People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1899-03-07
HOME INDUSTRY.
Something About an Institu-
ton that Has Been Grow.
ing Up Quietly.
A New Nursery in Wellington that
Is Furnishing Trees to Kansas
and Oklahoma and Inciden-
tally Swelling Commerce
in This City.

Not long since leading journal in
a HeighbOring city that is prone to
put on metropolitan airs and claim
itself to be the center of the universe
the veritable spot around which re-
Wolves the mighty commerce Of a
highly civilized people, layed to and
gave column or more Of space to
announce the fact that a nursery had
been established in said city, which
was destined to supply all the earth
and the southern half Of the moon
with trees and shrubs and plants and
"sich." The enterprise Of the journal
was indeed cOmmendable fer upon in.
veStigatiOn the said nursery was a very
small affair-in reality not nearly so
extensive as WellingtOn's institution
of this sort-the Gem nursery, under
ownership and control OF W. A. Rem.
The Gem nursery lies along the
track Of the Sata Fe railroad Just
east OF the city. Passing 10 and out
on the train we have watched the
growth and progress Of the enterprise
with some interest. Seeing the ar.
ticle referred To above reminded us
that we ought TO say something about
the Gem nursery through the VOICE
in order that our readers and the out.
side world might not be longer igno-
rant of so important an institution 10
Wellington we accompanied Mr..
REM to the nursery last Thursday
and had our expectations more than
realized.
The first thing that attracted our
attention was the bright and healthy
loUk Of all the trees. There was no
evidence anywhere OF damaged or
dying trees. All are new and decid
edly thrifty.
The tract comprises ll6 acres Of
which sixty acres are already in trees.
The number Of acres 10 trees iDcreas-
es each year and few years more will
find the whole tract covered. The
soil is Of the very best quality for
tree culture, rich and meIlOw-and
nowhere within the knowledge OF
nursery men have trees put out such
a muniftent growth OF flbrous roots
as on this tract. For trees that are
expected to stand the storms and
drouths OF Kansas thIs is indeed an
important factor.
1t has only been three years since
this nursery had its beginning; it
seems incredible that it could make
so much showing 10 so short a time.
The sales last year ran over $1,000.
This year they will exceed s., 900, next
year still more and 80 ON to the limit.
A force OF fourteen to eighteen men
are kept busy from the first OF March
TO the first Of September, making a
pay roll Of sl5OOr more per week. All
this money goes into the channels Of
trade in Wellington and helps 10
swell the volume of trade. The or.
ders for trees come from all ever
Southern Kansas aud Oklahoma
About $1,000 in orders are already in
for this springs delivery.
The foreman at the nursery Is Tom
Rogers, well known as a nurseryman
OF lifelong experience. What Mr..
Rogers doesn't know about tree cult
ure lie yet mystery to the whole craft.
NJ. Z. Cernwell has charge Of sales
aud deliveries, in which line he has
had years Of experience.
The Investment in this nursery
up to date is nsarIy $4,000, and the
value Of the trees now on hand at
wholesale prices will exceed $4,000
They have apple trees one, two and
three years old, all varieties, abOut
$4,000; peaches. II 600; apricO's, = 900:
nectalines, 5S2; pears, 2,5JC; clerri,s I,
$4,000: plums, $500: grapes, 1900;
gJOseberries II, ,0C0; blackberlies, LOCO:
rdspberries, 1900; shade and orna.
mental, 22,5OO; hedge, 4l,OOO: forest
tree seedlings, $500: evergreens, 1000;
roses and shrubs, 500.
One valuable feature Of the nursery
Is an experimental orchard which now
covers about five acres ard is growing
larger each year. All the new vari.
eties that come under notice are sent
for ard planted for test. II they
prove good and we'll adapted they
take the pure buds and graft them
into active utility.
We have already spoken OF the
thrifty appearance OF the trees. On