162 . NEBRASKA STATE HORTICULTUKAL SOCIETY. 



REPOET FEOM DISTRICT :N0. 9. 



COMPRISING HOLT, ROCK, BROWN^ KEYA PAHA^ AND BOYD 



COUNTIES. 



It was but a few years a2:o that the counties in this horti- 

 cultural district were thought to be too far north to permit 

 of successful fruit growing within their borders; but facts 

 have demonstrated that by the use of methods suitable to the 

 soil and climate an abundance of fine fruit can be produced 

 in these counties. Last fall a gentleman from one of the 

 eastern counties of Iowa said to me that he saw more appleKS 

 in one orchard in Holt county than there was in his whole 

 county in Iowa. I received a letter recently from a gentle 

 man who is now in York this state, -vN'ho has a farm in this 

 county, which is his home. He writes in regard to his orchard 

 here, " I much wish you could have seen my fruit trees and 

 small fruit last summer; I think T could have shown you 

 something worthy of your notice; I am well pleased Avith my 

 efforts so far with almost all kinds of fruits ; I have tried both 

 large and small." This man's farm is right in the sandhill 

 region. I visited his place a few years ago and was surprised 

 at the wonderful growth his trees had made; they had not 

 come into bearing yet not being old enough, but the prospect 

 was good for a very productive orchard. I have in some of 

 my reports referred to Mr. Peter Greely whose orchard of fif- 

 teen acres has brought him from a thousand to fifteen hun- 

 dred dollars annually for a number of years. A farmer near 

 Chambers sold four hundred dollars worth of apples in one 

 year from four acres. I might multiply instances of success- 

 ful fruit growing in this district, but this is sufficient to show 

 what can be done by proper management. Some years ago 

 an honored member of our society and a leader in horticul- 

 tural instruction in the state visited the Chambers Experi- 

 ment Station and was looking over a young orchard, being 

 asked what he thought of fhv prospect as compared with an 

 orchard in a certain other locality, casting up his eyes and 

 looking over the orchard, said : "I see some brush." Last 



