THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN. 
163 
PRESIDENT HALE’S BIG ORCHARDS. 
Editor of National Nurseryman : 
Arriving here after traveling about the country for 
some time, I find both July and August issues of your 
paper. I think you do up the Niagara convention in 
most excellent shape. The picture of your homely ser¬ 
vant is a better job than nature made ; but I will excuse 
you this time. In the August number Brother Albaugh is 
smiling and happy as ever, and well he may be, for his 
great orchards down here are in superb shape and there’s 
millions in it, when the first great crop comes next year. 
My own orchard of 100,000 trees, on 600 acres, I had not 
seen for some months, and I am astonished at the 
growth. Last season, when driving along any of the 
avenues, I could st-and up on the buggy seat and take in the 
whole orchard at one view. Now I can only bump my 
eye up against the first big tree and stop there. But we 
are planning for big packing sheds, which shall have a 
good roomy tower on top ; then again can I see the 
orchard. Until then I must rest satisfied with what can 
be seen along the 17 miles of streets and avenues we 
have laid out through it. Just now we are planning for 
a new saw mill. Superintendent Molumphy has con¬ 
vinced me that it will take close on to 100,000 feet of 
lumber to box what nursery stock he has grown this 
year, and, as he plans for still more next year, it is cheaper 
to saw our own lumber than to buy it, especially as we 
have an abundance of pine timber right at hand. 
Japan plums, peaches and Marianna plum stocks for 
the wholesale trade have been our leaders, but local 
trade is demanding much more each year ; and some are 
branching out almost against my will, for really I came 
South only to develop the orchard business, but when I 
see how much better and cheaper some classes of stock 
can be grown here, I am inclined to think there is a great 
future for the nursery business of the South. Rich, fer¬ 
tile land at $10 to $20 per acre, good labor at 50 cents 
per day, and a working season of 12 months each year 
are important factors in the problem. Five years ago 
there was only one nursery within 30 miles of Fort Valley. 
Now there are 7, with at least 300,000,000 trees for sale 
this season. Garber and Kieffer pears are now nearly all 
sold out for local planting and many more will be wanted. 
We have an order for between 30,000 and 40,000 peach 
trees for one orchard, and have been asked for figures on 
lots of trees for orchards 10,000 to 50,000 trees in extent, 
which indicates something of the scale planting is going 
on all over Georgia, Alabama and South Carolina. 
Owing to a lighter supply in some sections, Kieffer pear, 
Marianna plum stock and peach trees have advanced in 
price. My best information is that the supply of Mari¬ 
anna plums South is not over one-half that of ’92 and ’93, 
while local demand is greater. Of Japan plums, Satsu- 
ma is being most largely planted. There has been rather 
too much rain all through the South this season, but on 
the whole it has not injured crops, and corn and cotton 
are better than ever known before. The South is on the 
highroad to prosperity this season “shoo nuff ” ; the 
only thing to hinder may be the low price of cotton. I 
go from here to Huntsville and thence home via the 
nursery district of Tennessee, Ohio and New York. 
J. H. Hale. 
Fort Valley, Ga. 
The government crop report for August states that 
a further decline of nearly four points is noted in the 
average condition of apples, aggravated by drought in 
many sections. The condition of peaches had fallen to 
22.3. The condition of grapes, while higher than that 
of apples and peaches, is lower than the August return 
for any year since 1890. In July the condition was low 
also, and, generally, there has not been great loss in the 
thirty days since that report. 
The tariff bill has become a law. In the free list is this 
paragraph ; “ Plants, trees, shrubs and vines of all kinds 
commonly known as nursery stock.” Now let Canada 
reciprocate. 
IN VARIOUS STATES. 
Oklahoma will have less refused nursery stock this 
fall ; not because deliveries for cash will be much better, 
but on account of less reckless business. In November 
last, “mountains” of undelivered stock witnessed the 
universal slaughter of profits that had taken place. Fail¬ 
ure of crops in Western Kansas had compelled firms, 
usually operating in that territory, to concentrate in 
Oklahoma. All were badly burned. This year operations 
have been limited, crops good and results will be better. 
But there is already a movement for spring business that 
indicates how easily some forget even very severe lessons. 
Arkansas City, Kan., real estate men have their 
hooks baited for the unsuspecting. Several nur¬ 
sery firms are being induced to believe that there is busi¬ 
ness enough in the “ Strip ” to open branch nursery 
establishments in their border city. It is hoped not many 
will be “hooked” and “landed.” 
Texas is generally a good fall delivery state. Cotton 
is not yet out of danger, and sales to good planters for 
cash move more slowly than last year. Around Dallas 
the nursery business is greatly demoralized, the result of 
undelivered stock last fall. 
In Kansas, save in some western counties, especially 
Cheyenne and adjoining territory, crops are fairly good. 
Little business has been done because the wheat acreage 
was limited and corn is always uncertain until too late 
