MISCELLANEOUS PAPERS. 327 



Orcharding for Profit. 



By A. J. Davis, Jeflerson City. 



Orcharding for profit in Cole county or any other county depends 

 wholly on the man that undertakes to grow tree-fruits for profit. No 

 man need expect succeed in growing tree-fruits unless he gives 

 it his undivided attention and study; there are such countless num- 

 bers of insect pests, blights and various fungus diseases, all of which 

 have to be fought against to succeed, and one will have to study 

 and make himself familiar with each and every kind of enemy he has 

 to contend with. Varieties planted and location also come in for our 

 utmost care, for if varieties are chosen not adapted to our climate, 

 or, of poor market value, failure will result; then pruning your trees, 

 or what is better, learn how to grow a tree so you will not have to 

 prune ; and last, but by no means least, picking, packing and marketing 

 your fruit, require care and familiarity with the markets of the world. 



Our county is especially adapted to growing of the apple, peach, 

 pears, plums and cherries, and if the right varieties are chosen and 

 proper care bestowed upon them after planting, fruit-growing undoubt- 

 edly will pay in Cole county much better than any of the ordinary farm 

 crops or stock. 



Here is a statement from Mr. R. E. Bailey, of Callaway county. He 

 says, in 1880 I planted a small orchard of Ben .Davis apples, that has 

 already produced $250 worth of apples to the acre (this was in '91, 

 giving, 11 years from planting), an average of over $20 per acre, in- 

 cluding the five years of waiting ; in no single year have these trees had 

 as good culture as an ordinary crop of corn ; three years they were not 

 touched at all. I believe it would be very easy to double this yield. 

 This (1891 ), these trees have made $70 per acre. 



" My greatest mistake was in not planting 100 acres instead of 100 

 trees. My second mistake was in cultivating five-dollar oats, seven- 

 dollar hay and nine-dollar corn and wheat, and letting rabbits, mice and 

 weeds care for my orchard." 



All of our elevated ridge land is especially adapted to the growing 

 of the apple, peach, pear, cherry and^plum ; although I do not believe 

 there is a section of land in Cole county where an orchard could not 

 be grown, and, if properly cared^for, pay much better than either wheat, 

 corn or oats. Trees on uplands grow slower, commence bearing: 

 younger, and the fruit is of a finer appearance and better flavor than 

 when grown on our rich bottom lands. Our county is favorably located 



