:362 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



propensity of the rabbits to examine the traps let them in. At first the catch was 

 so great that men and boys would engage to look the traps over every morning for 

 a part of the game secured, which readily sold in market. After a time they would 

 want all that were caught, and when the rabbits became scarce it was necessary 

 to pay small wages to have the traps tended. Altogether, the rabbits about paid 

 for catching them. 



Spraying for insect enemies of almost all kinds has been promptly and system- 

 atically followed in these orchards. Leaf-eating insects of all kinds have been ef- 

 fectually destroyed by arsenical preparations ; and the Codling moth, which is the 

 worst insect enemy, has been kept somewhat in check by the same means. 



The varieties planted were Ben Davis, Jonathan, Winesap, Missouri (Pippin), 



Maiden Blush and Cooper Early. Missouri has up to this date paid the best, as it 



is an early bearer, and yielded the most per tree. But the trees are failing and the 



fruit getting smaller, as is the case in my own and many other orchards 1 have 



examined in the West. The same is true of Winesap, although it comes next in 



point of profit so far. Ben Davis has yielded the third best, but the trees are in 



good condition and give promise of paying the best in the end. Jonathan, in point 



of yield per tree, comes fourth because of the fruit bringing from 25 cents to $1 



more per barrel than any other kind grown, and the trees yet in good condition for 



bearing, it should rank equal with any. No apple during many years has brought 



so high a price in St. Louis market as Jonathan, and toorchardists in the Central 



States, where the tree will succeed I would recommend it highly. 



Maiden Blush has done only fairly and Cooper Early the poorest. In fact, 

 no summer or fall apple will usually repay for planting, except for home use. I 

 came to this conclusion twenty-five years ago, and have rarely seen any cases that 

 would tend toward a change of mind. The fruit fs gathered in common two-bushel 

 eacks, with a hoop in the mouth, and tied together as one sowing grain by hand. 

 These, when partly filled by the pickers, who carry them slung over the shoulder, 

 are emptied into shallow boxes on a wagon near by. These are carried to a pack- 

 ing-house, where the sorting is done directly from them. Formerly another sys- 

 tem of sorting the fruit on movable plai forms in the orchard was used, but that 

 just described has proved the most economical of time. The same plan is followed 

 in handling peaches at the Olden farm, mentioned last month, except that half- 

 bushel baskets are need instead of boxes, and the fruit gathered directly into the 

 baskets. In either case, both hands are free. Peaches will not endure even the 

 gentle emptying from sack to box that in nowise injures apples. A stout hook and 

 eye are sewed to either end of the sack to facilitate emptying it and again fasten- 

 ing the ends together. 



Two marketable grades were put in barrels and shipped principally to Denver, 

 Colo. But the last two crops were sent east, sonce as far as Philadelphia and Balti- 

 more. In 1891 Western New York was partly supplied from these Kansas orchards. 

 This is indeed bearding the lion in his den, but he was hungry and glad to get Kansas 

 Ben Davis when New York Baldwin failed. Exclusive of the cost of land and rent 

 for the same, it cost about 85 cents per tree to bring them to bearing age, or six 

 years from settirg. Up to 1890 there had been gathered 230,185 bushels, which 

 sold for $1-25,118. 08. The cost of gathering and marketing was $44,734.30, which 

 leaves as net proceeds the sum of $80,380.78, which is by no means a bad showing 

 for 437 acres of ordinary prairie land, worth not to exceed $20 per acre, and the 

 time of two men ( Mr. Wellhouse had a son with him ) for the greater part of about 

 16 years. At least, Mr. Wellhouse is so well satisfied and financially advanced that 

 he has recently put out 800 acres more in apple-trees in, Oeage county, Kansas, He 



