The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1911-12-22
APPLE AND PEACH ORCHARD.

number of us are considering the
planting OF Elberta Peach and Kieffer
Pear in sufficient quantities to make
carload shipping Of the fruit PRODUCTS;
and then to organize as a Fruit Grow
er's Association.
Our soil is dark, sandy loam, with
joint clay subsoil. and the water is all
the way from ten to twenty feet under
the surface.
What is your opinion OF such soil
condition?
/ Nurserymen tell us that the above
named varieties will bear some fruit
i the third year fro mplanting: also,
that the kieffer Pear does not require
cultivation beyond the third year; and
/ that is not liable to blight
win you advise us regarding these
points: and also add any other in.
formation that might be helpful
Tell US If you think fruit growing
will pay us better than raising alfalfa
on our SOLID. V. HelYern, Grant
County, Oklahoma
The adaptability OF land to fruit
growing, and particularly peach grow
ing depends primarily on having an
open, porous subsoil There are some
very successful peach districts in the
United States which have a quite
heavy clay soil. There are others
which have thin, sandy soil, and
there are all gradations between
these extremes. In every instance,
however, you will find that the sub
soil is open, porous, and easily pene-
trated by the roots Of the trees.
The commercial growers of peaches
in this state find that a combination
OF three or four varieties gives the
best results The bulk Of the plant
ing, at least one-hah should be OF
Elbertas. A number OF early peaches
should be planted either OF the Early
Wheeler which is very popular in the
southeastern part of the state, or the
Triumph, or possibly both. To follow
UP the season some variety should be
planted; the Salway has been the
most successful, so far, for this pur-
pose. +
Peach orchards should always be
kept highly cultivated and pruned |
from the very first. Under favorable |
circumstances, they should bear
light crop In three years, and be full .
bearing by the fifth or sixth year
The young orchards are the most /
profitable as they bear the highest I
quality Of fruit. DO not plant the
trees too close together as this is the /
chief reason why many OF the
orchards fail so early. They should
be planted at least twenty feet apart
In good peach soil. the raising OF
peaches by those who understand II
is very profitable, and there is moth
ing in the raising Of peaches which is
so difficult TO learn but that anyone
might pick up, although. or course, he
would make some mistakes at first
by not doing all of the things just
right.
The Keiffer pear proposition Is OF
another class altogether. | was raised
In this mid-western country, and have
all over the middle west, and
a permanently profitable sod pear
orchard is thing l have never seen
I would net wish TO say that it could
not exist; 1t might in some favorable
location. Pears that are left in sod
In the vicinity Of saltwater will com
menee TO fail and in the course OF
Tive or six years viii die unless the
rainfall is particularly heavy. We had
, few on the back Fart Of the college
campus. but the dry weather Of the
asst three years has finished them up
viii say. however that our soil Is
unfavorable for tree
growth.
Instances are not unknown OF the