The Weekly Kansas chief. [volume] (Troy, Kan.) 1872-1918, 1872-10-24
for the farmer.
FRUsr aRowING IN KANSAS.

We clip the following extracts on fruit growing
in Kansas, from = communication IN the ottawa
Journal :,
Our country has been settled 50 recently that
We have no old orrhsrds and but few of them
bearing; that We cannot speak Of its fruit
growing qualities with the same coincidence that
we could If older settled districts, but 1 think
enough has been done to show clearly that most
frnits that grow in the eastern and middle states
will succeed we'll here. Eastern Kansas has
soil and climate almost identical with western
Missouri, which grows nearly all the choice
fruits in great abundance and of superior quail
ify. The first settlers Of Kansas planted some
orchards, mainly Of apple trees, but during the
troubles of latter times most of them were neg
lected and of course failed. Some have also
failed from being planted on low damp grounds,
and in otherwise bad situations But so far a.
have observed, all that have been jndiciously
cess.
The apple makes . better growth here than
have ever seen in any part of the country east Of
the Mississipp-trees Of the same age being larger
than the rich praries of Illinois, with = clean
golden bark and well ripened wood. ?
Perhaps the trees do not begin to bear 1aite -
soon as in some parts Of the east, Enough
have seen trees Of the "Missouri pippin," and
some other early bearing sorts loaded with
fruit four and five Year, from the graft.
think the tardines Of trees in bearing is often
more fancled than real. An orchard three or four
years planted will be large -. one in the east
At six or eight OF nine years with the same caro-
and We are apt TO look for rs much fruit on our
four year old orchard would look upon the
older one Of the same size east, and to be dis
appointed if We don't get it.
The few orchards in this section that have been
planted Six To ten years are now bearing heavy
crops of fruit, equal in quality aud superior in
size and appearance to that grown in the east.
The peach is less certain than the apple, and
except in favored localities cannot depend
npon crop oftener than one year in three or
four yet some growers in Franklin County have
had large crops nearly every year.
The pear has been tried but little N this sec
ton of Kansas. but it promises well, and have
seen some fine crops handsome fruit rs have
seen anywhere.
Cherry, the tender Sorts are not relia r.; but
the hardy Sorts Us "early Richmond, y" E4slisl,"
"Marello," &c. produce abundantly.
BlackberTies, raspberrics, and smalfS fruits
generally succeed well, but should be planted in
rather cooly partly shaded situations.
Grapes appear to he at home in Kansas, and
seldom, if ever, fail TO produce immense crops Of
the finest fruit, not whit inferior to that grown
in the best grape lands of Missouri.
With proper care in selecting varieties, plan
ting and tending no one need be many years
without a supply of good fruit for his family and
who would not paDt because they conld not wait
SO long for the fruit. To make it pay well for
growing, it only requires good market. The
rapid settlement of Kansas by people from the
east, attracted hither by our cheap prairie lands,
will insure good home market for some years
while our railroads are opening communication
with the north, south and west, which must make
a market for us equal to any in the United
States.