The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-08-20
CUCUMBER KINGS.
Topeka Has Two Within Her
Boundaries.
They Are Newspapermen Who
Have Branched Out.
HOW THEY OPERATE.
First Planted Potatoes, but
They Were Flooded.
Then Planted Cueumbers and
Have Trouble.
HOW THEY OPERATE.

Topeka has royalty within it's bounds.
The cucumber kings of Kansas live
here Or it would be more proper to
siderably,as they did not know whether
there are two of them. it takes them
both to make the king.
These two royal personages are Chas.
Sessions aad Jesse Leach. Topeka CORE
Bpondents for two Kansas City news
papers. Together they own the largest
cucumber farm" in the state and are
therefore entitled to be called. jointly,
a cucumber king. The question of divid-
ang the crown has bothered them con-
ably, as they did not know whether ii
It would be better for one to wear it one
day and the other the next, or TO cut
the crown in two. Sessions was in favor
of the alternate day plan, while Leach
wanted to split the crown. They de-
cided the difficulty by Tipping pennies
and Leach won. Each OF them will wear
half a crown when working at the Gu
cumber king business
They became cucumber kings on the
spur Of the moment In fact, their king
ship is one of the misfortunes of the
food. Early in the spring they formed
q syndicate and started out to be potato
kings. They rented forty acres of land
across Soldier creek, and hired it ploW-
ed and got ready for potatoes It re-
Quired a whole car load of potatoes for
Feed. and this rather staggered them,
rs they had figured on buying Few
quarts of seed and sowing the potatoes
themselves. and they were disappointed
when they found that the best potatoes
did not grow from potato seed but from
potatoes. Then the seed potatoes had
to be cut, and this little item cost them
$40, and this was another blow Wheh
at last the crop was in they mad eN-
r1nraah q little matter of S4IU-
Both took a cheerful view of the stu
alton. however, and began TO figure on
their expected profits.
Charlie" said Jess after a few mo-
ments Of rapid calculation with a state
house lead pencil on a state house
scratch pad. Il have read that pOta-
toes yield four hundred bushels to the
acre sometimes so we are sure of six
teen thousand bushels. At 80 cents
bushel we will have eight thousand
dollars all right"
Every morning after that they would
take observations to see if good po-
tato weather" was promised. and dur
ing the first week they only dug up
about half an acre to ascertain if the
potatoes had sprouted. The potatoes
came on finely and up TO the last of
May it looked as though their expecta-
tons would be realized, when-the flood
came. 1t covered their entire field, and
when the waters subsidized not live
potato vine was in sight.
Long before the waters subsidized Mr..
Leach chartered a boat and went over
to view the remains of his hopes. AS
soon as he ascertained the true condi-
ton the syndicate at once made Drepa-
rations to replant the field. They fig
ured that they could spend another
s4e0 and still make a profit of some
thing like 81 900.
But only enough seed potatoes could
be found in town to plant fifteen acres.
These were hastily secured, but it then
became a question what to do with the
other twenty-five acres. Then it was
that the cucumber idea was proposed,
and they set out to be cucumber kings.
1t was largely an experiment, but they
got enough seed for twenty-five acres
and got it planted. They have twenty
thousand hills of cucumbers.
The cucumber harvest has Just com
menced. and they have fifteen harvest
hands in their cucumber field. They
expect to increase the number to
thirty-five in a short time. The cucum-
beers sell for a cent a pound. which
makes practically so cents a bushel
The Topeka picking works contracted
for the entire product at that price
There are Just two main items Of ex-
Pense in raising cucumbers." said Mr..
Leach with that easy air which be-
longs to royalty. Those two items
are killing the bugs and picking
the cucumbers. There are five diff
ferent kinds Of bugs which think
one Of them will eat up a whole patch be-
fore you know It unless you keep a close
watch. 1t should be a stop watch. too
that is. you should stop them There are