2206 NORTH AMERICAN STATES 



NORTH AMERICAN STATES 



are remarkably free from insect and fungous injuries. 

 Besides the native cherries, Early Richmond, Mont-, 

 morency and English Mprello are the leading varieties. 



Grape- and small-fruit-growing is becoming one of 

 the leading industries in the eastern part of the state, 

 especially in Districts Nos. 1 and 2, where much wine is 

 manufactured and immense quantities of fruit shipped 

 out every year. The grape has been exceptionally free 

 from insect and fungous enemies until very recently 

 when black-rot and the grape root-worm have caused 

 serious losses in some localities. The leading varieties 

 are Concord, Worden, Moore Early, Niagara, Moore's 

 Diamond, and Woodruff Red. 



Raspberries and blackberries suffer from drought and 

 winter-killing except in the region close to the Missouri 

 River, and here they form an important crop. Red 

 raspberries are very little grown, being subject to 

 winter-killing except in the immediate vicinity of the 

 rivers. Strawberries now form one of the most impor- 

 tant small-fruit crops in the eastern part of the state, 

 especially in Districts Nos. 1 and 2 where fruit of the 

 highest quality is produced. Senator Dunlap, Splendid, 

 Bederwood, Crescent, Gandy, August Luther, Klondike, 

 July and Sample are the varieties principally grown. 



The nursery interests of the state are very important. 

 Seedlings of all the important fruit, forest and shade 

 trees are grown in large quantities. Propagation of 

 varieties is carried on by root-grafting, budding and 

 hardwood cuttings. The nurseries of the state supply 

 not only the home trade but have a large and well- 

 established business in other states. 



Vegetable-gardening has taken its rightful place with 

 the other industries in Nebraska. Both vegetables 

 grown in the field and under glass yield abundantly and 

 are of excellent quality. More vegetable-gardening is 

 done in District No. 2 than any other part of the state, 

 although the irrigated lands in the Scottsbluff region 

 are rapidly developing into a vegetable-producing sec- 

 tion. Canneries are being established and the indica- 

 tions are that there will be a still more rapid increase 

 in vegetable-growing in the near future. The beet- 

 sugar factories afford a ready market for sugar-beets, 

 the acreage of which is rapidly increasing. The acreage 

 planted to potatoes each year is also rapidly increasing 

 in spite of potato diseases and occasional droughts. 

 Marketing associations are being formed at various 

 points to facilitate the distribution. Early varieties 

 are grown principally, the leading potato being the 

 Early Ohio. Many acres of tomatoes are grown every 

 year and sold to the canneries. All varieties of root 

 crops do well throughout the state, but the cucur- 

 bits are grown with most satisfactory results only on 

 sandy loam soil of the Platte River valley, and a few 

 other particularly suitable locations. The growing of 

 pure-bred garden seeds also receives a great deal of 

 attention. 



Ornamental gardening and floriculture are receiving 

 their due share of attention throughout the state, 

 especially about the cities. The excellent markets have 

 made greenhouse work very popular and a large num- 

 ber of persons receive employment in this line. 



Among the native wild fruits which are found abun- 

 dantly along every stream, the following are the most 

 common: Pawpaw (Asimina triloba), in the eastern part; 

 late wild grape (Vitis cordifolia*), over the entire state; 

 early wild grape (Vitis riparia), over the entire state, 

 the latter ripening much earlier than the former and 

 being much more palatable; wild plum (Prunus ameri- 

 cana), over the entire state; choke-cherry (Prunus 

 virginiana), over the entire state; wild cherry (Prunus 

 serotina), eastern part of state; sand cherry (Prunus 

 pumila), very common in the central and western parts 

 of the state on dry sandy lands; wild cherry (Prunus 

 demissa), common throughout the region from "Long 

 Pine" westward and is much more palatable than the 

 choke-cherry; wild strawberry (Fragaria virginiana var. 



illinoensis) , very common wherever moisture is suffi- 

 cient; wild red raspberry (Rubus strigosus), in the east- 

 ern part of the state; wild black raspberry (Rubus 

 occidentalis), very common over eastern half of state; 

 wild blackberry, very common over eastern half of 

 state; wild crab-apple (Pyrus coronaria), eastern part 

 of the state; juneberry (Amelanchier canadensis), in the 

 eastern part of the state; wild gooseberry (Ribes rotundi- 

 folium), very common in the eastern part of the state; 

 golden currant (Ribes aureum), very common; elder 

 (Sambucus racemosa), very common; persimmon (Dios- 

 pyrus virginiana}, southeastern part; buffalo berry 

 (Shepherdia argentea), along Platte River; red mulberry 

 (Morus rubra), in the eastern part. 



Early horticulture in Nebraska was very discourag- 

 ing. Persons coming to Nebraska and not acquainted 

 with conditions insisted on planting varieties of trees 

 unsuitable to this region, because of their excellence 

 on the old "home place," or, being entirely unfamiliar 

 with the varieties, allowed some eastern nurseryman to 

 choose for them. The results were such that further 

 planting was discouraged. The deep fertile soils of 

 Nebraska produced such abundant crops of corn and 

 small grain that orchard-planting was retarded. The 

 trees were as a rule set too close together, and in the 

 rush of general farming, neglected. Young trees were 

 set in sod and if they reached the age of bearing soon 

 bore themselves to death. Added to this came the 

 inroads of insects and fungous diseases. But here, as 

 in the face of other great dangers, leaders were devel- 

 oped, men with courage and determination who have 

 succeeded in overcoming many of the difficulties. Sys- 

 tematic spraying was commenced. Scientific pruning 

 and cultural methods were developed. 



Nebraska has awakened from her lethargy and has 

 become a state of pioneers in horticulture. Amateur 

 horticulturists are numerous and horticultural special- 

 ties are rapidly developing. Better methods have 

 developed special crops. Canning factories have been 

 established and plants for the handling of by-products, 

 such as cider-mills, vinegar-factories, wine -presses, and 

 the like are numerous throughout the state. 



The present high rank of horticulture in Nebraska is 

 due largely to the untiring efforts of the early pioneers 

 who not only planted large numbers of fruit trees them- 

 selves, but encouraged and assisted others to do the 

 same. Among these may be mentioned: W. J. Arm- 

 strong, of Otoe County; J. Sterling Morton, who be- 

 sides fruit-trees planted trees and shrubs of every spe- 

 cies and variety which he thought would thrive in 

 the vicinity of Nebraska City; he was the originator of 

 Arbor Day, and to him is due in a large part many of the 

 beautiful plantings and groves of trees found in the 

 state today; Oliver Harmon, who planted not only 

 fruit-trees and vines but forest trees as well; J. H. Mas- 

 ters, who besides extensive plantings of fruit and forest 

 trees, engaged heartily in beekeeping; Wm. Fulton, 

 who planted an orchard near Nebraska City; Bentqn 

 Aldrich, who planted apple and peach orchards in 

 Nemaha County, near Auburn; Joseph Bennett; Bird 

 Vowell, who planted orchards near Auburn; S. Barnard, 

 who established a nursery and planted an orchard at 

 Table Rock; R. W. Furnas, ex-Governor of Nebraska, 

 who planted a large orchard near Brownville, and 

 carried on many experiments; J. M. Russell, who 

 planted a peach orchard near Wymore, and who, 

 besides demonstrating that peaches could be grown in 

 Nebraska, originated many excellent varieties. 



Public-service agencies for horticulture. 



The Land-Grant college of Nebraska was established 

 at Lincoln in 1871. There are three teaching members 

 of the horticultural staff. 



The Experiment Station is also located at Lincoln. 

 There are also two experimental substations, the North 

 Platte Experimental Substation, 4 miles south of the 



