The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1920-02-26


prepared by the United States Depart
ment of AgricuIture)
The middle-aged gentleman was
dOwncast. not to say positively de-
spOndent- And it wasn't his nature
at lunch time. Something serious had
happened, clearly. His young friend,
who felt a duty of guardianship in a
way, asked him what it was.
We'll" confessed the middIe-aged
gentleman, Il am apprehensive as to
the future of the country. The home
orchard is passing away-a specialist
of the United States department of ag-
riculture told me so. And I don't see
how American institutions as we know
them are going TO survive such a blow.
Why, all the memories that are worth
wniie-all the sweet sentiments that
tie US to the divine sufficiently to keep
us from going wholly to the brute
connects in some way with the old
home orchard. The thing that brings
to me the spirit of Easter-the coming
of life out of death-isn't sermons and
lilies. 1t is the smell of plum blossoms,
white on the trees and fragrant long
SONS after Il warm rain-peach blooms
against saffron sunset-appleS hang
ing thick on the trees when the leaves
are falling and frost is near, the visi-
BILE proof of the faith that Nature viii
provide for her children through the
frozen timeI Why, there isn't day
but some memory of my playtime in
the old orchard makes me kinder and
more decent to the other human be-
ings who have to live here with me.
What's going TO happen, I'd like to
know, when we have bred a race that
buys its fruit from commercial or
chards and knows nothing of the hui
maniZing influence of the little Or
chard that is a part OF home, and If
not actually a part of heaven. at least
a bit of the path that leads to
heaven?"
Reviewing the Home Orchard.
well" said the young friend,
'other specialists of the department of
agriculture besides the one you talked
to have been thinking about it. don't
know that they had your particular
phase of the home orchard in mind. I
believe they were thinking more about
saving money in the home, and about
the greater comfort Of the members OF
the household. But they have written
a bulletin entitled Growing Fruit for
Home Use 1t begins this way: "A
more general culture OF fruits In gar
dens and in home orchards would con-
tribute substantially to the health and
pleasure Of the average family, besides
furnishing q supply Of valuable food
products at a relatively small outlay
of money Something, you see, Is be-
ing done to prevent the passing Of the
home orchard"
'sFm glad to hear it, said the middle
aged gentleman. what else does the
bulletin say9"
"Well, it has 30 pages full of sound
advice about growing fruit in the home
orchard. 1t outlines a plan for an
orchard, tells what kind of site Is best,
how to obtain nursery stock, the rela-
tive advantages of large and dwarf
trees, season Of planting, preparation
of the soil, handling the stock from the
nursery. planting. cultural methods,
maintaining soil fertility, pruning and
training, control of insect pests and
fungous diseases, varieties of fruit for
different regions, description Of the diff
ferent fruit districts, comments on
fruit varieties, age of bearing, and lists
OF varieties. 1t discusses apples, pears,
ounces, peaches, apricots, plums,
cherries, grapes, gooseberries. cur
rants, strawberries, raspberries. black
berries, dewberries and, possibly, some
others"
'aThat"-and the middle-aged gentle
man let out a long breath and grew
less tense-''is fine, as far as it goes.
1t tells a man how to grow fruit at
home. But does 1t tell him why to
grow fruit at homer
EYES," said the young man, cit points
out that, in many localities, the dim
Guilty of securing fruit in pleasing vari-
ETY. by purchase is a strong reason for
its home production wherever possible.
1t says that, throughout large portion
of the country, a sufficient range In va
riety of fruits can be produced to pro-
vide q supply in the fresh state for the
table during a large part OF the year
and for canning or otherwise conServ-