ORCHARDING IN SOUTH-EASTERN NEBRASKA. 87 



chardist's way. On their way home they would meet and send 

 other teams to the orchard. Even advertising cost the or- 

 chardist nothing. 



Today we have a different proposition. Our trees are older 

 and full of disease in body, limb and leaf. The owners of once 

 young and profitable orchards feel old age creeping in upon 

 them, and they have lost all their former energy for the business. 

 The orchard goes uncultivated, it is not sprayed, it goes un- 

 pruned, — in short, general neglect is its condition. 



Nebraska is the home of the home-seekers, and even the in- 

 sects of all nations have found that it is a free picnic, and they 

 are here galore, entering their claims on the old farmers 'trees. 

 The first gentleman of note to come (not welcome, however) was 

 the Codling Moth, and he seems to be a Bible student; at least 

 he does not believe in race suicide, judging from the way he 

 multiplies. His staying qualities seem to be unprecedented. 

 Then we have the Canker Worm, that delights to defoliate our 

 trees. We also have the Leaf Curler and other insects too 

 numerous to mention in this paper. However, all of them can 

 be handled to a greater or less extent by persistent effort, by 

 using the poisons in the proper seasons. 



Last, but not least, comes the Curculio. This fellow for a 

 long time confined his depredations to the plum alone, but after 

 becoming Americanized he conceived the idea of expansion and 

 took up his abode with the apple also, and very much to the dis- 

 comfort of the apple growers of Southeastern Nebraska. We 

 have appealed to our Entomologist and Horticultural Professors 

 for some practical remedy to exterminate this pest. While we 

 are sure they have done all they can, yet rehef is not in sight. 

 While this pest seems in a fair way to finally outdo us, we 

 have not lost all hope by any means. Aside from what our 

 Professors may be able to teach us, we are still hoping that 

 some rational enemy may appear. The cotton growers of the 

 South waited long and patiently for the importation of the Red 

 Ant which destroys the Cotton Ball worm. 



In regard to the fungus diseases, they have their high and 

 low tides, and we understand pretty well how to cope with 

 them. Hence we are not ready to give up orcharding in South- 



