188 NEBRASKA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY 



me plats that had continued to produce year after year without renewal 

 for eight, nine and ten seasons. With the facilities for irrigation affroded, 

 the strawberry yields more abundantly in western Nebraska than in 

 eastern Nebraska, and could we have the same skilled labor that is re- 

 quired to grow strawberries in the Hood river district, thousands of 

 acres would be devoted to, the production of strawberries. The growers 

 are assured of a near and profitable market. They would be 1,500 miles 

 nearer a profitable market than the growers in the Hood river district. 

 Western Nebraska at the present time lacks skilled labor and trained 

 horticulturists. Whenever this class of labor is developed on the field 

 or moves in from other districts, this portion of the state should be 

 heard from in the production of all of the minor small fruits and of 

 certain iron clad types of apples. 



I find that I have omitted any remarks concerning the peach. The 

 peach trees in the Hunter orchard 318 miles west of Omaha have now 

 been planted eleven years. They commenced bearing the third season. 

 Three years there has been a commercial product to ship. The other 

 seasons they have rarely missed a family supply. About 200 peach trees 

 planted in this orchard. While we would not advise the commercial 

 planting of the peach in western Nebraska, we have been surprised to 

 note that some little fruit has been grown as far west as Lodge Pole. 



Frost protection. The commercial orchardist in western Nebraska 

 will no doubt commence to use such methods of frost protection as have 

 been 'found useful at Grand Junction, Palisade and other Colorado points. 

 Before this method was thought of some of the orchardists of western 

 Nebraska had been using another method which apparently is suf- 

 ficient to protect orchards and vineyards from harm to the exten of wto 

 to four degrees below freezing point. By accident, the laterals breaking, 

 accidental late watering, and in other ways, it was discovered that if the 

 waters from the ditch were turned loose on vneyards and orchards on 

 frosty nig'hts the crop was saved. In the Jim White orchard near Suther- 

 land this method has been followed for fourteen years. He saved his 

 grapes and plums in 1908. This method was discovered by accident th« 

 19th of May, 1894. That evenng Mr. White had watered his vineyard veiT 

 heavily late in the evening. The next morning his vineyard was safe, hie 

 neighbors had lost their crop. Acting on this hint Mr. White has followed 

 this method ever since with excellent results. 



