THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN 
11 
not the finest markets of the country near at hand? Is not 
the soil and climate the same as in former days? Perhaps 
the soil has been badly treated but it is certainly not worn 
out for fruit trees. The climate, the soil, the markets are 
there, only men and money are wanting. The call of the 
west is strong, but let no one believe that opportunity—- 
that inspiring word — exists only for the west. There are 
men in each of the New England States who are proving 
most conclusively that opportunity and resource in fruit 
growing exists right at home for the man of energy. The 
great difficulty with many of our fruit growing enterprises 
in the east is that they are not sufficiently financed. No 
business man expects to swing a proposition (though some 
may try) without an adequate amount of capital, yet the 
fruit farmer often goes in with no capital except energy and 
youth. Business men on the Pacific coast are engaging in 
fruit growing and they will do so in the east' when the 
practical man demonstrates its feasibility. Men are willing 
to wait tor returns from mining ventures besides taking long 
chances. Why not engage in something infinitely more 
attractive and at the same time reasonably remunerative. 
That the soil specialists of the U. S. 
SOIL Department of Agriculture are energetic 
SURVEYS. and optimistic workers, is shown by the 
following statement sent out from Wash¬ 
ington under date of October 25th : 
“It is the confident prediction of experts from the bureau 
of soils, who have just completed an investigating tour of 
New York State, that within a reasonable time and without 
great expense the 227,000 farms of that state will be put to 
their greatest economic use, and that every acre of land will 
be planted in crops best suited to the land. The full im¬ 
portance of this prediction can only be realized when it is 
consideied that at present there are hundreds of untilled 
farms in New York; that thousands of farms are barely 
paying; that thousands of farmers are attempting to raise 
crops for which their soil is unsuited, and that hundreds of 
young men are leaving their heritages because they have 
never been apprised of their true value. All these condi¬ 
tions have arisen notwithstanding the fact that New York 
shows a wonderful diversity of soils, well suited to the pro¬ 
duction of all sorts of farm crops and all the market and 
garden crops which can be rasied in northern latitudes; in 
fact, the records show that few states in the Union possess 
such a diversity of soils and such capacity for agricultural 
riches.” It is up to the farmer and fruit grower to get into 
touch with the Bureau of Soils. • Find out what you can 
grow by all means and if this is what you can sell, then you 
are well fixed indeed. 
Many people have been curious to know 
THE the outcome of the extensively advertised 
NATIONAL apple show held at Spokane, the early 
APPLE SHOW, part of last month. In a word it was a 
magnificent success. “More apples than 
were ever brought together in a single exhibit” said one of 
the judges. This was literally true for there were prizes for 
car load lots — and prizes worth while. It is worth while 
taking a fling at a $1500 prize even if it takes a carload to 
make the entry. 
Never before was there such a blaze of color due to a dis¬ 
play of highly tinted apples and this is where the western 
apple shines. The color is truly wonderful. Winesap, 
Arkansas Black, Spitzenberg, Jonathan, take on deep rich 
tints only suggested in other regions and their size is fully in 
keeping with the color. Under irrigated conditions a pro¬ 
duct of wonderful beauty is developed. Our western 
friends do not claim everything, however, and are willing to 
concede that the largest size is not correlated with the 
highest quality. On the other hand appearance sells the 
fruit and the best varieties are very good. 
There w r as keen competition in most of the sections as for 
instance in the “District Display” there were twenty-three 
entries. It might be said that the contest as a whole was a 
four cornered one between the Hood River, Wenatchee and 
Yakima Valleys of Oregon and Washington; and British 
Columbia, the latter making the fourth important factor. 
WYnatchee Valley secured the largest share of first prem¬ 
iums. The fruit was beautifully colored, uniformly 
graded and remarkably free from blemish. In addition, the 
installation in every case was exceedingly artistic. 
Wenatchee captured both car lot and district display 
prizes; British Columbia with exhibits from Kelowna and 
Grand Forks made an excellent showing securing second on 
district display with a beautiful collection correctly named 
and absolutely sound. 
The car lot and district classes aroused keen rivalry and 
the judges were obliged to justify their aw'ards by giving 
each entry a copy of his score card. 
Outside of Oregon, Washington and British Columbia 
there was comparatively little competition. Idaho sent in 
some good fruit while Montana secured third prize on a car 
lot with an entry of McIntosh Red from the Bitter Root 
region. Very fine they were too. North Carolina sent an 
interesting collection for exhibition only. New York was 
represented for a day or two by three barrels of poor com¬ 
mercial stock sent forward in a heated car. This exhibit 
created such an uproar on the part of former New Yorkers 
who “knew better” that it w r as withdrawn. It appears 
that the Apple Show management desiring a good repre¬ 
sentative sample of the commercial apples of the east 
telegraphed to Messrs Simon, Shuttleworth & Co., of New 
York to forward them as soon as possible by express. 
What steps this film took to secure them are not known, but 
the result through carelessness or poor judgment was 
certainly very bad. A poorer lot of Russets and Baldwins 
it would be hard to find. By their connection with this 
transaction it is safe to say that the firm in question did not 
bring glory upon itself either in the east or in the west. 
It looked like gross carelessness, or cold blooded indifference, 
neither quite defensible by large New York apple buyers. 
The one judge system with score card was employed 
throughout. The list included the professors of Horti¬ 
culture of Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Iowa and 
New York and Senator Dunlap of Illinois. The judging 
covered the greater part of three days, and the principal 
actors heaved a sigh of lelief when the job was done. 
