ii8 



words and if we continue to practice the slack methods of the past, 

 that man told the truth and we will deserve our fate. But I don't 

 believe him. I have faith in the latent honesty and business ability 

 of our eastern growers. 



The western growers went there mostly from the east and 

 crossing the Rocky Mountains did not especially work a miraculous 

 change in their honesty or business ability. But their disadvantage 

 of high-priced lands and their distance from market have worked 

 out to their advantage. My home town is only a few hours from 

 Chicago — the largest distributing market in this country — and, since 

 we can ship anything to Chicago and get something for it, most of 

 us are raising anything, shipping everything and are getting a little 

 of nothing, and then, to cap the climax, are trying to lay the blame 

 on everyone except the right party — ourselves. 



Next to the disadvantage of distance from market, the other 

 disadvantage that works out to their advantage is the inflated price 

 of land. This compels the western grower to practice intensive cul- 

 tivation, as compared with our extensive methods. An Illinois 

 farmer sold his no acre farm and invested the entire price in lo 

 acres of apple and pear orchard in Oregon, and on that orchard he 

 was hiring as much help and using almost as many horses as he 

 formerly used on his big farm in Illinois. Think of it ! No wonder 

 that he produced the very finest fruit that sold at the highest price. 

 If you and I would let about three-fourths of our land lie in grass 

 or simply rest and then on the balance of the land devote all of 

 our usual energy and brains, we might not produce quite as many 

 bushels of fruit as before, but we would have nearly as much of a 

 much higher quality and our profits, reputation and happiness would 

 be increased many fold. 



When you stop to think that the price the western grower pays 

 for transportation alone to my home market would be a big profit 

 for me in my business and that I do not get it, simply proves that 

 the statement with which I started — that I am not a good business 

 man. I wish that I could drive home to you the insult, if you have 

 any manhood in you, that that man gave to us when he said we 

 would not do these things. He did not say we couldn't ; he did not 

 say that we lacked natural advantages, but he said we lacked nerve ; 

 that we lacked the western spirit of ''get up and get." That state- 

 ment rankles in my breast and it ought to in yours. God gave Mich- 

 igan, Pennsylvania, New York and all this grand country wonder- 

 ful opportunities and if we fail, no one is to share the blame with us. 



The western apple excels in what I call "finish" and in addition 

 to freedom from insect and fungus injuries, that finish is largely 

 due to high color. Just as long as attractiveness to the eye is the 

 first standard by which the buyer selects his purchases, richness of 

 color will be an essential. While our best fruit authorities may dis- 

 agree as to the possibilities of increasing color in fruit by the ap- 

 plication of potash, phosphoric acid or other chemicals, no one can 

 deny that the one great cause for color is sunshine — God's great gift 



