The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1869-11-26
Written fer THE EaiPoRIA NEws.]
APPLE CULTURE IN KANSAS.
BY JAS. SAVAGE.


awarding of the Gold Medal to Kansas
by the Horticultural Society of Phila-
delphia for the finest show offruit; and
another is the large crop of apples
grown in the State the present year. I
am satisfied, from personal observation,
that we have grown in Douglas county
this season over twenty thousand bush
els of apples of the finest quality.
Our soil is remarkably well adapted
to the rapid growth of wood; some of
our root CRAFTS of last springs planting
have grown over five feet. Grape vines
from the cutting have grown six feet,
and single growth of Usage in the
| hedge measures twelve feet.
Our climate, also, is we'll adapted to
the maturing of fruit buds. ] have
seen very many trees, three years from
transplanting, loaded with fruit-far too
much, indeed, for the long life and vigor
of the tree.
1t is now difficult to find man in
this region who does not believe Kan
sas destined to become one of the best
apple-producing States; and it is my
own opinion, that outside of Western
Missouri, we cannot be excelied III the
West; and the older the State becomes
the better it will be for fruit, for our
trees viii be more protected and shell
tered by groves of timber, and in large
orchards the trees will protect each
other.
In regions remote from older settle
ments, where apples are consequently
scarce and dear, much time may be
gained by forcing young trees into bear
ing. This may be done by root pruning,
or by barking, cutting, or otherwise in
iuring the tree soas to check the flow of
sap, thus drarfng the tree and causing
the fruit buds to mature.
On the grounds of DR.. Macy, in Clin-
ton, this present year, one limb of an APP
pie tree was thus forced into bearing by
being brought into contact with the
wire trellis of grape vine and nearly
cut off by it; while the rest of the tree
had no fruit at all, this limb was loaded
1 force in'o bearing by peeling fully
; one-half of the bark off the trunk of the
. tree from the limbs to the root.
, If were again to settle in new
country, l should plant trees near to-
gether for this purposes as for instance
if l wish to have my trees stand twenty
five feetapart when grown, 1 shouldplant
, twelve and one-half feet apart at first
and when old enough dwarf every Other
tree, and let them bear several years, til
they finally die out and give the Others
room; this method would cost no NOR,
, i'll tilling the ground, and they would
! also mutually protect and shade eacl
7 other.
, In planting an orchard care should b,
taken to select good, healthy, young
!, trees, not to exceed two years from th'
!. graft.
| The ground should be we'll prepared
/ by subsoiling; and if inclined to be we
= in the least, it should be underdrained
e or thrown up into ridges and the tree
!, planted on the ridges. Never set tn,
l tree more than an inch deeper in tn,
orchard than it stood in the nursery
Especial care should be taken not to ex
pose the roots to the air and sun. fifth
; ground is dry at the time of planting
, dip the roots in thin mud. The frs
r year mulch the tree with old hay o
f straw, so as to keep the roots moist af
b terward till the ground thoroughly, 70
: continued mulching would cause tn
: roots to mould and sour and becom
: unhealthy.
Never allow weeds or grass to grow
: about the trunks of trees, as it harbor
) borers and other injurious insects.
e Shape the head of the tree by prope
d trimming, but do not prune too severely
s Form the heads low so as they win b
less exposed to the winds and sun blight
: The borer is the greatest enemy 9th
= apple in Kansas. Its presence is detect
. led by little piles of sawdust at the bas
of the tree. The best remedy, L think
is to wash the trunk of the tree in ly
4 several times during the summer, as thi
! kills the eggs of the borer. 1t is neces
Y sary to give close attension to this in
= sect, for if it once gets its home in tn
n tree it must be dug out with knife
u Spring is much the best time for plan
ting out trees and vines in this country
i IF the winter season is wet with sudde
freezes, fall planting is liable to fail b
= freezing out the roots, and destroying
!, 1.-THE life of the tree. l have seen man
: failures of this kind here.
! We possess soil composed largely O
@ limestone and ashes from the burnt prai
;. ties, on which trees make larger growt
It than in other parts of the west, and
e climate which natures larger and faire
:. fruit than any other western State
J No man in Kansas need longer doub
y the success of the apple, or hesitate t
= Iput out all the trees his means will al
: low. Asa profitable investment no 9th
p er viii excel it, or source of healt
r Iapd luxury no other crop can compar
e with it.
II Lawrence, Kansas, Nov. Is, 1869.
e BRIEF BUT To|THE PoINT.-Some mem
e bers of militia company wishing {
It bestow upon their captain some test
q monial of their regard, had raise
! among themselves funds for the pun
4 chase of silver cup, and appointed on
of their number TO make the presents
u ton speech. The chosen Demosthene
u happened to be as modest as gifted, an
It for fear his wits might be routed by tn
r excitement of the occasion, had pre-
e pared and learned by rotc an effusio
n brimful of spread-eagle eloquence an
t rabid rhetoric. Prompt to the minute
= the orator arrived at the place of NEE,
:. ing, with the volnminous document, &
{, which he had an instant before stolen
u farewell glance, peeping conspicuous
y from the rear pocket of his miiitar
t coat. For an instant he gazed timidl
I =