Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1901-06-29
FARM AND GARDEN.
MATTERS OF INTEREST TO
ACRICULTURISTS
some Cp-to-Date Hints About CuIsfva-
tion of the Soil and Yields Thereof
Horticulture. yiticultur3 aud EIoricuI-
tur0
horticultural Observations.

Horticultural Observations.
Among the visitors at the Farmers
Review Office last week was l.. R. Bry-
ant, Secretary of the Illinois State
Horticultural Society. He brought
with him some samples of the apples
he has had in cold storage since last
falL 1t was the Seventeenth of May,
yet the apples were as hard and fresh
looking as the day they came of the
tree, and their color was excellent Mr..
Bryant said that they had been held
all through the winter at about 80 de-
grees. OF this two things may be said;
one is that more apples should be put
into cold storage warehouses. to lessen
the glut in the fall, and another is that
the Willow Twig is a most excellent
apple for that purpose. We doubt if
there be any other apple that will
come out better in the spring OF sell
more readily.
The folly of planting some kinds Of
trees in the fall in some of our north
ern latitudes is frequently we'll illus
trated by the results of that practice.
Recently the writer of this had occa-
sion to look over a large mass of
the planters insisting that that was
the proper time to plant. This spring
at least two-thirds of the plantation is
dead and most of the shrubs will have
to be pulled up and replaced. The ad-
vice of our state horticultural socie-
ties should be taken. The Illinois
State Horticultural society has given
the matter due consideration and has
declared in favor of spring planting
in all localities north of Springfield.
In warmer regions fall planting is
doubtless all right, especially where
the winter supply of moisture is good.
The Illinois State Horticultural So
c1ety has for a number of years con-
Quoted sub-experiment stations with
more or less success. These stations
number, we believe, eight, and are
scattered over the state. The object
OF their existence is to try the same
fruits in different parts of the state.
Every new fruit, whether tree, cane,
or bush, is sent TO each of the stations.
After several years it is easy to ap-
proximate its value for the locality in
which it is being tried. We say ap-
proximate, for even trying a fruit in
eight or nine parts of the state will
not prove positively what it might do
in yet another location other than the
eight Not only the climate but the
soils must be considered, and the COM
binations of soil are almost infinite.
The greatest difficulty is to get men
that will properly run these sub-sta-
tions, and this difficulty is increased
by the fact that little money is avail
able for that purpose. A man is paid
a rental of about SIS per acre per year
for the land on his farm actually oc-
cupfed by the experimental orchard or
small fruits. This land is at the pres
ent time not often in excess of three
acres. Then the owner gets perhaps
$25 per year for taking care of the
and the trees and plants
are furnished to him free. If the man
be horticulturist by instinct he will
carry on the work from year to year
and will get results. Some of the care
takers, however, weary of well-doing
in short time and the trial orchard
is neglected. There is also another
disturbing factor-namely, death. We
instance ]. v. Gotta, who was a most
thorough horticuHurist and had charge
of trial station located on his farm.
When death came the whole work
there was interrupted, and it now
seems likely that the trial orchard will
cease to be. as the land will pass to
heirs and the land under the orchard
is not owned Dy the State Society.
Probably the state will ultimately pro
vide money for the purchase of land
to be used for such stations, but the
funds of the State Society will not, at
the present time at least warrant in
vestment in real estate