Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1890-03-27
Tree Culture.

J. Herbert Phillips.
Tree Culture.
Paper read by Jos. Mellicke- before the Ford
County Farmers Institute, Feb % a, 1889.
Confined from the TINES OF March 20
believe We have found q tree, and 80 there
need be no more failures in that direction. In
the second place failures come from neglecting to
properly care for your trees, first properly pre-
pare your ground, get good plants plant the right
way, cultivate the right way; il all this would be
done properly there would not be any failure in
growing trees But as said before all this takes
time and work. Only plant half as many, If you
cannot do that, then only plant as many as you
know you well take care Of. Now l have only
been talking from my experience, as tree
grower in the vicinity Of Speareville. This does
not apply to other localities in county, for in
stance, in the neghborhood Of our Secretary, j.
G.. where he lives five or SIX miles southwest Of
here, in Gods country where our sterling
farmer and brother Nick Marath lives. All along
south Of the river t,ere is different soil, light
sandy loan, which is good deal more porous
than the heavy loan underlied with hard gumy
substance called gumbO. believe trees will do
better there, also along the low bottoms Of the
river. There are some trees that will not do on
the high upland along the northern and southern
borders Of the county that may do well on the
Arkansas river bottoms, and the country running
parallel with it where there is a deep and porous
sandy soil. But preparing planting and care
think come under the sandy loan. l only think a
tree that will do the best hard dry soil, will
do the best on a moist and porous soil; We GER
tainlY have not got to much rain anywhere in this
country. So far, have only occupied your at
tention on Forest Trees" We must first have
wind before we can .xpect to have fruit
hanging on trees. have Let IS yet given much
time to fruit culture; although l have peach
orchard on my place near Bellefontc with about
300 trees 7-years old, bearing for Sugars. They
are as fine trees as can be seen any where in the
state notwithstanding that the hail We had in 1876
was severe trial ON them. The success in peach
trees is the thorough cleaning they must have till
down to the roots Of the little borer which infest
and annoy the tree. The borers should be &C.
stroyed twice year, in the fall and in the spring
10 my notion ! think the apricots should be
planted in preference to the peach, as SAFER,
more harder tree, and ourer to bear in this eli
mate than the common peach trees. have got
some pear trees, but do not know what kinds.
out they seem to be q much thriftier tree than
any apple tree have seen for this country, with
stood the hail and drouth, they lived it through
well, and look healthier now than ever. The
cherry is going to be good tree to live and bear
good fruit for this country, providing you get the
right kind. The dwarf variety will be best to
grow here and bear. Also all kinds Of small fruit
with proper care and attention, such as the cur
rants. gooseberry and plums will do we'll Twill
not have any good words for apples as yet.
have not had any success 60 far, as all the trees
that lived for me seem to be effected with blight,
Gf that is what they call it, when they get old
enough so as they should bear they die, or will
seem to be getting shabbier and sicklier looking
every year, in fact think they got the consump-
ton. 1t must be because they got shipped in
here from eastern Kansas, raised at nurseries in
lower and mildcr climate. and cannot stand this
high altitude. But have got few good healthy
looking apple trees that have come up close to
the roots BY being broken of below the graft the
first year after setting. Now, that is just like
raising them from the seed. Nonegrafted.
believe that Is the best way to grow apple trees
for this country. And you can get just az big an
apple and just as big tree, and better tree,
than to be humbugged by eastern tree agents,
simply by getting trees from seed or small plants
from the nearest nursery or raise your own plants.
Then when two or three years old pick out the
little trees with big broad leaves for your regular
orchard and Won will get climated and native
tree and native apple which 10 q good deal bet.
ter. should like to dwell some in relation to
evergreen trees. Two years ago sent for five or
six different kinds, several hundred of each.
rot them for experiment. They were the best
piants could get, raised on the Evergreen Nur-
sery'' of George Pinny, in Wisconsin. They were
all shipped and cared for alike and at the same
time: thew were all in healthy condition when
planted, and where planted alike and cared for
alike. Planted at the same time and together on
choice ground in nursery rows. The Austrian
Pine ali growed. I only had 100 Of these and
there are now but two trees missing. They are
now fine healthy Young evergreen trees from to
feet in height. Evergreens are oflsIow growth