The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-11-04
KANSAS NEWS.
Sedgwick County Proving Good
Apple Territory.
Average Shipment from Wich-
tia 100 Barrels Daily.
ORCHARDS BEAR WE'LL
Tracts of from so to 100 Acres
Thick Over the County.
Thousands of Barrels Are Placed
in Cold Storage.

Wichita. Kas., Nov. 4-Speaking OF
apple culture in this section of the state,
L. V. Healy said:
This is unquestionably one of the
best apple sections of the state. Fully
so per cent. of the land in this county
is bottom land and every foot of this is
good apple land Much of the upland
is also suitable for apple growing, so
that probably rs or so per cent. OF the
entire county is adapted TO the raising
Of apples. This apple growing territory
extends as far as Hutchinson up the
rivar-'
How long have people been raising
aples here?" was asked.
We'll, they have been raising them
for market only about ten years" said
Mr. Healy but apples have been
raised here for twenty-five years or
more. There are some apple trees iii
the Hoover orchard that are twenty
five years old and they are in fine con
dition and have borne apples every
year since they were old enough"
Mr.. Healy first became enthusiastic
over apples while helping to work up
the plan of making a Sedgwick county
exhibit at the Omaha exposition. He
favorably with any otter section of
the state in point of beauty and eX-
cellence of its apples, and when the
awards were made he became more en-
from this county at the exposition
comprised twenty-seven varieties and
made a showing that surprised even the
people who went from here and saw
them at the show.
MY Judgment as to the good quality
of our apples was confirmed by the
reports and awards said Mr.. Healy,
''and / came home a better friend of the
Kansas apple than I had ever been.
Our apples are equal to any grown in
the state in point of color size and
flavor and in the latter respect supe-
rior to any apples shown at Omaha by
a etc hot hoy
talked apples a great deal and / have
done so because 7 know that they are
profitable. The trees do not bear full
every year. of course, but when there is
light crop the price is usually enough
higher to make up for the shortage.
THE acreage of apples in Sedgwick
county is growing rapidly and we now
have some of the finest orchards in
the state. But there is plenty of room
for more, and they cannot but be profit
able for apples always find a ready
sale. There is not a foot of land within
ten miles of Wichita. If it is suitable
worth 500 an acre for that purpose in
side of five years.
Mr. Healy declared that not one man
| in a thousand here in Sedg-wick county
! had any idea of the ma gnitude of the
i apple crop, and said that while this was
thought to be good potato country,
there were more dollars worth of apples
than of potatoes sold in Wichita every
year
A further investigation in other direc-
lions discloses the fact that this county
has some of the best known apple grow
ers in the state. Among them are S H.
Hoover, who has $50 acres in orchard, p.
H. Thomas who has 60 acres, Mr. VIII
/ liams near HaysvilIe, who has a 60-acre
orchard and j. T. Eager. of HaysviIIe,
James Martin, of Oatville. Steve Balch,
southeast of this city a few miles, Ed
Horner. J. n. Stuckey and Mr.. Harrison,
all of them in the same section of the
county, and d. NJ. Jones, northwest of
| Wichita. all of whom have from 20 to 80
acres in bearing orchards.
There are doubtless several others with
orchards equally large whose names could
not be learned, and there are probably
more than hundred orchards in the
/ county of ten acres or more
Every man who pays any attention to
4 the profits to be derived from his orchard
knows that it pays well and nearly every
man named makes it a point to increase
| the size of his orchard every year.
The varieties most popular for winter
use are Ben Davis. Missouri Pippin and
/ Winesap, with a good sprinkling of
Grimes Golden, Jonathan and other fall
and summer favorites.
There are no insects in this part of the
| country to injure the trees and no part
of the state is free from moths. The
trees grow rapidly. come into bearing
| quickly and occasion the orchardist little
trouble, SO that any man of ordinary IN