The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-10-10
THObURN ON
PEACH TREES
Advises Farmers Not to Count
Too Much on Them.
1T WON'T BE OVERD0NE
Men Who Put Money Into
Orchards Should Study.
1T WON'T BE OVERDONE

!
agriculture, when asked in regard to the
! probable acreage 10 be planted in Elberta
! peach trees this fall and next spring.
THE fact Is" he continued, there prom
ises to be boom in the business OF
planting EIberta peach trees whether
there is a boom IN peach production or
not There is a boom in the sale Of
peach trees already and therein lies the
danger to the prospective planter. The
smooth-tongued tree agent ostensibly
represents a far away nursery with
high sounding name, which in reality has
no existence save in the mind of the
salesman and the imagination Of his de-
luded customer. He has been quick to
seize upon the advertising that has been
done by the enterprise of the progress
i've fruit growers and shippers of Okla
homa and he tells tales of the fabulous
wealth which will grow upon the trees
which he has for sale. OF course he
tells the story of the two acres of Ell
berta peach trees near Guthrie, which
produced fruit that sold at the rate of
s175 per acre, but he does not tell the
prospective purchaser to go and person
ally examine the soil and exposure of the
ground upon which that fruit was grown
nor does he even suggest that there may
be any difference between that and the
ground upon which he is urging that FL
berta peach trees be planted. Unfortun-
ately, too many prospective planters un-
der the plausible wiles of the tree agent
can see the future orchard only through
an atmosphere of most roseate hue. If
he would first take a trip through several
counties in the peach growing belt and
personally visit some of the most sue
cessful peach growers, talk with them,
inspect their orchards, examine the soil,
study methods, etc, there would be
fewer mistakes and, consequently, fewer
disappointments and losses.
NO. 1 do not fear that the Elberta
peach business will be overdone in Okla
homa-for it is capable of wonderful de-
velopment and eXpansion-but do think
that the man who puts money into such
an enterprise upon the mere persuasion
of an itinerant tree peddler, without
carefully investigating the matter before
hand, is doing business upon a system
that is apt to result disastrously. I be-
lieve that Oklahoma can produce as fine
peaches as can be grown anywhere in
the world, but do not think that all Of
the land in Oklahoma is capable of do
ing it. Successful horticulture is not a
game of chance in any country. Favora-
bic natural conditions, skill and industry
are the essential elements of success in
this business everywhere and they are
not less essential in Oklahoma than else
where The warm, sandy soils Of central
and eastern Oklahoma are peculiarly
adapted to successful peach culture, but
there are other soils in the same region
which are not nearly as well suited to-
this special line of business. It is just
as well to recognize such limitations as
matters of fact now as later on. The
planter who as not absolutely sure as to
the adaptability of his soil would do well
to carefully investigate, or at least ex-
pertinent in a small way before planting
his whole farm in peach trees.
81 have had inquiries from the tree
peddler as to the greatest profits from
Oklahoma peach orchards during the
past season and as TO the success of the
markets # Great Britain. but 1 have
of necessity bee- guarded in my replies,
for do not want to write anything that
can be construed into even an indirect
endorsement of a business enterprise or
institution of which / know nothing, and
for the integrity of which ] might not
be able to consistently vouch if 1 did
know aught about it. The nursery busi-
ness should be carefully regulated in
Oklahoma as indeed it is in most of the
fruit growing states. The wildcat nurs-
eryman' the tree agent who really is
an independen operator, usually unprin-
cipled and always irresponsible, repre-
sents no nursery at all. He merely takes
orders for delivery at the close of the
season. and then buys. or contracts.
without regard TO its character or quail
ity enough nursery stock 90 I'LL out his
orders. If the parties he buys from do
not happen 10 have all of the varieties
desired il makes no difference. for he
merely substitutes some other variety.
labelling the same as per order. and the
trustful purchaser knows not the differ
ence until his trees come into bearing.
That the home nurseries should be re-
quired to register and have their stock
inspected as a precaution against insect
pests and plant diseases goes without
saying: in fact every reputable nursery
in the territory would welcome the adop-
ton and enforcement Of such law.
That outside nurseries should, as a mat
ter OF precaution against the Introduction
OF insects and plant diseases. be required
to procure license. is equally fai-. That
the irre sponsible finerant tree peddler
sholud be prevented from sailing under
the false colors Of an assumed name and
be required 10 establish his identity and
prove his integrity is a proposition that
is also equally fair.
Such a measureaGas introduced IN the
territorial legislative assembly last win
ter passed both houses. and when taken
up for consideration several days after
adjournment was vetoed by Governor
Ferguson only because of its mutilstion
ty- incompetent enErosslng clerks I be-
lieve the bill. as signed by the speaker
OF the house and the president OF the
council. proyi6ed that nurseries should
be inspected by tise 'etymolos4st OF the
agricultural experiment station One
really feels like expressing the hope that
some provisions be made 70 pass upon
the proficiency and qualifications Of can
dfdsres tor enE-oSxsng clerk when the
next legislature convenes. 50 that Il nay
be possible &c have a. entcnclogiSt IL
spect shs nurseries
There Is a big future for the EIherta
peach business in okiahoms. bur its lin
stations should be recognized Moreover.
Il Is not even nan That k corDstent to