The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-10-01
The Reno County Apple Crop
Larger Than Expected.
Scattering Orchards Showing
an Increased Yield.
PICKERS ARE SCARCE.
Boxes and Barrels for Packing
the Fruit In Demand.
Weeds Seem to Have Been q
Protection to Apples.

Hutchinson, Oct. There is no low
ering OF the estimates made some time
ago by the orchard men as to the pro-
bable crop this year. The figures given
out then as to the size of the Reno
county crop will hardly be revised now,
excepting to state that there will be
even a larger yield than was at first
supposed.
1t seems that the scattering orchards,
those which cover from one up to ten
and twenty acres each will yield large
this season and apple picking is the
thing right now wherever there are ap-
Die trees There are many scattering
orchards out of the Arkansas valley,
which are yielding just the same as are
the orchards along the river and Cow
ereek- They are yielding even better,
IN many instances, than are the big or
chards with the many acres and the
thousands of trees.
The cooper shops in Hutchinson and
the people who have boxes for packing
for sale, have had all they could attend
to In the past month and their business
Is Just commencing. Barrels are being
hauled to the orchards by the load,
droves or wagons starting from town
every day. These barrels and boxes are
coming back filed and packed for ship
ment and for storage. Most of the
fruit is going into cold storage right
here in Hutchinson, the large houses
ness. It will be but a short time until
the capacity of these places will be
tested and all of the storage space ta-
ken.
Many men who have made the apple
business very much of a side line in
years gone by and who have taken no
care at all of their trees have found
them loaded today with the finest fruit
ever seen. The trees are packed and
are carrying as many as it is possible
to carry. Cellars on the farms are be-
ing filled and it is surprising to find
how many people are prepared to take
care of large quantities of fruit at
be much fruit ready for sale, direct
from the farmers and orchard men, all
through the winter, this being from
stock kept in cellars at home.
1t doesn't seem to make much diff
ference this year whether an orchard
has been trimmed according to Hoyle
and the weeds and grasses cut down
or not The trees do not seem to mind
the weeds at all and are dropping off
the large apples in among these weeds
where the sun fails to find and blister
them. The weeds are great protec-
ton to the falling fruit and it is kept
in much better condition. 1t was
thought for long time that trees
could not have weeds growing near
weeds do not cut any ice, in a good
many of the orchards, at least, and
that the growth of the fruit is not
stopped at all. A clean orchard looks
all right but there are men who say
that it is a good thing to let the grass
and weeds grow, when the trees get to
be ten years old.
There is much cider being made this
year and a good many presses are
scattered around over the country. 1t
Is expected that a large cider mill will
be put in here at a point along the
railroad tracks ana near one of the
storage houses. Something will have
to be done with the large amount of
fruit which cannot be used for any
other purpose but to make cider. 1t
will be good money for some people
and the vinegar will be a valuable
product in the future