NORTH AMERICAN STATES 



NORTH AMERICAN STATES 2189 



on the ridges bordering the valley of the Kickapoo 

 River in Crawford County. These unglaciated ridges 

 extend from Wauzeka to La Farge, west to the Missis- 

 sippi and east to Richland County. Several thousand 

 acres of commercial apple orchards are now being 

 developed in this section. Probably the most remark- 

 able phase in the development of commercial horti- 

 culture in Wisconsin is the extensive planting of tree- 

 fruits in Door and Bayfield counties, both north of the 

 45th parallel. The acreage of tree-fruits at the present 

 time in Door County exceeds 7,500 largely sour cher- 

 ries, including one plantation of 670 acres of Mont- 

 morency and Early Richmond. The Bayfield district 

 comprises a narrow strip along the shore of Lake Supe- 

 rior from 2 to 5 miles wide and extending north and west 

 from Washburn to the east line of Douglas County. 

 Over 600 acres of apples and cherries are now planted 

 here in addition to an equal or greater acreage of small- 

 fruits. The success of fruit-growing in these districts 

 is clearly due to the modifying influence of lakes 

 Superior and Michigan. 



Pears are not extensively grown in Wisconsin on 

 account of lack of hardiness of the tree as well as the 

 ravages of fire blight. 



The americanas are the only plums that can be 

 depended upon to bear fruit regularly in all parts of 

 Wisconsin. The hardier sorts, of the European plum, 

 Prunus domestica, and of the Japanese plum, Prunus 

 triflora, are fairly fruitful in the eastern part, notably 

 in Door and Kewaunee counties. The trees of the last 

 two species, as of those of Prunus hortulana and Prunus 

 angustifolia, endure the winters throughout the state, 

 but the flower-buds are destroyed whenever the ther- 

 mometer registers much lower than 20 below zero. 



The peach and apricot are not fruitful in any part of 

 Wisconsin except after unusually mild winters. The 

 trees are frequently grown in gardens, and sometimes 

 attain considerable size, but they freeze back more or 

 less in the average winter. Trees of the apricot, imported 

 from Russia, have been frequently planted in Wiscon- 

 sin, by way f>i experiment, but are nowhere fruitful. 

 Even if the flower-buds escape destruction, the fruit 

 almost invariably falls soon after setting. 



The grape, with winter protection, is successfully 

 grown throughout southern and eastern Wisconsin, 

 when planted on light soil, with southern exposure. 



Strawberries and other small-fruits are grown in 

 sufficient quantities to supply local markets and, in 

 addition, from 250 to 300 carloads are shipped annually 

 to Minnesota and the Dakotas, mainly from Sturgeon 

 Bay, Baytield and Sparta. 



Huckleberries and blueberries are extensively gath- 

 ered from wild plants in certain parts of west-central 

 Wisconsin, and are shipped in large quantities to cities 

 of the Northwest. Wisconsin is one of the chief cran- 

 berry-producing states. In parts of Wood, Adams, 

 and Juneau counties, and in less degree in Waupaca 

 and Green counties, the cranberry plant was native over 

 very large areas, and before the settlement of the coun- 

 try the Indians gathered the fruit extensively in bearing 

 years. Latterly, the wild marshes have been largely 

 improved by clearing and providing flooding facilities. 

 In some seasons the total output of cranberries from 

 Wisconsin has aggregated nearly 100,000 barrels. The 

 varieties grown are mostly native, and the quality 

 and keeping of the fruit are excellent. In the years 

 1894 and 1895, the cranberry industry of Wisconsin 

 suffered a serious check by the destruction of many 

 marshes by fire during an exceptionally dry perioa. 

 But the business is rallying and may, in a few years, 

 recover its former magnitude. 



The trucking industry is confined largely to the 

 southeastern part of the state, mainly Racine, Kenosha 

 and Milwaukee counties. 



Wisconsin is one of the leading cabbage-producing 

 states of the country, shipping annually over 5,000 



carloads of the hard winter varieties. Domestic cab- 

 bage are also produced in large quantities for the manu- 

 facture of kraut. The principal producing counties are: 

 Brown, Columbia, Kenosha, LaCross, Milwaukee, 

 Outagamie, Pierce, Racine, Rock, St. Croix, and Wood. 

 Outagamie is probably the heaviest producer, about 

 40,000 tons being the annual production of recent 

 years. Within the past few years the cabbage industry 

 of the southeastern part of the state has been threatened 

 with destruction, owing to the ravages of a relatively 

 new disease known as "yellows." By selection, a dis- 

 ease-resistent strain of whiter cabbage has been secured 

 which stands up almost perfectly under the most 

 adverse disease conditions. This strain has been dis- 

 tributed under the name "Wisconsin Hollander." 

 Further trials show that similar disease-resisting strains 

 of the other commercial types are obtainable. 



The onion industry of Wisconsin centers along the 

 lake shore in Kenosha, Racine, and Milwaukee coun- 

 ties, and is extending into other sections. The types of 

 onions usually grown are the Red and Yellow Globe, 

 although the white onions are raised to a certain extent. 

 The land best adapted for this crop is rather limited, 

 about 600 acres being raised annually at the present 

 tune. Owing to the profitableness of this crop, the 

 acreage is tending to increase. The yield to the acre 

 varies greatly with the fertility of the soil and the care 

 given the plants in their early growth. The average 

 yield is above 400 bushels an acre with occasional 

 yields running over 700 bushels. With fair market 

 conditions, the growers receive $200 to $500 an acre. 



Forty-three per cent of all canned peas in the United 

 States are produced in Wisconsin. In 1909, this state 

 produced 1,165,055 bushels of dry peas, more than 

 any other state. 



Coincident with the extension of fruit-planting has 

 come the development of selling organizations. Fruit- 

 selling associations, purely cooperative hi character, 

 have been in successful operation for several years at 

 Sparta, Sturgeon Bay and Bayfield. 



In esthetic horticulture Wisconsin compares favora- 

 bly with any other state. The park systems of the 

 larger cities receive liberal support both from the 

 municipalities and private gifts. About Geneva Lake, 

 in the southeastern part of the state, are the summer 

 homes of many wealthy persons, largely residents of 

 Chicago. Here may be found some excellent examples 

 of landscape art and architecture. 



Public-service agencies for horticulture. 



The College of Agriculture is located at Madison. 

 The Department of Horticulture was organized in 1889, 

 and is one of the most potent forces in the development 

 of horticulture in the state. There are eight teaching 

 members of the horticultural staff. 



The Experiment Station is also at Madison. The 

 research work is varied, dealing with particular prob- 

 lems in the culture of the various horticultural crops. 

 Most of this work is carried on at Madison but a por- 

 tion of it is done in connection with the work at the 

 branch stations. Considerable work has been done 

 with variety testing of fruits. 



The extension service is of more recent development. 

 Three members of the staff give most of their tune to 

 this line of work. The organization of community 

 centers for the growing of pure potato seed stock, 

 inspection and certification of potatoes, orchard 

 rejuvenation, spraying demonstrations, tobacco seed- 

 bed sterilization, home and school ground improve- 

 ment, lectures and garden and fruit schools are some 

 of the lines of activity of the department. 



The office of State Entomologist was created in 1915, 

 and has sole charge of the nursery and orchard inspec- 

 tion, the inspection of apiaries and the examination 

 and analysis of insecticides and fungicides. This office 

 is also authorized to engage in extension work. 



