Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-05-02
a GREAT APPLE ORCHARD.

Near Leayenworth, Kansas force of
forty men. most of them veterans from
the National Soldiers Home, have re-
Gently been at work setting out 81, 900
apple trees on the farm of ex-Gov. E.
n. Morrill,. in the southern part of
Ieavenworth county. When these trees
are planted, which will be by May i.
there will be $4,000 trees set out in one
compact body of land making it the
Largest distinctive apple orchard in the
United States. and, so far as known,
in the world. F. w. Wellhouse formerly
a resident of Leavenworth county. has
more than 800 acres in apple trees but
his orchards are scattered around, and
even in different counties.
Three years ago ex-Csov, Morrill, pur-
chased $50 acres of land from ex-Sen-
ator of a. Caldwell. of this city. and he
started in thru an agreement With
Francis Goble. noted horticulturist of
this county, to make the largest apple
orchard in the country. The land and
capital TO purchase the trees and to help
pay for the labor was furnished by
Gov. Morrill,, while Mr.. Goble acts as
superintendent and looks after every
thing. 1t is said that they are to share
the profits equally if any are derived
from the orchard. for fifteen years from
the time il was first started. After that
GOV. Morrill, ia To have all. They ex-
pect in one good fruit year al amy time
after the next three years 10 make
enough money off the orchard to pay for
the entire expense Of planting and car
ing for the 6l.o00 trees.
This makes the fourth spring planting
of trees. From i 600 10 q. 600 trees were
set out during other spring months. but,
owing to the hard winter two years ago,
one entire planting of 10000 young trees
died These are all undergoing reset
ting. and much new orchard land add
ed
The planting of 27.0oo trees is no small.
job of itssalf. The work of preparing the
ground commenced las; fall Part of it.
LOO acres had 10 BE- "grubbed or
cleared Of underbrush After the land
was clear ii was laid off in rows mila
land a half long. The rows were staked
off l6feet apart one way by 90 the 9th
ter. a double width . ALLOWED between,
the rows running north and south.
The rows We're all marked out by
blowing from east TO west and north 10
south last fall. Deep listing plows We're
run thru the burrows from north to
south when the planting of trees CON-
menced, ten days ago. Trees are ship
lspsd in from two points by the car
4 loads, and trey are placed at the prep
FER spots by men hauling them in war-
ons
After this is done two men work to-.
sethsr planting the trees, shoveiing
dirt around the roots. Veterans are
mostly used for this planting az thew
take better care of the trees than Young
men. and do not skin them In shoveling
or tramping down the dirt. The big
force Of men set out l.5oo trees a day in.
the grubbed4 land. ard as high al 5000
a day in the old farm land.
The trees are planted eighty TO the
aero. and when this $1,000 is set out soc
acres will be completed. The other
eigh.y acres of the farm Will be planted
NEXT year.
When the present tree planting is
completed the farm viii have $50 acres.
or 1000 jonathan trees out in one
body Mr. Goble considers the Jonathan
the bes, and most profitable apple to
raise. II sells higher than all others
and is the best for ail-around use. Thu.
other varieties set OUT are Ben Davis
Gano. Missouri Pippin, Grimes Golden.
Mammoth Back and Huntsman.
The large barn. 80 feet by 15O. vii; be
turned into cold storage plant. Ma
chinery will be put in the coming sum
mer to make this charge. and a fun am
pie packing plant, with cold storage
will be located right within the greas
orchard.