Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1890-02-14
KANSAS AS A FRUIT STATE.
To the Editor OF the Eagle.

To the Editor OF the Eagle.
The capabilities of Kansas to grow
fruits of all kinds has been fully demon
strated by the Kansas fruits taking the
first premium wherever it has been ex-
hibited in competition with all other
states of the union. There are many
varieties of apples that never fail to pro-
duce full crop or a partial crop annu-
ally. The same may be said of pears,
peaches, plumbs and grapes. In regard
to grapes, would further state believe
the grapes are less liable to mildew in
Kansas than any other state in the union.
In the twenty years experience have
had in southern Kansas [ have known of
the mildew, or black rot, but one season.
That season was unusually humid and
foggy: still the old and we'll tried native
varieties showed no signs of black rot or
mildew. That is true of some new va
rieties-MOore's Early, Niagara, Gym
thean and some others.
If there is secret in the success of
the cultivation of any variety of fruit it
is the cultivation of the plum. Prior to
the event of the wild goose, the annoy
ance to which plum growers have been
subjected is its capricious habits and the
depredations of insects-results mainly
of neglect. Since the event of the wild
goose new impetus seems to have been
given to the development of new vari-
ties of plums, and the results have been
satisfactory and profitable. The inl-
portant secret is in planting on very rich
soil; plant several varities in the same
in l,y afoI,- n,
wild goose if you want several varitieS.
The object in setting them at short dis
lance is that one receives the pollen
from the others. The .curculio are very
easily mastered by spraying the trees at
a proper time. The little pest makes its
appearance when the fruit is about the
size of marbles; the trees should be
sprayed with Paris green or London
purple little prior to that time.
The horticultural department. is the
most profitable of all the industries con-
nected with the farm. For some years
past fruit growers have been greatly
annoyed by the coddling moth and cur
culio but at the present time we are
prepared to destroy them before they
have committed their depredations at
very small expense by simply spray
ing the bearing trees just IS they begin
to bloom IN the spring, then again when
the fruit is formed and attained the size
of a marble. One man and boy to
drive the team may spray a ten-acre
orchard thoroughly in less than a DAYS
time: material used is Paris green or
London purple, One-fourth pound to one
barrel water and ten pounds quick, lime.
The estimated profits of ten-acre Or
chard annual for the first ten wears
from date of planting, after liberal de-
duction for the labor and cost of trees.
foot up 800. SO per annum. With a Judi
cIous selection Of good bearing varieties
it is safe to calculate on So per tree for
the 20 years succeeding. on an average.
An apple orchard should be set thirty
feet apart; that distance allows forty
nine trees per acre; five times forty-nine
-S245.
The estimated profits Of peach
orchard per acre for the first eight wears
from date of planting is $94. SO. In order
to obtain the best results with any va
riety of fruits the land shonld be thor
oughly SUBSIDIZED before planting. Nv
experience is that pear orchard is fully
as profitable as any other variety of fruit
in this market. Spraying pumps may
be had at any hardware store.
In southwestern Kansas, with the ease
and certainty of small fruit growing.
every family owning one acre of ground
may enjoy the luxury of fresh, delicious
fruits at almost any season of the year.
Soon after the winter apples are gone
the strawberries ripen: then comes the
raspberry, the dewberry. cherries. black
berries, early peaches, early apples, ETC..
ripen in succession through the season.
The American people should use ten
fold more fruit than they do at present.
The fruit grower has one great task be-
fore him: Patent medicine. the great
hydra. whose fiery breath corrupts our
likelihood, weakens our vital powers.
makes our heads dull and heavy, our
purses light, must be put down. and
nothing short of an avalanche of fruits
and vegetables viii be strong enough TO
conquer and bury the monster out of
sight. There is no fruit that can be
grown with as much ease and certainty.
as the grape. The same fruit which is
the most valuable as food and medicine
IS also the one which gives the least
trouble IN cultivation: they may be
trained BY treilis, building or wall.