The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1892-03-11
HOW HORTICULTURAL SUC-
CESS MAY BE ATTAINED.
10 Is Possible to Compete Even With CAL
mornla Frult-Wool and Mutton
Farm Notes and Home
Hints.
The Coming IIortIoultusI,t.

w . biA hhO" bAtbV III phO Pebob gLOiO
have been some sore disappointments,
and heavy financial losses by many
who went into fruit raising and to
warn in measure those who contem-
plate entering therein, this article is
being written. 1t is from past exper-
fence that we should be guided in the
future so as to escape the risks upon
which others have split. AS one illus
tration let us take the strawberry
fever in Illinois some years ago when
men abandoned their farms to great
extent (their legitimate calling) and
went into growing this fruit so extern
sively that the markets were glutted,
and the prices got 80 low that in some
instances the growers had to add to
the express charges. on their ship.
ments, to meet the expense of carriage
and commission, and nothing for the
berries picking. boxing and crates.
Many planters never realize out of
their crops what the original cost of
the trees amounted to.
Such experience warns us to be
careful how we venture on untried
schemes
In planting apple orchards, many
planted varieties not suited to their
soil and locality, too many summer
and fall varieties, and did not take
care Of their orchards nor gather and
ship their fruit properly, and hence
failed to make it pay.
In planting large commercial Or
chard, it should be near a railroad
station or a navigable stream; not too
many varieties and those OF such that
are known 10 do we'll in such soils and
situations Go to o reliable nursery
or send direct to one; don't engage
your trees from an agent.
II near town or city where the
fruit can be hauled and sold from the
wagon, summer and fall varieties are
profitable, if well selected but these
will not pay when express freights
and packing material are required.
The same may be said OF small
fruits. One can often make more
clear money from quarter of an acre
Of strawberries near an intelligent
thriving little city, than from ten
acres 100 miles from large city.
l sell some berries around home at
q profit but to send them to ST. Louis
100 miles off it would be losing bus
iness. simply because it costs too much
to cross the river and haul the fruit TO
the railroad, and then the express
companies want little more for car
rying it than we get for raising it.
With commission men have no fault
to find, as they have always dealt sat
isfactorily with me.
Thus far have dwelt mainly on the
past, and now will state what | deem
the plans for the future if we wish to
succeed. Don't plant too large patch
of Strawberries but what you do plant
let them be Of large, firm varieties
that bear well and OF fine appearance;
as to the flavor it don't make any diff
ference in market. For your own use
you may seek quality. Have your soil
deep and rich. cultivate well. mulch
to keep the fruit clean, pick carefully
put in clean new boxes and crates and
they will sell well, no matter how
much the market is flooded with in
ferior stuff. Raspberries and black
berries should be pinched at the right
time in summer then in the spring the
laterals we'll headed back and small
berries will not be so often COM
planned of.
Cherries-Plant such as are hardy
and productive even il not the best
for as rule people will as soon buy
Early Richmouds as Refine Hortense
or English Morello as Napoleon This
latter is our most profitable one and is
noble cherry.
Beesinthe vicinity are an almost in
dispensible adjunct to successful
cherry growing.
Plums can only be grown with sue
cess when the cuculio and gOuger are
destroyed by Earring the trees and
catching them in a cloth, or by spray
ing with arsenites. This latter is
provided for by a number of men who
have the sprayers and instructions
how to use them and with what so
as to destroy the insects that injure
our fruits Of all kinds.
Spraying should never be done be-
fore the blossoms have fallen off or
the bees may be killed, and our best
workers for our success lost
This keeping off the insects will be
followed by such crops as will need
thinning out so as to have fair sized
fruit and prevent the limbs from break
ing.
The heading back OF peach trees
every autumn after the leaves have
fallen, is an absolute necessity as
we'll as thinning out severely when
the fruit is set too thick, if success is
to be obtained.
The apple does not need the head
ing back except in a few instances,
but the careful pruning and thinning
out OF the fruit is just as necessary TO
success.
In growing grapes the pruning
should be correct then when in bios
som clip off the punches, all but two
on each lateral and in some cases OF
the large punched varieties it will
pay to leave but one. Then one will
have fruit that will command nearly
double the price of the ordinary grown
ones.