22 APPLES AND PEACHES IN THE OZARK REGION. 



subsequently become one of the most extensive orchards in this entire 

 region. This orchard, however, has not proved a financial success. 

 The planting of commercial orchards at other points in the Ozarks 

 rapidly followed. Probably there were relatively greater orchard 

 interests in northwest Arkansas at the time the Olden Fruit Farm was 

 established than there were in Missouri, though the rapid growth of 

 apple planting in the former section was largely influenced by the 

 building of railroads, which made possible good transportation 

 facilities. The impetus began about 1881 or 1882. The plantings 

 in eastern Oklahoma are more recent, most of the orchards having 

 been set out during the past 12 or 15 years. 



Nothing in the whole history of the fruit industry in this country 

 better typifies the American propensity for doing tilings on a large 

 scale than the size of the orchards in the Ozark region. Compara- 

 tively few of the commercial orchards contain less than 40 acres. 

 Orchards of 80 and 160 acres are common, while those containing 

 from 250 to 500 acres are not unusual, and several holdings of even a 

 larger acreage under a single management exist in this region. The 

 planting of such extensive orchards has been unfortunate in many 

 instances. Mistakes in selecting orchard sites, in planting the trees, 

 and in their subsequent management were rather common in the 

 earlier days. Many large orchards were planted by owners who 

 knew nothing about their care and management. Others used all 

 their available funds in buying land and setting out the trees, then 

 were without the necessary capital to properly care for the orchard 

 until it reached a profitable age. While such errors doubtless would 

 be largely avoided in future plantings, as a result of past experience, 

 nevertheless the mistakes made in the older orchards materially affect 

 present conditions. 



Other fruits than apples and peaches are also grown here to some 

 extent. Pears, plums, and cherries are produced, though sparingly — 

 probably not enough to supply local demands. Grapes are grown at 

 a few points in considerable quantities. Small fruits, including 

 raspberries, blackberries, dewberries, and strawberries, are grown in 

 some sections — strawberries on an extensive scale. Probably straw- 

 berry culture, especially at certain points in southwestern Missouri, 

 and in the northwestern part of Arkansas, where it has become an 

 important commercial fruit, has been more uniformly profitable with 

 a majority of the growers than any other type of fruit culture. 



As the writers see the situation, the best interests of the apple and 

 peach industries of some portions of this region will require that the 

 size of the orchards be reduced to such an extent that it will be 

 possible for the owners to give them the requisite attention necessary 

 to maintain them continuously in the best possible condition. When 



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