WARSAW HORTICULTURAL. SOCIETY. 411 



James T. Johnson read the following paper: 



RETROSPECTIVE AND PROSPECTIVE. 



If our fruit crops were always good, and prices so remun- 

 erative that the producer could soon retire from the busi- 

 ness, probably he would never tell the world what brought him 

 success. But when it brings him failures, as, alas, is too often 

 the case, it sets him gossiping with his neighbors. "Misery 

 loves company;" he must unburden the mind, and learn what 

 has been the experience of others. So much for adversity, "a 

 blessing in disguise," one that causes us to ascertain our faults 

 and short-comings, and to remedy them. Thus are horticul- 

 tural societies organized and promoted. 



Failures are due to many causes; as, drought, wet, cold, heat, 

 insects, fungi, &c, but probably the three worst enemies the 

 horticulturist — no, the fruit grower and gardener — has, is ignor- 

 ance, laziness and neglect; and until these are remedied, 

 failures will continue. 



When too hot and too dry at the same time, as in 1887, berry 

 crops and the like suffer the consequence, and must, unless 

 intelligence and industry can prevent. And the consequences 

 of a season like 1887 extend to the next year. Another trouble 

 is, our markets are almost inexplicable. Sometimes our crops 

 are poor and our prices poor at the same time. (This was the 

 case with our berry crop of 1888.) Why is this? Is it over- 

 crops elsewhere, or is it manipulators and trusts? The short 

 crop with us was probably a want of vitality in our berry canes, 

 and vitality seems wanting in our markets; but, what is the 

 cause? 



Of grapes, we have this to say, and nothing more : The crops 

 of 1888 and '89 promised well, but alack a day! the rot came, and 

 the grapes went — verily ! the way of the fruit grower seems hard 

 hereabouts. It may be all wisely designed to test the capacity of 

 the fruit culturist to hold on, and labor, learn and wait. 



But again; the apple crop (of this vicinity) in 1888 was satis- 

 factory — that is in yield and quality — but what of the prices? 

 the profits, they were a total failure, they were no compensation 

 to our producers. The crops were immense, quality fine, but no 

 demand, no pay in sixty cents per barrel, surely the tenacity of 

 the horticulturist has been sorely tried. And yet we, the true 

 horticulturist, will not be found wanting. With increased mil- 

 lions of people to furnish with satisfying and health promoting 

 fruits, we must be content to go to work, to make new and fre- 

 quent plantations, and learn, labor and wait, and success, in 

 reasonable measure, is assured us. 



