402 BOAKD VF AUUICULTUBE. 



FRUIT GROWING IN INDIANA. 



There is no truer saying than that "we know less about the things 

 near us than those far away." The possibilities of horticulture in Indiana 

 are simply wonderful when we begin seriously to study the question of 

 fruit growing. 



There is no fruit except the citrus or tropical varieties that can not 

 be grown within her borders with some degree of satisfaction and profit. 

 'Tis true, there are a few limited areas of country in some parts of the 

 United States that are producing more peaches than we are, and in 

 some instances apples as well, but not because they can do it better or 

 more cheaply, but because their lands have been "boomed" by capitalists, 

 railroads and land agents for all they are worth and people have been 

 induced to make special efforts along these lines. Even granting that 

 special crops can be grown in certain localities to the very highest state 

 of perfection only goes to show that these particular localities are adapted 

 to special crops while Indiana is an all-purpose horticultural State. 



NECESSARY TO SUCCESS. 



There are a few- absolutely necessary conditions to make commercial 

 orcharding a success— these are cheap lands, nearness to large rivers or 

 lakes, air drainage, suitable soils and market facilities. The more of these 

 essential conditions that can be combined the more profitable will be 

 the venture. All up and down the Ohio river there are to be found cheap 

 lands with soils especially adapted to the growing of tree fruits and 

 small fruits as well. In the central part of the State, with Brown county 

 as a center, we find cheap hill lands, a productive soil and air drain- 

 age, and here most all kinds of fruit can be grown abimdantly and profit- 

 ably. Then there are the lake regions of the northern part of the State, 

 which are bound to develop some profitable fruit industry when directed 

 aright. These fruit lands will only remain cheap until enterprising horti- 

 culturists discover their adaptabilities and possibilities. 



Experience a long time ago taught our orchardists that hill or knob 

 land was best suited for growing fruit— that fruit "hit" oftener and was 

 of better quality than in the valley or flat lands. Later on it was dem- 

 onstrated that cold, damp air flows down hill as readily as water, and 

 when the hills are cut into by frequent ravines, gulches or valleys the 

 cold air is quickly drawn off the hilltops and hillsides and the loss from 

 late frosts or winter heaving is reduced to a minimum, and annual crops 

 may be expected with a fair degree of certainty if the orchard receives 

 proper attention. 



Most of our low, flat lands are high-priced because they produce the 

 cereal crops most profitably, but these soils are mostly alluvial and do 

 not contain the mineral elements of plant food in right proportion to give 



