430 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



in Florida and California, but there was a liberal supply. The exportation 

 of this fruit to England has begun, and a line of steamers between Jackson- 

 ville, Fla., and Liverpool is being established to carry the freight. Mexico, 

 on the other hand, has begun to ship oranges to this country, and our 

 growers may therefore look for competition from this direction. 



Another citrus fruit that is becoming quite popular is the pomelo. 

 Hitherto its cultivation has been almost wholly confined to Florida, but 

 California is now trying it. Specimens received from Oroville were of 

 fair quality, but in competition with that produced in Florida this fruit is 

 likely to be at a disadvantage because of its thicker peel and more acid 

 flavor. These objections are sometimes made even to the Florida fruit, 

 though it is very wholesome and, to most persons, of agreeable flavor. 

 The market demand is steadily increasing, and seedling varieties are being 

 named and large orchards of budded trees are being set in Florida. It is 

 to be regretted that the names "grape fruit "and " shaddock" are applied 

 to the pomelo, as they are neither appropriate nor absolutely correct. 



Of the small fruits, the strawberry was abundant in all sections, and 

 prices ranged low except for very choice lots. The same is true of the 

 blackberry, raspberry, gooseberry, and currant. In some localities frost, 

 insects, and fungous diseases worked slight damage. The cranberry crop 

 has on the whole been quite, good, especially in the New England States 

 and in New Jersey, where favorable conditions increased the crop about 17 

 per cent, above that of last year. In the west damaging frosts occurred in 

 the spring and also in July, August, and September, which caused a 

 decrease from last year's crop of 83 per cent. According to the statement 

 of the American Cranberry Growers' association, the crop in the United 

 States this year has been 702,250 bushels, against 800,000 last year. 



Nut trees of all kinds bore a heavy crop. As a rule, the wild walnuts 

 and hickories bear full crops only on alternate years. Last year there 

 were very few and this year there have been many. Our native nuts are 

 rarely found in cultivation, but the interest in nut culture is growing, 

 and especially in the pecan, which is probably the best of all nuts, either 

 native or foreign, which are found in our markets. The improved varieties 

 of this nut were mentioned in my report of last year. In California there 

 is a lively interest in the culture of the Persian walnut. This nut has often 

 been incorrectly called " English walnut" and "Madeira nut," but recent 

 investigations prove the nanfe "Persian" to be the correct one. All over 

 the country there is a slight interest in the culture of foreign chestnuts, 

 but there is great need of more extensive plantings. Our markets are 

 poorly supplied, and the price is therefore high for these and other nuts 

 which should become a common article of food here as in southern Europe. 

 Already a much larger import trade is carried on than our farmers should 

 permit, and we trust that the tide of trade in nuts will in time be turned 

 the other way, as is now the case with raisins, oranges, and canned fruits. 



FRUIT-FARMING IN SOUTHERN MISSOURI. 



In the middle of August I had the privilege of personally examining 

 the southern part of Missouri with reference to its capabilities for produc- 

 ing fruit. Special attention was given to the Olden fruit farm in Howell 

 county. The berry crops were all harvested before my arrival, but the 

 fields of thrifty plants and records of market returns gave evidence of a 

 large yield of strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries. I have never 



