THE BOOMERS AND THE BOOMEES 25 



which spoiled at night the peaches which had ripened during 

 the day. To cap the climax, the market was full and our 

 stuff brought no price. Most of the peaches were allowed to 

 fall to the ground. "We had about 4000 boxes go on to the 

 ground, and marketed only some 600 boxes. 



I had spent money in the summer thinning peaches, buying 

 ladders and box stock and wrapping paper. All in the neigh- 

 borhood did the same. Many built packing sheds. The ap- 

 ple crop did not help much, for the country was stuffed with 

 apples and our stuff brought very low prices. The money for 

 fruit did not get to the grower until the following summer. 



The winter of 1912-1913 was the severest since any govern- 

 ment record has been kept, and many peach trees were killed. 

 Some whole orchards were lost. Since that year many mort- 

 gages have been foreclosed. In the fall of 1912 I had to bor- 

 row $1000 on account of the freeze and low prices, and had to 

 mortgage the place. The cold winter of 1912-1913 froze the 

 peach trees, and so we had no peaches last season. I had some 

 300 boxes of fine apples on the young trees in the fall of 1913, 

 but the very day I had set to pick them there came the worst 

 hail storm I ever saw. In five minutes the crop was punk. 



This spring looks good so far, but I have learned not to be 

 puffed up. I am not counting the money for the crop, nor 

 thinking of ways to spend it. When I get the money I'll have 

 it, and that's all there is to it. But in spite of all this we 

 have not suffered from hunger, though we fare mighty plainly. 

 I live on bread and milk most all the time. Luxuries we have 

 none, excepting the scenery. That can scarcely be excelled. 



I never saw the apple orchards look finer than they have 

 this year, but " What shall the harvest be ? " The year we 

 came here a banker in town told me he did not know of a 

 case of foreclosure of mortgage in this valley. Since 1912 

 there have been dozens of foreclosures, and there are more to 

 follow soon. Those who came here in early times twenty 

 years ago and got the land cheap and have their homes 

 clear and own good bearing apple orchards, are safe. They 

 can stand any number of bumps. We have some such neigh- 

 bors. 



The people here are unusually well educated and well read 

 for farmers. There are many ex-school teachers, school super- 

 intendents, college graduates, hard-headed Germans and Quak- 



