106 



Mr. J. S. Beatty of Kentucky, in volume 2, page 219, reviews the peach 

 interests in the central States of the Mississippi Valley. I quote: "The 

 Mississippi Valley is more exposed to meteorological extremes and distur- 

 bances than any other part of this continent. The torrid heat of our sum- 

 mers and the arctic blizzards of our winters embrace a range of temperature 

 from about 120 degrees in the shade to 40 degrees below zero. We are 

 exposed to droughts and floods of great extremes." He gives a vivid de- 

 scription of the dread cyclone, and asks: "What is it that will hold out 

 against these mighty forces ? The trees cannot long endure the compound 

 forces of old Sol, nor can the fruit germs resist the intense cold of 40 

 degrees below zero, or 20, or even 10 degrees, under certain conditions." 

 He then describes the effect of protracted droughts, and says the fruit 

 " wilts as passed through an evaporator." He proceeds to point out numer- 

 ous other causes of failure. He concludes by asking five pertinent ques- 

 tions. I quote the fifth — says the writer: " Is there any practical way of 

 protecting our peach trees by baling or thatching, to prevent winter kill- 

 ing of both trees and fruit? Also, could not late spring frosts be rendered 

 harmless to peaches by means of a cheap iron furnace to burn coal in, set 

 between every four trees, and fired up at any time that frosts may be 

 expected." 



Imagine Mr. A. T. Hatch, of Suisun, with his orchard of six hundred 

 acres, putting stoves in each square of four trees — twenty-five stoves to the 

 acre — fifteen thousand stoves to fire up and keep going ! 



In the same volume, page 103, Professor Budd, of Iowa, says of pears: 

 " We have not one ironclad." In California we don't know what fruit men 

 are talking about when they speak of "ironclads." Fruit men east are 

 searching out varieties grown as near the north pole as possible, in the 

 hope of finding genuine "ironclads." 



In volume 3, page 115, is a paper on " Success and Failure," submitted 

 by Mr. George J. Kellogg, of Wisconsin. It is one wail of failure, with little 

 ray of success to relieve the picture. I cannot ask you to bear much longer 

 with me, but as a, specimen let me quote what he says about cherries: 

 " About every third year we raise nearly enough for the ' dear little birds.' 

 The three varieties they like best are the Early Richmond, Red English, 

 and Late English Morello. These give a succession to other fruits, and no 

 doubt save the life of many a songster. Therefore, cherries are both a 

 success and a failure." 



I think Mr. Kellogg's philosophy, in the face of disaster, must have been 

 reinforced by gazing on shipments from California of Mr. Leonard Coates' 

 Centennial or General Bidwell's Napoleon Bigarreau cherries, laid down 

 firm and sweet, at reasonable prices, at Mr. Kellogg's door. 



The apple is largely grown, when not a failure from some seasonal dis- 

 aster, in Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, and most of the New England 

 States. In Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Dakota, and northern Nebraska, 

 even the apple is almost despaired of, says Mr. VanDeman, owing to the 

 ruinous effects of the severe winters. But we do not compete in apples. 



The peach grows in a few States, and when they have a good crop, our 

 market is affected as to dried fruit somewhat; but we are earlier in the 

 market with our green fruits, and besides the maximum peach crop of the 

 East can never supply the increasing demand. In 1887 there was almost 

 a total failure. 



The plum is grown East to a limited extent only. The curculio is a 

 universal and deadly pest. Besides the foreign varieties common here are 

 not grown there, and prunes as we know them are unknown there. 



Some pears are grown, but are not in our way in any manner whatever. 



