More Favorable Conditions 
For Fruit Growing 
Up to the present time, summer time has pre- 
sented us with two problems; namely, dry ground 
and dry air. 
Irrigation was the answer to dry ground, where 
available. Where not available, cultivation and 
mulch were partial answers. 
Since the Republican River has been dammed, we 
are getting more moisture in the air, as the lake 
behind the dam gets filled up. This moisture in the 
air will increase considerably, when the wind is in 
the southwest. The wind will carry considerable 
moisture northeast for twenty or thirty miles and 
will at all times be noticeable for about fifty miles. 
When the wind is straight south, the effect will be 
felt from the Harlan Lake up to fifty miles north. 
Instead of that dry, hot southwest wind, we feel the 
wind many degrees cooler and quite moist for at 
least twenty-five miles northeast of the Lake. 
Since the Tri-County project was put in, I have 
noted good corn crops from Grand Island to Gothen- 
burg and poorer corn east and west of that area. 
Many plants collect moisture from the air through 
their leaves as well as through their roots. 
Apples and Other Fruit Trees 
We sell about twelve varieties of apples. Four 
of these varieties—Whitney Crab, Wealthy, Yellow 
Delicious, and Jonathan—are carriers of Cedar Rust. 
The soil in our country is fine for apples. In some 
places, the soil may be helped by using one-third of 
a pound of borax to a tree for boron deficiency. Ir- 
rigation is helpful to most varieties when the rainfall 
is less than thirty-five inches per year. A windbreak 
on the north often provides a few inches of extra 
moisture. A windbreak trom the southwest will re- 
duce damage from hot winds. 
Anoka Apple 
The Anoka apple trees start to bear the second 
year and produce apples in quantity every year, caus- 
ing them to be dwarf. These apples are good for 
pies and canning. The children like them. 
Cedar Rust does not bother them. They ripen in 
August. 
Early Harvest 
The well-known harvest apple bears in about six 
years and bears steadily afterward. Ripens in July. 
Yellow Transparent 
This is a good canning apple which ripens in 
August. 
