27S 



tent, drugging and sickness, which might now have been done away, or greatly 

 alleviated, had the requisite care been taken in season. And not only so, but as 

 matters have been this season, this region, had it been provided with bearing- 

 orchards as it might have been, could not only have supplied its own inhabitants 

 measurably with fruit, but perhaps could have been induced, by the high prices 

 offered, to part with a considerable quantity for exportation to adjoining sections 

 where the crops of fruit have been almost totally destroyed by late frosts, while ours 

 were uninjured. Even a few bushels of apples sold from each farm, at one or two 

 dollars per bushel, the prevailing rates, would have strengthened wonderfully the 

 broken staff of hedge-row dependence. Granting that this is asking too much, 

 . considering the recent date of the settlements here, yet still it may well be ad- 

 duced and strongly urged as an incentive to prepare ourselves to take advantage 

 of similar opportunities in future. True, there ai'e many and important interests 

 pressing upon us, but is not this especially worthy of increased attention ? 



With these few preliminary observations we shall proceed more directly to the 

 details of our subject; though, had we been writing a few years earlier, it would 

 have been our first duty to devote considerable time to a discussion of the ques- 

 tion, whether fruit could be grown here at all or not. This query having been, 

 as we think, in view more especially of the past season's crop and public displays 

 of fruit, popularly and properly settled in the aflBrmative, it is deemed unne- 

 cessaiy. 



In discussing the horticultural merits of any particular locality, the climate and 

 soil are to be first considered. As they are more or less favorable, so will the 

 business of fruit-growinof be more or less successful. Aside from them there is to 

 be taken into the account but the one consideration of profit, depending upon the 

 market or probable demand for fruit. 



The climate of Wisconsin, and the Great West generally, is undeniably a pecu- 

 har one, differing considerably from that of the Eastern States or the Old World. 

 Its chief, distinguishing peculiarities are to be found in its sudden changes and 

 great extremes, which are occasioned by our brilliant suns, and the prevalence of 

 our winds, which in turns may owe their power to the champain surface and far 

 inland position of the country. The extreme range of the thermometer over a 

 large portion of the Great West is not less than 120=* — here N. lat. 42^^ 40' it is 

 from 94° in summer to 26 below in winter, though it rarely sinks so low — 

 and the usual range is from about 92 above to 10 or 15 below 0. The variations 

 occurring in the wetness or dryness of the seasons are also great, and the res- 

 pective periods sometimes of long duration. The proportion of windy days, it 

 is believed, is unusually large, though the winds are rarely so powerful and des- 

 tructive as at the East. In addition to these should be named, as most trying and 

 injurious to the roots of young, tender, or newly planted trees, the utter naked- 



