NATIONAL COUNCIL OF HORTICULTURE 75 



other, every one of us with every neighbor, the near at hand and the 

 distant ones, all for the subdual of this star-world, that the best of life 

 here may be shared by each. There are many of us on this speck of 

 a world, but there are many yet lacking their fair share of its products, 

 its beauty, its joy. President Ayles worth of the Colorado Agricultural 

 College has said, "Let us work shoulder to shoulder with our faces 

 set toward a high ideal and don't let anything make us miss our goal." 



OUTLINE OF SOUTHERN HORTICULTURAL CONDITIONS. 



F. H. BURNETTE, BATON ROUGE, LA. 



In the time given for this topic, it will be possible to touch only 

 a few points. Speaking from the standpoint of the middle gulf 

 section, there is present to-day a feeling of serious unrest in agricultural 

 affairs, due to the onward march of the cotton boll weevil. This insect 

 no doubt will eventually infest the entire field of cotton growing, and 

 cause a complete change in the agricultural practices of the whole sec- 

 tion. In this general shake-up, horticultural pursuits will receive their 

 share of attention. Already floods of inquiries are coming to the ex- 

 periment stations, seeking the best information concerning many lines 

 of agricultural endeavor outside of the growing of cotton. The grow- 

 ing of vegetables, fruits and nuts has received marked attention. The 

 lack of canneries and evaporators precludes the growing of the com- 

 mon horticultural products, except for local city use, or long-distance 

 trucking along the trunk lines of railways hence there are many 

 things to come before this can be changed. Along the trunk lines 

 are large truck sections, where immense quantities of vegetables, ber- 

 ries, and fruits are grown and sent to the far North. These sections 

 are prosperous, and while the growers have difficulties to overcome, 

 the boll weevil and the cotton gambler are not to be found among 

 them. These horticultural sections are increasing in size, and with the 

 advent of new railway lines will become great factors in the material 

 welfare of the South. In Louisiana, the truck sections approximate 

 three millions of dollars in value of products. These products include 

 the vegetables, berries and oranges. The growers are now being organ- 

 ized, and they produce and market their crops in a systematic manner, 

 which insures the best returns. 



The greatest disadvantage to be found is connected with the labor 

 question, which while it differs slightly in color from the labor ques- 

 tion in other sections is just as difficult to overcome. The leaders in 

 our horticultural affairs are taking advantage of everything that is 

 up-to-date in the cultivation of their crops. Improved implements are 

 used, intense systems of cultivation are employed and the use of the 

 spray pump has become familiar to them. 



The newest departure in horticultural affairs is the interest that 

 is being developed in the pecan industry. People generally throughout 

 the gulf section are beginning to realize the possibilities connected with 

 the growing of pecans commercially. Pecan orchards are being set 



