments were carried on without serious handi cap. In addition to the ordinary routine work with fruits the depart- ment has been carrying on some experimental spraying tests with the plum. Careful sprayings were given different varieties of this fruit in order to determine just what would be the effect on the curculio. Ar senate of lead was the material used and the results were quite favorable, although, of course, one can't generalize on the results of one season's spraying. The small fruits at the station were injured by the drouth and only produced a fair crop. This was especially true in the case of the blackberries and raspberries as moisture was very deficient at the most critical time. Currants particularly and gooseberries and straw- berries produced the best among the small fruits. Some moisture testa in connection with raspberries have been carried on this summer, which will be continued during the winter. The idea of such experiments is to help determine the relation of the soil moisture content to winter killing. Some of the raspberries were protected so that they received practically no water during summer. In another plat the normal rainfall was re- ceived and in a third plot heavy artificial watering was resorted to. During the winter the behavior of the plants under these different con- BKAUTIFYING THE FARM. "iOT ditions will be recorded which may throw a little more light on the much mooted question: What causes winter killing? A great deal of work in plant breeding has been carried on during the summer. Professor Howard has been continuing his heredity studies with some of our common flowering plants such as the portulacca, bal sam and snapdragon. Color inheritance is the chief phase of this work, although the behavior of size, shape and other characters was noted as well. I'rofessor Emerson is away on leave of absence, doing graduate work at the present time. The extensive work in heredity studies which he has started is being continued partly by himself at Harvard University and also, in part, at the Experiment Station, under his direction. Prac- tically all of the plant breeding material was of such a nature that it had to be watered artificially during the summer and, even then, it was impossible to grow some of the plants as they should be grown. But very few new experiments in any line have been started by the depart- ment during the present year on account of the fact that Professor Emerson is away. However, several new projects are contemplated for the coming season. In mentioning horticultural work one must not overlook the land- scape side which has been carefully looked after under the supervision of Mr. Uunman. A good many trees, shrubs and other plants were set out last spring and the general plan of the campus has been consider- ably improved. A portion of the campus lawn dried up during July but the most of it was well watered so that on the whole the summer bed- ding effects were quite good and were appreciated even more than they would have been had the summer been extremely favorable for the best plant growth. Some time within the next year the horticultural department hopes to have much better facilities for carrying on its work — as a new plant industry building is to be constructed which will house this department and several others. BEAUTIFYING THE FARM. E. H. HEIJMINGHAUS, LINCOLN. It cannot be denied that the tasteful ornamentation of rural homes is not only one of the most agreeable^ but also the most natural recreation that can occupy a human mind. Yet there are but few well ornamented rural homes. The causes of such ^ st^e of affairs are usually considered four in number. In the first place, many do not appreciate the need of ornamentation; they see neither a recreative nor an economical value. Secondly, we find very poor competition among the tillers of the soil in the way of landscape ornamentation. Not only are the individual places poorly ornamented but whole communities lack beauty as well. Then there is little to spur the farmer on, unless he is otherwise gifted with 208 NEBRASKA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. an aesthetic nature. Thirdly, the farmer is not as enthusiastic over nature as urbanites, for he fairly lives with it and as a result he fails to appreciate it. Lastly, he lacks the time. Now there is no reason why these four causes cannot be removed — each one seems absurd. Surely the best method of removing them is to hire a competent land- scape gardener to plan your place, then you have instituted competition and the whole community will be benefited, for no one fails to appre- ciate tasteful gardening. Another method is by reading references in gardening and accomplishing the worlv yourself. The location of build- ings and drives is the first thing to be considered in planning a place, but it will be my object to say nothing of this but to discuss some means by which a farmer can beautify his place himself, no matter what condi tion it may be in as regards to location of drives and buildings. Surely the first thing to consider is the general neatness of the place. 1 occasionally make a visit in the country, northwest of Lincoln. The drive takes me past several neat places and two places are made notable by their lack of neatness. The house of one is bedecked with only a portion of a chimney; the other portion had been wrecked by a storm The partially destroyed chimney was not attractive, but to overtop this the owner had failed to remove the bricks that were left upon the roof. I first saw that three years ago and it is still in the same condition. The rest of the place was in harmony. Here stood an old hay rack, there a mower and so on, besides piles of iron scraps and old lumber. There was absolutely no neatness there. The other farm is characterized by having machinery in the front yard and along the road sides. We must have lumber piles and iron heaps, but put them in some unseen place. Do the same with the machinery if you do not have a machine shed. If you do not have a secluded spot at your disposal then make one. All that is necessary is to take a certain plot of ground and en- close it with trees and shrubs. You can also make a rustic fence and cover the same with vines such as grape or morning glory, preferably grape. As you drive through the country, how many farm homes do you see with uniformly painted buildings? In most cases you will find only the house and the barn painted, the former white and the latter red. A uniform painting of buildings as regards to color will give a most pleasant effect and above all an immediate effect. Never paint your buildings white. White is bad for two reasons. First, it is too con- spicuous a color; and secondly, white as a color will not blend with the landscape. As a general rule select the colors of building material, such as cement, stone, wood, bark of Jrees, etc. In doing this you select a neutral color and one which will blend with the landscape. Browns, drabs, fawns and grays are just fine. Paint all buildings the same color, but it is well to paint the house a few shades lighter than the other buildings as it should be more conspicuous. The trimmings should be a few shades darker than the body color. The smaller the house the lighter the color, so as to have it stand out more prominently. Never BEAUTIFYING THE KAR.M. 20".» paint the blinds green for it is too striking and you violate the first general rule in selection of color when you do so. While it always seems necessary to have a fence about the house, it is nevertheless bad. All fences are bad but there are degi'ees of badness. If a fence can be dispensed with, so much the better, for in doing so you usually create a large yard and the rural home ground should be large. The best fences are, of course, those that are ijiost natural; namely, hedges. A good privet hedge will keep out the chickens and, by the way, this is one of the most hardy and beautiful of hedges. Arbor vitae winter kills and osage orange makes a too open growth. Plant this hedge in front and on the sides, where there are no shrubbery groups. Where the hedge runs into the shrubs, have it drift in, so to speak; that is, vary its shape and size as it approaches the group. If the house is within 75 feet of the road, use no hedge but otherwise it is permissible. A parlor would seem at a loss without a rug or a carpet and just so would the landscape be without a green sward. The lawn is the founda- tion of landscape effects on the farm and without it, it is incomplete. Never break up a lawn with flower beds. Trees and shrubs should be to the side, leaving an open center. Blue-grass makes the finest of lawns in this region, but it is sometimes difficult to secure a good stand. Clover is next best and it is advisable to plant clover first and then grad- ually work in blue grass. Red Top is good for quick effects as well as some of the commercial mixtures of lawn seed. The two greatest enemies of the lawn are dandelions and crab-grass. Dandelions can be eradicated by the use of a digger but crab-grass offers a greater problem. Crab- grass sets seed so freely and the mower will not get all of the heads as they may be flat upon the ground. It pays to rake up the crab grass be- fore mowing, thereby getting some of these heads. A crab-grass lawn it mowed often is not bad but it is late in coming out in syring and dries up early in the fall. I believe it can be crowded out with clover. The best results in lawns are secured with fall sowing. As a general rule never let the lawn-grass go to seed. Using the parlor example again, trees are no more indispensable to the landscape than furniture is to the parlor. Trees have four uses upon the farm: namely, for wind-breaks, for screens, for shade and for pure ornamental purposes. It is advisable to plant a windbreak north of the barns and feed lots. A wind-break northwest of the house would also be advisable if it does not interfere with the grounds proper. These wind-breaks should be of evergreens; preferably Bull, Austrian and Jack pines or Norway and Black Hill spruces. Cedars should not be used owing to their relation to the orchard. If there is any disagreeable view from the house the same can be screened off by the use of trees. The barn- yard should certainly be screened oft' from the houses. Certainly the trees' shade is one of the most striking advantages. Then plant trees so as to shade the house but do not plant too close to the house or to each other. Do not plant too many trees, as is generally the case, resulting 210 NEBRASKA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. in a forest. Trees are also beautiful in themselves. They have form, color and texture. Elms have square heads, pines have a horizontal branching habit and the Lombardy poplar has an erect branching habit. Then there are also weeping elms, mulberries and w^illows. The honey locust and the catalpa have lighter foliage while the pines are of a dark green. Catalpas have large broad leaves, while the locust has fine compound leaves. Now, use these trees in your screens and shade for their diversity. If you cannot use them for shade or screen purposes use them for pure onamental purposes. The deciduous trees are showy in summer and conifers or evergreens in winter and, by the way, plant a specimen tree of the beautiful Colorado Blue spruce, as there is nothing more delightful or inspiring than the same in dead winter. All in all, have a variety of trees and good ones, too. Poplars, box-elders and willows are cheaper, but they give a cheaper effect. Everyone has seen a forest or a woodland. It not only consists of trees but it also includes shrubbery or under brush growth. The shrub- bery plays its part by hiding the- trunks of the trees and by covering up a general bareness at the base of the trees. Shrubbery should be planted with groups of trees to give this naturalistic effect. They should be planted in groups, yet the spirea Van Houttei makes a fine individual specimen. The group may also serve as a screen, or as a barrier to trespassing. By all means have groups of shrubs at the sides and back of yard. Make these plantings the boundary of the yard. This boundary may consist of one continuous group or of several smaller groups. Do not plant the shrubs in rows or squares but just clump them together. The boundary of the groups should be curved or bulged out at places. Do not place much shrubbery at the front boundary. It may be well also to have shrubbery directly in front of the house and at the sides. Perhaps there is a foundation to hide. In these groupings one should have tall ones in the rear and smaller ones in front. Tamarix, mock orange and lilac are good tall shrubs. Spireas, dogwood, snowballs and privets are very good intermediates. The Van Houttei spirea is the most beautiful of our shrubs in flower, form, and foliage. Make an entire group of this one. Barberries are the best of small shrubs. 0f course you have a good nursery down at the creek. It will offer dogwood, buckbrush, sumac, gooseberries and elderberries. It will be well to use some of these — yes, all of them, for there is nothing better for a rural effect. The forest also has its vines. The tallest weeds along the road sides are twined upon by morning glory or bindweeds. It certainly is a part of nature. By all means plant vines. Plant them on the fence if it still stands. Sheds can be completely covered by vines. If your house is built of bri( k, then use the Virginia creeper, but do not use this on wood as it will aid decay. It is possible to have vines on the house by using a trellis. Honeysuckles, clematises and Crimson Ramblers are fine for a trellis. Ordinarily vines are used on porches and the effect is good. T once saw a farm home porch covered with a grape vine. The vine was BEAUTIFYING THE FARM. 211 tirsi trained up to the cornice and then it was allowed to drape down. It was very beautiful as well as economical. Morning glory, cypress and balloon vines are our best annuals, while the three mentioned previously are best perennials. Again you can go down to the creek and find plenty of grape and bittersweet. Ordinarily, flowers attract more attention than other parts of the landscape. Too often the case, they so overshadow everything else that shrubs, trees and all are ignored. Flowers are beautiful and conspicuous but they should not overshadow everything else. As mentioned above, never put a flower garden in the lawn if you wish a natural effect, and that is the only one for a rural home. Plant the flowers in the borders, in the shrubbery groups or against the fence. The shrubbery group Is the most inviting place for the flowers and a most appropriate one also. Flowers will serve to fill out the gaps and form the graduation from the tall rear shrubs to the lawn grass. There are two classes of flowers — annuals and perennials. We might add bulbs, but they are either annual or perennial. Annual fibwers live but one year while perennials live from year to year. It is advisable to use perennials as they need but little care and are permanent. Many perennials flower early in spring, an effect you can not secure with annuals. With perennials you can have something flowering all through summer. I want to emphasize again, never to have flower beds, but plant flowers in borders, among shrubs and alongside the fence. Use tall flowers in the rear and shorter ones In front. Bulbs give a fine early spring effect and they are out of the way in time for the annuals. Plant bulbs in fall or early winter. The following can be recommended: hyacinths, crocuses, tulips and the narcissus. The best annuals are: petunias (single and double), balsams, candy tufts, bachelor buttons, cockscombs, nasturtiums, pansies, phlox, poppies, castor bean, sweet peas, verbenas and zinnias. These few will give every color, form, texture and size desired. The annuals should be grown from seed. The best perennials are: columbines, bluebells, cor- eopsis, larkspur, Chinese bell flowers, hollyhocks. Oriental poppies, peonies, phlox, golden glow, golden rod, tiger lilies, day lilies and irises. Every one should have every one of these growing in the border. Peonies, irises and oriental i)oppies are the most beautiful of our garden flowers and surely no garden could be complete without them. These perennials can be grown from seed but it is difiicult to get good results. Buy a collection of your nurseryman. He will sell you the roots or plants. Then, each two years divide up the clumps and transplant. In this way you can start with a small stock and have a sufficiency in a few years. It is necessary to mulch the perennials for the winter. . The last phase of this subject that I wish to discuss is that of the care of the roads, roadsides and field ends. The best improvement that a rural community can make is that of the road improvements. Good roads are not only economical but they add beauty to the landscape- Procure or make a drag and use it on your part of the road after each 212 NEBRASKA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. rain. It will not take much time and the whole community will appre- ciate it. Nothing can be more unsightly than roadsides of sunflowers or cockleburrs. They obstruct the view of the fields and besides it indicates poor management. A good collection of smaller weeds, and weeds that are not so harmful, do not make a bad effect, at least there is an air of naturalness. But as a general rule, mow the roadsides. After this is done go on the other side of the fence and mow the weeds between the fence and field ends. In conclusion, I hope that every reader will try some of these sugges- tions, at least clean up and paint the buildings. There is not much ex- pense to what has been advised. Anyway, never think about how much it is going to cost, but ask if it is going to be beautiful. If it is beautiful, it will be a recreation to you — yes, an inspiration, by these means you have have not only made the place beautiful and more homelike but you have increased the value of the place over and above the cost of the beautification. THE HOME BEAUTIFUL. C. S. HAKIUSON, YORK. It is a delightful thing for the home to have a procession of beauty from early spring till the hard frosts of autumn. On account of the winter drouth which prevails in Nebraska and other portions of the West it will not do to plant trees and shrubs in the fall unless we except the lilac, which is one of the hardiest ornamentals. The practice which succeeds so well in the nioister climate of the East has been discarded with us. With perennials, however, it is different. Their tops always die down in the fall while the roots survive. We have never found a raspberry which did not kill to the ground while the roots would be uninjured. If possible we always plant perennials in the fall and seldom lose a plant. PEONIES. If you note the structure of the roots you will find the buds which are to produce the next year's foliage and flowers are perfedly formed the last of August. In September we commence to plant. If the tops are green mow them off and dig and divide the roots. Some of these may be very brittle and snap like pipestems when handled. Let them dry a half a day and wilt a little; toughen them so you can cut them up in safety. Then you can put them in water or plant in moist earth and you restore them to plumpness again. Often among valuable sorts there is great loss in cutting up when freshly dug. You need a bud with a root to make a success. Wilt them and you can divide with perfect safety. Dealers will often dry them a little to i)revent the roots from breaking while being packed and then use moist material to restore them on the way. You i)lant the root while the bud is young and tough and immediately il will thiow out tiny rootlets which by September will be THE HOME HEAUTIPUL. 1*1 o as long as your finser. It is preparing for the early spring push. Now watch. In October the bud has grown and is getting more tender. In November it has become more so and must be handled with care. In the spring they begin to grow at a very low temperature and the bud is easily damaged. Dealers, in saving roots for spring sales must keep them, partly dry, in cold storage so as to retard their growth. Thus kept back we can plant as late as the first of .Tune and they will live and perhaps you will have a few blooms. But the best time is September and October. You seldom lose a peony on account of their extreme hardiness. In planting put them in slanting. If you put them in straight the earth may settle away and the bud punches it way out to be damaged by the winter. Put them in at an angle of forty-five degrees and they will settle with the earth. Have the ground in good condition and put the buds two or three inches below the surface. You should not lose a plant in a hundred. misES. These charming flowers of ethereal beauty are more and more com- ing into favor. It is a delight to see the marvelous colors and wonderful tracery of most delicate tints interwoven with matchless skill. Next to ihe peony they are extremely hardy. They multiply with great rapidity We have divided thirty from one plant in two years. Get a few of choice kinds and you will soon have some splendid masses of them. We have kept the plants in moss in boxes six months at a time and then planted them out when well started without losing any. They do best when planted in August or September. We have planted them successfully after blooming in July. Sometimes they are planted very late just be- fore freezing. Again, early spring is a good time. At the North they should be planted in good season and then they should be mulched. Put the roots about two or three inches below the surface. Of course the ground should be well pulverized and moist. ORIENTAL POPPIES. These are perennials, bearing flowers from the same root for twenty years. A large bed in full bloom is one of the most striking things in floriculture. It is a blaze of splendor — a miniature sea of fire. The great flowers are from six to nine inches in diameter and inside is some of the nature's finest handiwork all done up in jet. They bloom in June and they go into a dormant condition in July and August and you think they are dying when they are only going to sleep. They should be planted in August or September when you will probably save every one. The root is shaped like a parsnip. It increases with age and then subdivides. If you wait till spring the outer skin slips from the root and you do well if you save 25 per cent. Plant in August and the plant immediately begins to gro\y and furnishes quite a tuft of foliage which covers the root for winter. 214 NEBRASKA STATE HORTICULTUKAL SOCIETY. PHLOX Are also very hardy. A gentleman procured some in the fall and not being ready to plant them just then, he threw a board over them and forgot all about them until spring, when he took up the board and found them in good condition. He planted them with no loss. October and November are good months for planting them. We do not often mulch and seldom lose a plant. Farther north it is well to cover them. Here the ground seldom heaves. Sometimes we hoe dirt over them in the fall and remove it in the spring. The nurseryman often has orders for them in the spring when they are a foot high. It is cruel to disturb them in that condition. In the spring they begin to grow before the frost is fairly out of the ground. Great improvement has, of late years, been made with them. We have produced several of great merit and we think much finer than any of the imported ones. They are in bloom from June till November. The Phlox Manual takes you into wonderland and shows how you can produce new varieties as well as the European experts. DELPHINIUMS. These prove to be very attractive. In the main they carry all the shades of blue, besides the pure white and the yellow. The latter, how- ever, is not perfectly hardy. These should be planted in October and November or very early in the spring. At their best you see great branching plants, sometimes six feet tall, miniature trees, overwhelmed wi