American Pomological Society. 159 



Watrons, Des Moines, was one of the most enjoyable papers of the 

 meeting. 



One interesting session was devoted entirely to the history of the 

 horticultural growth in those states lying west of the Missouri. "Kan- 

 sas," by Secretary W. H. Barnes, came first. He said the first settlers 

 found many kinds of fruits growing wild when they came to Kansas. 

 The first apple tree was planted by the Rev. Thos. Johnson, near Shawnee- 

 town, in 1827. Pears were planted by him in 1836, and are still to be 

 seen. The state passed the usual period of hurried planting, little culti- 

 vation, wrong varieties and refuse stock, and some gave up discouraged, 

 while others persevered, and proved this was not only a fruit country, but 

 a good fruit country. Now, the Arkansas valley, for 240 miles west, 

 is well known as a great apple producing section. Judge Fred Wellhouse 

 and his 1,637 acres of apple trees are well known the world over, and 

 there are numerous orchards in the state of 1,000 to 2,000 acres each. 

 The State Society was organized in 1869, with Wm. Tanners as president, 

 and the first appropriation was for $500, made for the purpose of making 

 an exhibit of Kansas fruit at the thirteenth session of the American 

 Pomological Society, at Philadelphia, in September, 1870. Kansas re- 

 ceived a Wilder medal at this meeting. Recent statistics show that there 

 are 240,000 acres in the state devoted to fruit trees. 



"Nebraska" was dealt with by Prof. Emerson, who said that the 

 first plantings were made in 1853, and the first commercial planting in 

 i860. The usual difficulties of early planting were overcome to a degree, 

 and the industry showed steady advance until in the '90s, since which 

 time commercial planting has stood nearly still, but there is steady 

 increase in home plantings. The State Horticultural Society was or- 

 ganized in 1869. 



"New Mexico" was the subject of Fabian Garcia, who gave an 

 interesting account of its early history. Peaches, apricots, apples and 

 grapes have been grown since the early '60s. In 1876 there were 30,000 

 trees planted in one orchard, and from this the industry has grown 

 rapidly. In 1894 the now famous orchard of Parker Earle was planted 

 near Roswell. There is no lack of natural conditions of soil and climate 

 in the Paseo and Rio Grande valleys, but irrigation is needed. 



T. V. Munson spoke on "Texas." The development of commercial 

 interests, he said, were not great up to 1876. Soon after this small ship- 

 ments were sent out of the state, and the prices received were so satis- 

 factory that the work was greatly stimulated, and shortly there w^ere car- 

 load shipments. Texas is yet in her infancy, and the world will learn 

 much of her resources in the next few years. 



