The Gem state rural. [volume], February 15, 1896, Image 1

About The Gem state rural. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho) 1895-1910

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THE GEM STATE RURAL
OLUME i.
CALDWELL, IDAHO, FEBRUARY, 1896.
NUMBER 6*
)J \HO SJATE
bORJIGULTUfilSJS
nnual fleeting of the State Asso
ciation. Interesting Papers
and Discussions by Ex
pert Horticulturists.
HE first annual meet
f I ing of the Idaho State Hor
I JC ticultural Society began at
Capital Hall, in Boise, on
Wednesday evening, January 22.
In the absence of President J. J.
Toole, who was detained by sick
ness, Thos. C. Galloway of Wei
ser, was chosen president fro
teyn. After some charming mus
ical selections by Miss Helen
Jackson and Miss Costen, of
Boise, accompanied at the piano
by Prof. Pasmore, and an invo
cation by Rev. J. W. Huston,
the latter gentleman, in behalf of
Mayor Pierce, welcomed the del
egates to the city, and A, E.
Gipson responded for the visitors,
V 'The Value of Our Horticult
act as Compared With Other in
which was to have been
y y
terests,
handled by Mr. Toole, was made
the subject for short volunteer
talks.
With intelligent
certain to
It
no
to the
Mr. Alex McPherson regarded
horticulture as the coming indus
try of Idaho.
effort it was pretty
bring health and competency r .
also ennobling to man and
his judgment
offered so many re
was
woman, and in
occupation
wards to one in love with the
work.
Mr. I. Æ Costen fully concur
red with the statement as
ining influences of horticultural
Idaho indeed has been
this regard,
pursuits.
favored by nature in
and this fact had perhaps made
us
a little overconfident and invited
which fruit
If it was
jsome drawbacks,
growers must combat,
necessary to give a plan for neg
lecting the orchards, he felt com
petent to give ample testimony.
But he had reformed, and was
low in favor of improved up to
late methods.
Mr. W. G. Whitney thought it
-vould be hard to estimate the
•eal value of the fruit industry.
Fo his mind, it was at the head
>f agricultural forces. From the
(tandpoint of profit, a good bear
ing orchard, properly cared for,
should net the owner $200 to
$300 per acre,
were needed,
rieties must be selected.
ful account of the fruit of each
tree should be kept. He knew
of trees that had returned from
$10 to $30 each. Under favor
able conditions he believed fruit
growing paid better than any
thing else, and he regarded it the
coming industry of our state.
Secretary Milliken conceded the
urgent need of statistics, but said
the society was handicapped by
lack of funds.
Mr, McPherson explained his
More statistics
But the right va
A care
method of getting data while in
the performance of his duty as
deputy inspector of Ada county.
He had kept a memorandum book
for this purpose, and jotted down
the acreage and varieties, and
even the number of trees in some
j had been enabled to obtain a very
! close approximation of the fruit
cases, in the various orchards he
In this wav he
had inspected.
1 planted in Ada County.
Mr. R. E. Green instituted a
brief comparison to show the
money value of a bearing orchard
over other agricultural crops. As
suming that it cost from $100 to
$125 per acre to bring an orchard
into full bearing, it was not diffi
cult to see its great superiority as
an investment, over other farm
products, when profits were
shown to equal $200 to $300 per
and sometimes to greatly
exceed this.
Mr. N. T. Smith expressed
some doubts about the accuracy
I of the statements or estimates of
He had not
acre
orchard retuins.
| been so fortunate, and would like
i to see the figures.
This challenge brought Mr.
McPherson to his feet who was
He pro
fortified with figures,
ceeded to give an itemized state
ment of the ydeld and profits from
his 3-acre mixed orchard for the
past three years, and showed a
net profit of $2760 for that pcri
od.
The report of standing com
mittee on shade and ornamental
trees was the next thing in order
and was presented by Mr. F. G.
Cottingham of Nampa.
Cottingham said that unfortunate
ly his committee had not had a
Mr.
meeting. Pie had relied on other
members to prepare the report
and the result was it had not been
put in shape as he had hoped it
would be. Judge Little one of
the committee of Caldwell, had
however sent him a letter bear
ing upon the subject which was
in part as follows:
JUDGE LITTLE'S LETTER.
Below I make a few sugges
tions in regard to shade and road
side trees:
6 ;
In the first place I
think they should be native or as
nearly so as possible; now as a
matter of fact we are not blessed
with a great variety of native trees
in Idaho. The fir, spruce, pine
and cedar not being suited to any
but mountainous sections I leave
out. Of our native trees that
grow in the valleys let us discard
the Lombardy poplar, though for
a time it makes a good showing
as a border ornament, but we
note that the roots run so near
the surface that it is impossible to
utilize the land within 50 to 100
feet.
The only other native tree
that we will notice is the balm.
This is far more useful and satis
factory than the poplar; as a tim
ber culture tree it is the best,
easiest to propagate, and most
profitable for fuel. I do not even
advise this tree as a shade or
roadway tree except where the
circumstances are not favorable
for other trees. Now then for a
border or roadside tree my first
choice is the black walnut—neat,
pretty in shape, useful for fruit,
hardy, &c. Next, the white or
soft maple, then the red elm. 11
leave out the ash as it is not so
hardy' and does not spread its
branches. The box elder is the
surest and quickest of growth but
trashy. The cherry' is the most
preferred as a border tree of all
flowering fruit trees, and in my
judgment preferable Jalong inside
drives, lanes, &c to any other
tree. For lawn and shade trees
around residences I would not
vary materially from the recom
mendation above noted. The
sugar maple, elm and tulip trees
are grand for shade. To them may'
be added evergreens which may'
be selected to suit locations and
conditions. The magnolia in
many of Southern Idaho valleys
would be a most satisfactory ad
dition,
I am Most Respectfully,
George Little.
Mr. Cottingham strongly ad
vocated the box elder. It was a
rapid grower, donned its foliage
early, and gave a dense shade.
The cottonwoods and Lombardy
poplar were objectionable, al
though they had been serviceable
as pioneer trees. He doubted if
the black walnut would be found
satisfactory as a shade tree for
general planting. The linden or
bassw'ood he regarded a very
beautiful and promising tree for
this locality. On account of the
lateness of the hour, the discus
y y
sion of the committees' report
was postponed. There was
however intimation that some of
the varieties recommended by the
committee, the box elder, in par
ticular, would not meet with en
tire approval,
was objected to as inviting worms
The Carolina
The latter tree
anc ^ ^ nsect pests.
poplar was suggested as an im
provement over the other poplars
and the cork bark elm as a desir
able ornamental tree.
Following this report was an
| interesting and practical paper by
Mrs. G. W. Seamans, of Boise,
entitled, ' 'One Way to Obtain a
Succession of Bloom in Your
Garden,'' which appears here
! with :
j
j
|
|
j
!
MRS. SEAMAN'S PACER.
Few blooming plants give bet
! ter satisfaction than do our hardy
bulbs; their flowers are lovely,
from the tiniest crocus to the gor
| geous tulip. After you have
them once planted, they give you
no more trouble and will blossom
at a time when their full value is
appreciated. Just a look at their
bright faces is good for the blues
and dyspepsia,
The culture of hardy bulbs in
creases every year. Many' peo
pie I hope will make a start in
their culture this year, who have
mwer been attracted to this branch
of floraculture before. These are
the ones to whom I would like to
address these remarks. Those
who know just how to select and
plant, will not be edified by my
trite and perhaps hackneyed di
rections. In looking through the
many beautiful catalogues which
are sent out every year, you will
perhaps become, confused at the