St. Tammany farmer., 1906-06-16
oRcHARl1NG In OKLAHOMA

The Territory II Onering IDEAL 0sn-
ditions For the Cultivation
of Fruits.
To show that fruit growing in Ok
lahoma pays, and is likely to become
one of the great industries Of the new
state. one need only point to the ex-
perience Of Frank Householder, whose
200-acre fruit farm lies just to the west
Of Guthrie. Householder came to Okla
homa sixteen years ago, and says that
At that time his capital consisted OF Q
good wife and three small children.
Mr.. Householder located on an up
land prairie farm, and began to set out
trees. When he started he was, Of
course, entirely ignorant as to what
varieties would flourish best in Okla
homa, and some Of his early expert
ments were costly. But he kept at It,
and now has 10 acres of fine bearing
orchard. with ninety acres more IN
small fruitA S
There are 1000 peach trees which
will bear this year and Mr.. House
holder estimates that his receipts from
peaches alone will be from $4,000 to
900, and the expense of gathering,
packing and shipping $4,000. He has,
Ill together, $4,000 peach trees, most
Of them Elbertas, of which 5000 are
three years old, 1000 two years old,
and the rest between five and seven
years old. His entire crop, which will
ripen late in June, will be shipped di-
rect to northern and eastern markets.
In another part of the orchard are
1000 apple trees, from three to six
years old. also laden with young fruit,
and of enough different varieties SO
that apple picking will be going On
from June until frost comes. The ap-
pie trees are set u to 1S feet apart,
and thoroughly cultivated. The 500
cherry trees, upon which the fruit is
also taking shape, are also kept well
cultivated.
In striking contrast TO The rest OF the
Eorchard, in appearance, is the section
occupied by Householder's 700 pear
trees. While the rest Of the orchard
is as clean looking as parlor floor,
the group Of weeds and br3ers between
the year trees looks like veritable
wilderness. Householder explains that
in Oklahoma it is not safe to cultivate
pear trees. because Of the danger Of fire
blight, which cultivation encourages.
That his theory is correct is demon
strated by the condition of his trees,
which are strong and healthy, and are
bearing we'll.
He has also several hundred plum
trees of different varieties, and acres Of
strawberries. raspberries, blackberries,
currants and other small fruit, In ad-
dition to an excellent vineyard. Mr..
Householder places the total value of
his farm at the present at SCI, 1000, and
q jury in the district court here re-
Gently awarded him $500 per acre for
three acres taken from his farm by the
right Of way Of new railroad.
A windmill and q big elevated tank
furnish water supply for the entire
farm, but the owner has SO far never
irrigated q tree, finding the natural
water supply fully ample. He makes It
. point to spray all Of his trees twice
every year. once before they leaf N
the spring, in order to head off early
pests, and again just after they flower,
this time to get rid Of any coddling
moths which might have survived the
first spraying. He estimates that the
first spray gets 80 per cent Of the
moths and the second one finishes
them.
Another Of the big orchardists who
have made fruit-growng pay is ]. A..
Taylor, of Wynnewood. He has on hts
farm 10000 Elberta peach trees, most
of which will bear this year for the
first time. He is peach specialist,
and has been making especial efforts
to increase the quality Of the fruit
grown In the territory. Two years ago
he visited most of the large growers,
advising them In regard to the care
and pruning of their trees, and Offer
ing to take their crop at 81 per BUSH
ell, If they would follow his suggestions,
SO as to produce choice fruit.
Practically al1 Of them took him up,
and he found himself with almost the
entire peach crop Of the territory on
his hands. AS the quality was good, ho
had no trouble in disposing Of it and
by personally visiting the northern
markets to place his fruit, sold most
Of his peaches at 40 to so cents ad-
vance over what he had peid for them
One Of tho most notable peach ship
ments ever made from Oklahoma was
the car sent two years ago to London,
ct the suggestion Of ]. B. Thoburn,
then secretary Of the Oklahoma board
Of agriculture. The shipment was
made principally for advertising pur-
poses and was very successful in work
Ing up trade with English commits
sion men. In that shipment were in
cluded special crates for King Ed
ward and Joseph H. Choate, then
American ambassador to England.
While it is hard to determine exact
" how many fruit trees there are in
Oklahoma, as the farmers and fruit
growers keep on planting every year.