Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1886-04-17
INSTITUTE PAPERS.
HORTICULTURE.
a paper read BY Henry Ewalt before the Farmers
Insttute ct Wa-Keeney, March 8, 1885.

institute at Wa-Keeney, March s. 1885.
There are but few localities in the
United States but what are well adapted
to the growing of some varieties of our
American fruits. From the time OF the
earliest settlement of western Kansas we
have heard the reiterated statement that
this part Of the West would never be a
fruit region, and that time and money
will be spent in vain by those whose
efforts will not be seconded by soil and
climate, and constant failure will be the
result where Nature designed it to be a
treeless waste. Such have been the
prophecies regarding all prairie countries
from the time the pioneer boldly ven
tured out from the timber skirts on the
.untried plains of Illinois. We know that
the raising of fruit has long been an as
sured success in Illinois, Iowa, Missouri,
Eastern Nebraska and the eastern part
of this state. Knowing this, why should
we raise the doubt in our minds, that
western Kansas lies within the great
forest belt of the American continent.
Confding in the promise of bright
future just before us, may we fully
realize that time and money can not be
spent with more pleasure and profit than
in horticultural pursuits, and that no
place is worthy OF the name OF home, I'M
adorned with flowers and shrubbery and
shade and orchard. The same general
principles which insure success to the
farmer and orchardist in all his opera
tons apply to this country, with but
slight notifications in his practices. In
.telligent work always gives the best re-
turns, and we can not expect to make
1or vya
carefully follow the methods and utilize
the experience of practical fruit men.
DO any of us act up to our full knOwl-
edge of how to make orcharding sue
cess? Our failures are more frequently
the result of neglect than of want of
general information on the subject. 1t
will be assumed that we will, for the
present, at least, depend wholly on the
nurserymen for our stock of fruits for
planting, and it will be the object of this
paper to briefly give some general
directions in the treatment of this stock
after it comes into our hands. The losses
may sometimes be attributed to the care
lessness of the nurseryman, but stock
from reliable firms is generally handled
and shipped so that it comes to us in
fine condition. One hour of exposure of
the roots to sunshine and wind is often
fatal, as nature designed in the ground
to be the only place for the roots of trees
and plants. How often do we see
bundles of trees lying for days around
our stations or lightly heeled In for
weeks or perhaps for the entire winter,
SO that the winds and frosts easily reach
the roots, and leave them entirely worth
less! As soon as trees are received they
should be opened out from the bundle,
and so heeled in that mellow earth will
come in contact with all the roots, well
,yatered, the ground frmed, and left in
this condition till planting time. The
soil should be dry; in fact, we have but
few locations in western Kansas too wet
for fruit. If possible, northern slope
should be selected for an orchard, for
the reasons that the soil will not dry out
as quickly as southern incline, and the
ground being somewhat colder, the fruit
buds will not start as early, and risk of
late spring frosts will be lessened. Hav-
ing made the selection of location, the
soil should be thoroughly subdued by
deep and frequent blowing, requiring at
least two years cultivation. 1t is true
that trees may be raised in the buffalo sod,
by such an amount of labor as but few
persons would be willing to bestow, by
digging wide and deep and filling in en-
tirely with old soil, and not allowing any
grass to grow within six feet of the trees.
This may do in the yard with partial sue
cess where the grass plot is to be pre-
served. The holes for all trees should be !,
dug three feet square and twenty or
twenty-four inches deep, the subsoil
thrown out and surface soil filled in. I
Our soil is rich enough without fertilizers
being used in contact with the roots. !
Having your trees on hand and the holes
ready, dig hole large enough for four
Or five trees, throw in water and dirt, so
as to make thin mortar, place the roots I
Of the trees in this mortar bed, and in .
planting take out only one at time.
Bruised roots should all be carefully
cut off with a Marb knife, and branches 6
shortened corresponding to the loss of i
roots Trees should be set slightly deep I
sr than they stood in the nursery, in
Ginning with a small angle to the south i
west, with the lowest and heaviest branch t
es in that direction. Have the holes c
large enough that the roots may have '
plenty of room, spread them out evenly G
throw in little of the finest t
pulverized surface soil, move the tree t
slightly up and down to settle the dirt G
ip among the roots, throw in little t
more dirt till the roots are well covered, t
pour in gallon or two of water accord
ing to the condition OF the soil, let it set q
tie away, and firmly press the dirt I
around the roots, and fill up, leaving the l
ground somewhat dished around the
tree More than ninety per cent of trees L
handled in this way will grow On the I
plains of western Kansas. Nearly all t
fruit men recommend mulching after
planting to keep the soil moist around q
he tree. My experience has been that I
frequent hoeing and stirring of the ground,
he soil pulverized into dust, is even 7
better than any amount Of litter around 1
,he tree. No weeds or anything else c
should be allowed to grow within six ?
'eet of the tree, and if a crop is to be s
planted, it should be hoed one of some y
1ind-corn, potatoes or some other root
,rop or vegetables. This annual Guilt :
ration should be had beyond the bearing t
age of the trees. From observation and e
,xperiepce, we know that very small
,er cent. OF the loss OF trees properly a
handled, planted and cultivated has been
he result Of our past dry seasons. We e
10 not have to travel far for the discovery 9
hat the principal enemies of our Or b
.hards have been weeds, borers, rabbits r
md free range of stock. Any one OF &
hese is fatal to success; combined, what 6
would the showing be? Remedies Tor G
he first and last are known to everyone. t
The eggs from which the borer is hatch n
ID are deposited in the month OF June at s
he base of the tree, and If the trunk is b