NORTH AMERICAN STATES 



NORTH AMERICAN STATES 2195 



Moines. Small-fruits, figuroil on tlie biisis of actual 

 consuniiition and based on an average for tlic state, 

 will probably exceed in value all the tree-fruits com- 

 bined, the small-fruits being limited to no particular 

 area l)ut successfully grown for home use and local 

 market in all parts of the state. 



The ,\thi.ntic seaboard, with its 200 years of seedling 

 orcharti jiroduction before budding antl root-grafting 

 became common practice, was enabled through neces- 

 sity, by seedling selection, to develop its "apple kings" 

 and other fruits, all specially adapted, by reason of 

 such seedling selection, to the soil and climate of the 

 region. The first surprise and disappointment came to 

 the early settlers of Iowa when they discovered that 

 the fruits, so desirable and profitable in the East, either 

 winter-killed or proved quite barren in this region. 

 The later introduction of pure Russian fruits under the 

 auspices of a misguided state official, proved a complete 

 failure with few exceptions. The shock horticulture 

 received f rom t hese two experiences retarded t he develop- 

 ment of the pomologv' of the state. The introduction of 

 budding and root-grafting by nurserjTaen in projjagating 

 all fruit-trees terminated compulsory seedling selection. 

 Gradually, as the needs of this great inland prairie 

 region of hot dry summers and fierce changeable win- 

 ters were realized, enthusiastic and devoted breeders 

 have been at work with the result that Iowa and her 

 sister states are now experiencing a far greater degree 

 of practical pomological development than any other 

 region in the western hemisphere. 



The rich soils and abundant rains during the growing 

 season invite the extensive development of market- 

 gardening. The fast-growing cities, the gradual west- 

 ward trend of manufacturing, and the numerous can- 

 neries scattered over the state, offer a splendid and con- 

 stantly increasing market. Heretofore the first impulse 

 of practically every agriculturist was to devote himself 

 wholly to corn, grain and hve-stock, and it has been only 

 in these limited areas where general agriculture could 

 not be pursued with most satisfactory results, that 

 commercial fruit-growing and market-gardening re- 

 ceived deserved attention. Gradual!}', with the steady 

 increase of land values, demanding more intensive 

 farming, and the dissemination of the knowledge that 

 one must conserve and husband the resources of the 

 soil, fruit and vegetables are becoming more generally 

 developed. The best fruit sections of the state are 

 those most i)rominent in market-gardening because 

 land values are the highest and modem economical 

 methods have proved the need of constant cultivation 

 leading to intercrops of vegetables of highest market 

 values. The most important vegetable is the potato, 

 successfully grown on new land in all parts of the state. 

 Sweet corn is grown in small quantities in all sections 

 to supply abundantly home needs and local markets, 

 while in the vicinity of canning-plants, most numerous 

 in the central and northern part of the state, many 

 thousand acres are devoted to this product. Generally, 

 beans, peas, and tomatoes are also grown rather exten- 

 sively in thevicinityof the canneries. Onion-, celery- and 

 watennelon-culture are advancing in importance, being 

 rather general over the stat^ in a limited way, thougli 

 reaching a stage of considerable importance along the 

 eastern border, centralizing in the vicinity of Muscatine 

 along the Mississippi River. 



The nurserj' business has had large development in 

 the state of Iowa. At Shenandoah, near the southwest 

 corner of the state, are two of the largest wholesale 

 nurseries found in the West. Other important nurseries 

 are carried on at Des Moines, Charles City and other 

 places, while small establishments are found in almost 

 every county. 



Puhlic-aervice agencies for horticulluTe . 



The land -grant college in Iowa and the Iowa 

 Experiment Station are located together at Ames and 



work in close harmony. At present there are eleven 

 men on the horticultural staff of the College engaged 

 in instruction work. The ])omolog>' section has one 

 sub-station in connection with a leased orchard at 

 Council Bluffs, where problems in orchard and soil 

 management are especially studied. The number of 

 horticultural bulletins is at present eight, all published 

 within the last ten years. 



The State College at Ames is the only school giving 

 special instruction in horticulture. The State Teachers 

 College at Cedar Falls gives horticultural work in 

 connection with agriculture, but no special course in 

 horticulture. At present, horticulture is taught in over 

 150 high-schools of the state. Beginning with the fall of 

 191.5, similar instruction will be furnished in some 800 

 schools of the state, in compliance with a law lately 

 enacted. 



The State Horticultural Society receives from the 

 state $4,000 annually for its use. It holds its annual 

 meeting in December of each year and prints a report 

 of its own proceedings, as well as of its four subordinate 

 district societies. 



The extension work in horticulture is handled through 

 the division of agricultural extension of the Iowa State 

 College. At the present time there are three men on the 

 extension staff in pomology and truck crops. The work 

 of these men is supplemented by the assistance of other 

 members of the college and experiment station staffs 

 and consists of farm in.stitutes, short courses, orchard 

 and garden demonstrations, farm tours, and so on. 



The inspection service in Iowa is handled through the 

 office of the State Entomologist and apphes strictly 

 only to injurious insects, though the nurserymen, in 

 cooperation with the State Entomologist, have main- 

 tained inspection for injurious diseases. 



A very important work not connected with state 

 institutions has been conducted by C. G. Patten, 

 assisted by support from the State Horticultural 

 Society, the state and the. general government. There 

 are about 20 acres near Charles City thickly planted 

 with cross-bred and selected stock, chiefly of apples, 

 pears, plums and cherries, with more or less of many 

 other kinds of fruits and plants. A number of apples 

 originated at this experiment station have entered into 

 general use in large sections. There has also originated 

 at this station a new race of pears by crossing the 

 Chinese sand pear with American sorts of better flavor. 

 Several generations of trees are growing which are 

 entirely hardy and blight-proof in the extreme north 

 of the state, so that there is promise of plenty of good 

 pears in the near future in the orchards of Iowa. 



Statistics (Thirteenth Census). 



The approximate land area is 35,575,040 acres. The 

 land in farms is 95.4 per cent of the land area, or 33,- 

 930,688 acres. Of the land in farms 86.9 per cent, or 

 29,491,199 acres, are improved; 2,314,115 acres are in 

 woodland; and 2,125,374 acres are classified as unim- 

 proved land in fanns. The number of all the farms in the 

 .state in 1909 was 217,044, there being 156.3 acres in the 

 average farm. [The area of Iowa is 56, 147 square miles.] 



The leading agricultural crops are the cereals and 

 liay and forage. In 1909 the acreage devoted to cereals 

 was 15,041,0.39, or 51 per cent of the improved land. The 

 value of the cereal products for the same year was 

 .■$230,205,315, which was 73.2 per cent of the total value 

 of all crops. The acreage devoted to hay and forage 

 was 5,046,185 in 1909 and the value of the products 

 .$59,360,225, which was 18.9 per cent of the total value 

 of all crops. Sugar crops were raised to the extent of 

 7,276 acres, the production being valued at $208,283. 

 The value of the forest products of the farms in 1909 

 was $3,649,032, which was 1.2 per cent of the total value 

 of all crops. 



Horticultural crops grown are fruits and nuts, small- 

 fruits, vegetables, including potatoes, and flowers and 



