Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-01-19
FRUIT NOTES.
\. J. Shepherd in Piowmaa.


Having good selection of varieties
is an important item with fruits. if the
most profitable results are secured. as
experience has shown that what viii
prove the best In one locality Is not suit
able for another, especially when there
Is any considerable difference in the soil.
Then for the farmer who raises fruit
principally for his own use it Is very de-
sirable to have such varieties as will
keep up a succession in the supply for
as long time as possible. 1t Is not de-
sirable, therefore. to have too many va
rieties, or to have them all ripen at once.
The same viii apply to vegetable or
garden seed. No farm is complete with
out good garden. and one of the essen
tials necessary to secure this Is a good
supply of seeds, and they should be sup
piled in advance. 1t is certainly not a
good policy to wait until the season opens
before sending In your order for what
you need. Some varieties should be on
hand as soon as the ground can be
worked in good condition. and by having
the seed on hand, advantage can be taken
of the first opportunity. There Is really
no reason for using poor seed. as respon-
sible seed men advertise In almost every
paper that will insert advertisements,
and the mail will bring them to your
postofiice. so that by sending for
catalogues you can get just what you
want But do this in good season. Have
your seeds on hand and avoid all I'M
necessary risk. At the same time use
care not TO attempt too many varieties
unless YOU are prepared to test them. y
sufficient number of varitieS to give YOU
a good succession is all that is necessary
and will give more satisfactory results
than large number OF varieties.
If for any reason you have not been
able so prune earlier, this should be at
tended to. as also the hauling out and APP
plying of the necessary measure. There
is always so much to be done in the
spring that so far as possible, all that can
be done ahead and thereby save time III
the spring, it will be good policy to do.
Use real rotten manure in the garden,
and, as far as possible, select that which
is free from weed or grass seeds.
If there comes thaw it will be a good
time to see that good drainage Is
afforded: this is especially the case when
We are depending upon surface drain
age. 1t is quite an item, especially in
the garden, to have the soil dry out and
warm up rapidly, and, if this is done,
means must de provided to get rid of the
surface water as soon as possible.
We usually expect, at this time of the
year, to be able to do but very little out
door work, especially in the way of what
we may call horticulture work. We may
be able to prune some and haul and ap-
play some manure, and if we have a
January thaw we can sometimes repair
the garden or orchard fence, and, as far
as possible, get everything i'll as good
shape as possible, SO that when spring
work commences we may be able to push
the seeding as rapidly as may be neces-
sary.
You can plan out the work, select and
order the seeds needed, and spend con-
siderable time in studying how to have a
better garden and orchard. There is GER
tainly plenty of room for Improvement.