224 NEBRASKA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Ansm'ER — I have not. 



Question — A man told me that he tried it, and the trees he cut back 

 bore fruit while the same variety were a failure. He cut one-half of 

 the limb. Is not that the California system of pruning? 



Answer — Yes, sir; I think it is. I think they are practicing that 

 in California quite largely. 



IRRIGATION FOR ORCHARD AND GARDEN IN 



NEBRASKA. 



I. N. FORT. 



I am requested to confine myself to facts and results, as the theory 

 of the benefits of irrigation for fruits is now acknowledged and ad- 

 mitted in our state. 



The first successful orchard planted and grown in Lincoln county 

 •was created by a homesteader by the name of Edwin Myers, who lo- 

 cated on a piece of government land near the mouth of Morin canyon? 

 about twelve miles southeast of North Platte on the south side of the 

 Platte river. Mr. Myers planted in 1876 an orchard of about one- 

 half acre, consisting of apple, peach, pear, and other fruit trees. Not 

 believing in the theory of the increase in rainfall, and having seen the 

 benefits derived from irrigating while soldiering in Arizona and New 

 Mexico, he collected all the empty ban-els that he could gather from 

 about the fort, seven miles east of his place. These he set where they 

 could be pumped full by the windmill, and every evening about sun- 

 down .the water was allowed to run off on to the orchard. Mr- 

 Myers successfully raised quite a quantity of apples, peaches, and small 

 fruit. He sold this place in 1886, and as the orchard passed into the 

 hands of parties from the east who knew nothing of the value of ir- 

 rigation, but little success has been the result until the past years. 

 But since the irrigation movement lias taken place, and now the owner 

 is successfully raising fruit by the use of the old irrigation method of 

 -windmill and pump. Small fruits have borne splendidly on this place. 

 Mr. Myers was also very successful with his garden. 



In 1884 Harry Hershey, a resident of our county, moved upon the 

 lands west of North Platte that could be irrigated by the North Platte 



