THE COMMERCIAL ORCHARD 191 



I have observed that the work done by the Humphrey Nurseries in this 

 section of the country is grand and should convince the most skeptical 

 that our state will ultimately become one of the greatest fruit growing 

 states in the union. I have also observed that invariably their orchards 

 are placed with the most intelligent, alive and up-to-date farmere. This 

 alone will insure their success, and I can say from my observations that 

 every one of their commercial orchards are a success. 



When I look over the list of national honors our state has won at 

 world's fairs and national fruit exhibits, I notice that in 1871 Nebraska 

 won its first medal on fruit This was awarded at the horticultural ex- 

 hibition at Baltimore on general exhibit. The next was in Boston in 1873 

 and was given on account of the largest variety of pears shown by any 

 one state — ^at that time Nebraska had forty-three varieties exhibited. 

 The next prize was awarded in 1876 at the Centennial, when the state 

 was given a medal for the best collection of fruit. At the World's Fair 

 in Chicago, Nebraska won a medal for having the best collection of 

 grapes. Prior to this time the state had won medals at Boston and 

 Philadelphia, where it had shown its fruit. Yesterday, while calling at 

 the nurseries here, I saw for the first time the gold medal won in 1898 

 at the World's Fair in Omaha for a continuous display of apples. In 

 1904, in St. Louis, Nebraska won several great honors at the fair there, 

 and at the Paris Exposition, Marshal Bros., of Arlington, this state, won 

 first and second prize on one of the leading varieties of winter apples. 

 This year at the Horticultural Congress and Exposition at Council Bluffs. 

 Iowa, Nebraska carried off the first prize for the best general display of 

 fruit by any Horticultural Society in the Union. 



When we consider that we have made better records in fruit grow- 

 ing than most any other state in the Union, in spite of the fact that^&o 

 little attention is paid to fruit growing here, we cannot help but recom- 

 mend to farmers who have their own farms to plant large orchards as 

 long as the orchard so greatly enhances the valne of their farm, gives 

 to much comfort, pleasure and health, and if the orchard is of the 

 commercial size it will ultimately become by far the most profitable 

 spot on the farm. 



The commercial cherry and plum orchards and the commercial 

 vineyards are equally as profitable as the commercial apple orchards. 



We learned from Fred Van Ackeren that his vineyard produced nearly 

 $600 worth of grapes this year and that it has produced many profitable 

 crops in the past years. "Necessity creates modern inventions." 



When there are enough small fruits grown here to support the, en- 

 terprise, canning, cider, vinegar and jelly factories, dryeries and the 

 denatured alcohol distilleries will spring up. 



I have a paper before me which reports that eight canning factories 

 will be built in the state of Washington the coming year. Is this due to 

 a fact that they grow more or better frnit theer than we do here? Of 

 course not. But they have the encouragement of the transportation com- 

 panies and a live set of real estate boosters. The transportation com- 



