156 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



WILL OROHARDING IN MICHIGAN PAY. 



(by ben NEWHALL, CHICAGO.) 



NOTE — Probably no other man is better qualifiecl by reason of long experience and rare good 

 jud^ent, to discuss, without bias, the subject of this article, than is Mr. Newhall. Thirty-five years 

 of his business life was spent at the head of the well-known firm of F. Newhall & Sons, Commisson 

 Merchants, 131 South Water Street, Chicago, during wh'ch time he repeatedly visited orchards in all 

 parts of the country, from the Atlant'c to the Pacific. But esi ec'ally does Mr. Newhall know Michi- 

 gan. He knows it as a man knows his native town; has traveled through and seen it, not from 

 the windows of a swiftly moving train, but on foot, on horseback, and in wagons. His acqraintance 

 among Michigan orchardists is large: he knows not only those who have been successful in their fruit 

 growing undertakings, but those who have failed, or made only partial success, as well. 



Is the ordinary city man justified in giving up his business and at- 

 tempting it? 



Tlionfeands of city people have bonglit, eitlier in the last few months 

 or are now thinking of buying, orchards and farms in all sections of 

 the country. 



So widespread has this movement become that the question becomes 

 an important one, and not so easy to answ^er. 



Speaking in a general way, the answer depends on four conditions; 

 first, the bank account; siecond, the experience; thirdj the industry; and 

 fourth, the ability to secure proper help. 



But speaking specifically, a full ausAver would take an encyclopedia. 



It seems simple enough — buy your land, stick in your trees, pick your 

 crop and count your profits. 



Just try it and see. There are more angles to the business and more 

 conditions to consider than in a mail order business in the city of Chi- 

 cago. 



This great movement toward the counti'y started some years ago 

 with the orange groves of California and Florida. A little back-set in 

 those two sections cooled })eople's ardor for a time, but not for long, 

 and it broke out again toward the apple and peach lands of Washington, 

 Oregon, etc., and has lately expanded into other Vestern states that de- 

 pend on irrigation, and ha.s last of all taken in Michigan. 



Twenty years ago Michigan was an apple state and raised apples that 

 were worth while; today she only raises imitations. There are excep- 

 tions tliat will be noted later. 



In 1890 more really fine apples w^ere sent out of IMichigan than have 

 been raised in the whole irrigated country since they became states. 



It was too easy, the raising of orchards in Michigan. Insect enemies 

 were few, fungus diseases almost unknown, and all a man had to do in 

 planting an orchard was to select good varieties, plant them with reason- 

 able care, wait a few years and pick his fine apples. 



Today it's ditferent; insects by millions and new diseases galore. 

 Every bushel of good ai>ples raised today costs time and eft'ort, and it's 

 the same with peaches, cherries, pears, in fact, with all fruits. 



Few of the people now rushing to the farms and orchards realize this. 

 If they did, there would be less haste and fewer disappointments. 



The orchard business in Michigan is good enough. There is nothing 

 better for those who understand it; but so is the stock exchange and the 

 board of trade for those who understand those lines. For the ordinary 



