98 Nebraska State Horticultural Society. 



gaged the time and attention of the planter; but for the future, 

 economy of handling, best methods of protecting the crop from insect 

 enemies and fungus diseases; better methods of picking, packing ard 

 handling; methods of reaching markets and finding customers, will en- 

 gage their attention — all of which will be suflacient to engage the best 

 intelligence and most persistent energies of producers, and such wiU 

 succeed, and only such can succeed, and the sooner growers and othero 

 interested find this out the better it will be for all concerned. 



I recently heard of a man who thought that Angora Goats would 

 be profitable, and as his apple trees happened not to have a crop, he 

 thought to utilize his orchard for a goat pasture. This plan worked 

 well — especially well for the goats. He still has his heard of goats, bur 

 he has no orchard, and for those who will not give their trees propar 

 care, it is recommended for them to use their orchards for goat 

 pastures, as being the speediest method of getting rid of their apple 

 trees. But the man who has a good orchard, with intelligence and 

 energy enough to care for it, it is safe to assume that no other invest- 

 ment promises better returns, for the capital and energy necessary to 

 properly care for the trees. We see in almost all lines of business that 

 people are specializing and devoting better directed efforts on certain 

 lines. This is particularly true in the stock business, as well as in 

 business generally, and it seems that the time has come for specializing 

 in fruit growing, and, while it may not be necessary for one to devote 

 his entire time to growing apples, there is in the business enough to 

 engage the time, capital, energy and best ability of any man, with the 

 prospect of great success for intelligent effort along this line. 



The present is a time of sharp competition, and he who would suc- 

 ceed must read aright the signs of the times. He who can best forecast 

 the future will be in condition to profit by the changes that are so 

 rapidly and constantly taking place. It seems unsafe to predict what 

 will be, and yet the prediction is ventured that those who invest money 

 and well directed energy in the soil and its products, will reap reasona- 

 ble rewards for their efforts. The very rapid increase in population 

 and wealth, the constantly increasing proportion of our people who are 

 consumers rather than producers, point, unmistakably, I think, to real 

 estate investments, and points (however much we may deplore it) to a 

 landed aristocracy in this country. But he who proposes to thrive by 

 the products of the soil should properly direct his enegries to meet 

 changing conditions. 



Close observers must notice the tendency in our country to ap- 

 proach old-world conditions, and, while we may deplore this tendency, 

 no one well informed will deny that there is such a tendency. The 



