Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1900-09-14
FARM AND GARDEN.
MATTERS OF INTEREST TO
AORICULTURISTS
Some Up-to-Date Hints About Gull
tivation of the Soil and Yields
Observation-Disclosures viticulture and
Horticulture.

| Soiu otoThBos
CONDENSED from Farmers Review Steno-
graphic Report of Illinois State Horti-
cultural Convention.)
/ desire to make a statement here
which l would be glad to hear dis
cussed. 1t is based ON several years
careful observation on my own part
and on information from growers and
apple dealers. The Illinois Ben Davis
apple intended for Cold Storage should
be in the storage house no5 later than
Oct. 18th. A week earlier is fire.
quently better.
grant that weather conditions or
dense foliage or peculiaritles in soil
may create exceptions to this rule, but
l believe the grower who pursues this
course for a period of years will OBJ
tain the best results.
Before picking is commenced all
dropped apples under the trees should
be taken Off the ground. Never place
dropped apple in barrel for Cold
| Storage. 1t is bruised even II you
cannot see it.
The size of the fruit to be picked
should not be less than 21A inches in
diameter. Smaller apples and any that
may be imperfect should be left on
the tree and shaken down later for the
evaporation or cider press. 1t Is best
not to burden the picked fruit with a
lot of imperfect apples which must be
rejected by the hackers,
Each individual apple should be
handled carefully and the baskets
should be carefully emptied. Too
much Importance cannot be given to
this part of the work and young men
should be made to realize its impor-
lance to you.
II the picking and packing can be
carried on at the same time it is high
ly desirable. II, for any reason, this
cannot be done have the apples taken
to the packing-house as fast as picked.
Get them under cover. 1t is unques-
tionably the very worst practice to
pile them on the ground in the ORCH
ard. They may gain a little color,
but they are frequently subjected to
hot sun during the day and to cold
nights. Sometimes it rains and time
must be allowed them to dry before
packing in the barrel. And sometimes
it SHOWS. 1t did this year. At least
it showed in Champaign and Savoy.
With the packers should be a care
full inspector. Get cold storage man
if you can find one.
Double face the barrels. but do not
face them too strong" Let the face
be an indication Of what is underneath
both as to size, color and general
character. Shake them down as the
baskets are emptied into the barrel
Fill the barrel two inches above the
top and press down carefully with a
screw or lever press. Do not put more
than four nails in each chine hoop.
Cold storage men, commission mer-
chants and all dealers in apples would
have better dispositions If less nails
were used in apple barrels.
Stencil the name of the variety on
the face end and lay the barrel on it's
side. Ship them to the nearest good
cold storage plant as soon as you have
a carload. II possible do not let the
interval between picking and ship
ping exceed five days.
have taken Ben Davis from the
storage rooms in May with the bloom
still on them-as fresh and firm as
when picked. They were packed by
grower who understood his business.
I do not know that it would be out Of
the way to state that they were packed
by the president Of your society.
Notwithstanding its unpleasant as
ISOLATION with that first affair" the
apple has always been favorite fruit.
There is never surplus of flrst-class
apples In fact, the supply has never
equaled the demand, especially during
the winter and spring months.
Handling and packing apples be-
comes a comparatively easy matter II
the proper care is given to growing
them. l may seem to be wandering
from my subject and perhaps intrud-
ing on that Of some one else, but am
a firm believer in the doctrine Of Oil
yer Wendell Holmes that "the train
ing of a child should commence two
hundred years before it is oorrl." To
pertain perfection in any line require
careful preparation. II the tree is
good the fruit is quite likely to be good
also. The tree must be carefully Sc
lected, planted, cultivated, fertilized.
pruned and sprayed. The grower who
does this we'll will make no mistake
when the picking and packing time
arrives.
Such fruit will always command
prices that will warrant the paying of
storage charges and leave handsome
margin Of profit over autumn prices
for the grower.