2-206 NORTH AMERICAN STATES 



NORTH AMERICAN STATES 



aiY n-inarkiibly fnv from insect timl fiiiijioiis injurios. 

 Btviili";; tho nsitive clu'rrii'S. Kiirly Rii'liiiioml. Mont- 

 nior»'i\i\v ami Knglisli MoroUo aro the leailinp varieties. 



Ctnijx"- ami siuall-fr<iit-!iio\viii}; is beioiiiiii); one of 

 the leading industries in the eastern part of the state, 

 cs|HX'ially in Distriets Nos. 1 anil 'J. where nuieh wine is 

 nianufaet urtnl and immense quantities of fruit ship|H'<l 

 out every year. The grape has heen exi<'ptionally free 

 from insect and fungous enemies vmtil very recently 

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

 serio\is losses in some localities. The leading varieties 

 arc Concord. Worden, Moore Early, Niagara, Moore's 

 Diamond, and \\ oodrulT lUxl. 



Raspberries and blackberries suffer from drought and 

 winter-killing except in the region close to the Mis.souri 

 River, and here they fonn an important cro]). 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 jiart of the stale, 

 e.s])ecially in Districts Xos. 1 and 2 where fruit of the 

 highest quality is pro<luced. Senator Dunlaj), Sjilendid, 

 Bederivood. Crescent, ( iandy, Augu.st Lut her, Klondike, 

 July and Sample are the varieties principally grown. 



The nursery interests of the state are very important,. 

 Seedhngs of all the important fruit, forest and shade 

 trees are grown in large quantities. Propagation of 

 varieties is carried on by root-grafting, budiling 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. 



^'cgetable-gardcni^g has taken its rightful place with 

 the other industries in Nebraska. Both vegetables 

 grown in the field and imder glass yield abundantly and 

 are of excellent quality. More vegetable-gardening is 

 done in District Xo. 2 than any other ])art 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 <lroughts. 

 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 tlirougliout 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 grecnhou.se work very popular and a large num- 

 ber of persons receive employment in this line. 



Among the native wild fruits which arc found abun- 

 dantly along every stream, the following are the most 

 common: PawTjaw (Aidmina triM/a), in the eastern jjarf ; 

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

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

 the latter riju-ning much earlier than the former antl 

 being much more palatable; wild pliun (I'runun nmeri- 

 carui), over the entire state; choke-ch(^rry iPruniiH 

 virginiaTM), over the entire state; wild rherry {I'runun 

 serotiTia), eastern part of state; sand cherry (I'rnnus 

 pumila), very common in the fientral and western parts 

 of the state on dry sandy lands; wild cherry (I'runus 

 demiimd), common throughout the region from "Long 

 Pine" westward and is much more palatable than the 

 choke-cherry; wild strawberry (Fragaria virginiana var. 



ilUnocn.tis), very common wherever moisture is suffi- 

 cient; wild red rjispberry {RubuK nlri(iosus), in the Ciist- 

 ern part of the state; wihl black raspberry (Ruhiis 

 iicritlcnidtix), very common over eastern half of state; 

 wilil blackberry, very connnoti over eastern half of 

 state; wild crab-ai)ple (I'l/rus corouaria), (eastern part 

 of the .state; juneberry (Aint'ldnrhii-r canadcn.via), in the 

 e;i.stern i)art of the state; wild gooseberry (A'j'dcs rolutuli- 

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

 golden currant (liibcs aiiniDn), very conunon; elder 

 {Sainhucus raconoxa), very common; persimmon (Dios- 

 puriis n'rginiaiKi), southeaslern ]jarl ; buffalo beriy 

 (Shcphi'rdia argciilca), along I'latte River; red mulberiy 

 {Mnnia riihra), m the eastern part. 



ICarly horticultiu'e in Nebraska was very discourag- 

 ing. Persons coming to Nebraska and not acquainted 

 with coniiitions insisted on plaiding varieties of trees 

 unsuitable to this region, because of their excellence 

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

 with the varieties, a,llow(~d some eastern nurseryman to 

 choose for them. The results were such that further 

 planting was discouragetl. The deep fertile soils of 

 Nebraska i)roiluced such abumlant 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 fanning, 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 ilangcrs, leaders were devel- 

 oped, men with courage and determination who have 

 succeeded in overcoming many of the dilTicultics. 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- 

 tics 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 ]5lanted 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; Benton 

 Alflrieh, who planted apjile antl peach orchards in 

 Nemaha County, near Auburn; Jcseph 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 m.any experiments; J. M. Russell, who 

 planted a j)each orchard near Wymore, and who, 

 besides demonstrating that peaches could be grown in 

 Nebraska, originated many excellent varieties. 



Public-service agencies for horticulture. 



The Lanfl-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 exjjcrimcntal substations, the North 

 Platte Experimental Substation, 4 miles south of the 



