MISCELLANEOUS PAPERS. 863 



MISCELLANEOUS PAPERS. 



NOTES FROM SOUTHERN MISSOURI— FRUIT GROWING 



AND ITS PROFITS. 



During the fruit-shipping season of '88 there was no section of coun- 

 try east of the Rocky Mountains that attracted as much attention as did 

 the fruit product of this Southern Missouri country, especially that along 

 the Kansas City, Fort Scoott and Memphis railroad. Being desirous ot 

 knowing more of it and learning something of the profits, I visited the 

 farm, here at Olden, Howell county, of the Olden Fruit Company. This 

 company consisting of J. K. Cravens, Kansas City, L. A. Goodman, West- 

 port; J.C.Evans, Harlem; W. G. Gano,. Olden, and Frank Holsinger 

 and G. F. Espenlaub, of Rosedale, Kansas, was organized in 1884, and 

 incorporated in 1885 with a capital stock of $40,000. The farm contains 

 about 3,000 acres, of which 800 are in cultivation. There are now over 

 60,000 trees, 40,000 peach and 20,000 apple, and nearly thirty acres of 

 small fruits. The peach crop of '88 was 8,000 one-third bushel boxes, 

 which brought on an average 85 cents per box, aggregating $6,800. Of 

 small fruits there was sold 658 cases of raspberries, 410 of blackberries 

 and forty-one of strawberries. For raspberries and blackberries they re- 

 ceived $3.00 per case, making an aggregate of over $10000. Taking 

 into consideration the value of the corn and potatoes grown in addition 

 to that of the fruit, and that this was really the first bearing year of the 

 peach trees, it certainly makes a good showing both as to profits and 

 success of fruit growing in Southern Missouri. The company will put 

 out fifteen acres more of small fruits in the spring and will add another 



