486 BOARD OF AGRIf'ULTITKK. 



Now, in speaking of tliis clay, remember that it is tlic subsoil rather 

 than tiio top soil that is of the greatest advantage to tlie apple tree. 1 

 would ratlu-r liavo a-good clay subsoil with a tliin top soil than a rich top 

 soil witli a ihin subsoil. However, if wo can have it all rich— and there is 

 plenty of it right here at home— so much the better. It is because of this 

 that a run down lann is often very valuable for a fruit farm. 



Again. I find that tlie Winesap, Jonathan, Rome Beauty and Grimes 

 Golden, wliich are our loading commercial apples, grow to perfection here. 

 If you will study tlie marliets from year to year you will find that these 

 varieties are the favorites and are the ones Avhich command ilie iiighest 

 prices. I do not believe tlmt there is another state which can boast of 

 these four leading commercial varieties wliich have the quality and which 

 command llie higli price of those just named. While all four of these 

 sorts can be profitably grown, I must say that of the four the Winesap is 

 the most profitable over the largest area. Indiana is certainly the home 

 of the Winesap, and we should not overloolc the fact .that we have right 

 here in southern Indiana one of the largest Winesap belts in the United 

 States. There are few localities in the United States particularly adapted 

 to the Winesap, and they are so limited in extent that there can never be 

 an overproduction of that sort. I therefore maintain that wherever we 

 can find soil adapted to the Winesap we should not hesitate to plant the 

 largest portion of it to this variety, for there is no variety which is more 

 profitable when planted on Winesap ground. 



Again. This fruit land is reasoualiio in price, and in many cases very 

 cheap. It seems that the rougher the ground the better the fruit, and for 

 this reason, among others, the land is often the cheapest. Then again, 

 on this rolling and hilly ground we are in less danger of the frost, for the 

 simple reason that frost will drain off of these hills just tlie same as 

 water, and Avill often leave our fruit unharmed when other localities are 

 injured. Of course, you will understand that within this apple belt there 

 are sections wliore it is impossible or impracticable to raise fruit, but 

 these spots are local, and should be used for something else. 



A few years ago a report of the Geological Survey by the Department 

 of Agriculture mentioned the clay soil which runs through southern Illi- 

 nois, Indiana and Ohio and the high quality of fruit it produced. 



Since there are so many natural advantages right here at home why 

 is it tliat there are not more people taking advantage of the opportunity? 

 I say to you, the possibilities of the apple business of southern Indiana is 

 underestimated and being overlooked by our home people. This is not 

 right, and you are losing money by not accepting such opportunities. 



Fruit growing is one branch of agriculture through which it is pos- 

 sible for any of our energetic and intelligent farmers to develop an honor- 

 able and well-paying business. Fruit raising is a business which as a rule 

 is the first to receive neglect and the last to receive careful and intelligent 

 thought by our average farmers in Indiana. This condition of affairs I 



