INDIANA IIUKTICULTUKAL SOCIETY. 501 



our leading apple growers are Hon. C. A. Buskirk, Hem-y Yeager, A. D. 

 Green, E. P. Downey, all of Princeton; Rev. Wm'. Strickland, Francisco; 

 Mr. Spain, Hazleton; Col. Cockram and , of Oakland City. 



Ben Davis is the only apple grown here in quantities, while Grimes 

 Golden and Jonathan are being liberally set in late years. Land suitable 

 for orchards would cost from $25 to $30 per acre for broken, hilly sites, 

 up to .$S() to $100 for fairly level loam near our cities. 



Gibson County will have upwards of 100 miles of rock roads when 

 all have been finished that are now under construction and the other 

 counties are fast following in the improved road movement. Patoka 

 Township will have some fifty miles when those now under construction 

 are made. Considering that all the material must be brought by rail from 

 thirty to sixty miles distance at an enormous expense, this is a creditable 

 showing. 



If more plain and definite knowledge were spread among farmers 

 as to how, when and what with and wherefore to spray we could have 

 some splendid fruit. There is little spraying done here, excepting Messrs. 

 Buskirk, Yeager, and a few others who practice it some. 



W. J. RITTEHSKAMP. 



HORTICULTURAL REPORT FOR FIFTH DISTRICT. 



The past season has been about an average one. Small fruits yielded 

 well and prices vrere very satisfactory. Boxes and crates, however, were 

 hard to get and prices higher. Some fruit lost from this reason. Cherries 

 were short and wormy, while plums were overabundant, fine quality and 

 light demand and low priced. Peaches were plentiful in some localities, 

 but trees were allowed to overbear, causing fruit to be small and unde- 

 sirable. Pears set a full crop but blight was the worst for years, caus- 

 ing not only the fruit to drop but many trees were ruined. Apples where 

 f4)rayed were an average crop, but the neglected orchards were a com- 

 plete failure, practically speaking. Twig blight was prevalent in most 

 locahties and did much damage to newly planted orchards of which there 

 are some fine ones in this district. Generally speaking interest in horti- 

 culture in this district is on the wane. Most farmers have an orchard 

 and some small fruits, but tney are badly neglected and are breeding 

 places for all bad insects and pests. Repeated trials have been made 

 to organize local societies, but those sufficiently interested are so widely 

 separated that not enough members can be secured in any locality. 



The need for a live society in each county is manifest. Rural school 

 grounds are unattractive, farm homes do not receive the attention they 

 should, while roadsides are grown up with weeds and brush.' This does 

 not apply to eveiy section, however, as we have some as beautiful country 

 homes and well kept roads as can be found in the state, but the neglected 

 is too mueh in evidence. The rush for money and attempt to run too 

 much land is mainly accountable for conditions. 



