WINTER MEETING AT CARTHAGE. 83 



going into fruit-growing or eeeking a position as superintendent of a large orciiard, 

 would make no mistake by going to Olden and drilling under their training for one 

 or two years. 



Such men are now in demand, and are not to be found, and it is a mistake 

 iipon the part of fruit-growers that more young men are not being trained and 

 educated to meet this want. 



We ought to have a horticultural college farm of at least one thousand acres, 

 under proper management, and supported by the State, to educate young men in 

 the profession of horticulture, and when graduating from such college should re- 

 ceive a diploma. When we do this we will strike a trail that will lead to a higher 

 plane in horticulture than yet dreamed of by most of us. Most all the mistakes 

 that lead to failure in the profession grow out of ignorance. 



We live in an age of rapid progress, and in order that we may keep our place 

 in the procession, we must be up and on the march ; we must read, study, educate 

 and practice, nor will it do for us to stop with a knowledge of our own business, 

 of how to produce good fruit in abundance, but we must know what our business 

 is as related to the other great industries of the world. We should study to know 

 the aggregate of the great staple products of the world, the effect of the same on 

 the fruit market, the population of cities and countries, the increasing consump- 

 tion of fruit, the falling off in the fruit production in our older states, the increased 

 production in new states, the settlement and rapid growth of our northwestern 

 states and territories, their inability to grow fruit, the effect upon the market of 

 improved varieties of fruit, the various improved methods of preparing and keep- 

 ing fruit for human food, such as cold storage, canning and evaporating, cheaper 

 transportation and the opening of new markets, which we are sure to have in the 

 near future ; the cost of growing a bushel of apples, pears or peaches, as compared 

 with the cost of producing a bushel of wheat, corn or oats, and the selling price of 

 €iach. In fact we should study the comparative net profits of all farm products, as 

 compared with profits of fruit-growing, and the amount of land and capital required 

 to engage in each occupation. Not to do so will be a mistake ; but time and space 

 forbids me attempting to go into details on the fruit-growers' mistakes, but will in 

 brief enumerate a few. 



In planting the family orchard and fruit-garden, many plant too few varieties 

 of the standard fruits, such as apple, pear, peach, plum and grapes, and neglect to 

 plant berries, or fail to care for them properly after planted. Enough of the standard 

 fruits should be planted to give an abundant supply, and variety enough of each, 

 ripening in succession through the fruit season of each. Berries should be grown 

 in abundance for family use by every land owner. Take good care of all, and in 

 due time eat and enjoy the fruits of your labor. 



In planting for market in former years, the mistake was in planting too many 

 varieties; now it is the other extreme, too few, often one, namely, Ben Davis. 

 Several good varieties ought to be set in every market orchard, but largely Ben 

 Davis and Jonathan. Plant apple-trees 25 to 32 feet each way, owing to lay of land 

 and varieties ; on hill land, 25 feet ; on level, rich land, 32, less will be a mistake 

 hard to remedy. Many trim up their trees to get a trunk four to six feet high ; this 

 is a sad mistake ; when once done can't be corrected ; three feet is better. Many 

 over-prune, and ruin their trees. 



A fatal mistake all should guard against, a very common mistake all over the 

 West, is the neglect of orchards, which are left to make their way the best they 

 can among the grass, weeds, rabbits, borers, gophers, and other enemies. Let me 

 give you,a pointer : A friend of mine in Holt county had a large orchard that he 



