OBSERVATIONS IN THE SUNFLOWER STATE. 2I3 



OBSERVATIONS IN THE SUNFLOWER STATE. 



DAVID SECOR, WINNEBAGO. 



It is natural for a person interested in horticultural or agricul- 

 tural pursuits, when traveling about the country, to observe what 

 other people are doing in these special lines. This is educational in 

 a way, and the lessons learned encourage him to greater efforts of 

 achievement. Some persons are found who have spent much time 

 and thought to improve farmer conditions and have secured results 

 beneficial to humanity, but it is surprising how many persons are sat- 

 isfied to get along in the old ruts and make no effort to beautify their 

 homes and to surround thier families with the comforts and pleas- 

 ures of life. Both the farm and the village home are too often des- 

 titute of shade, ornamental or fruit trees and shrubs, when by a lit- 

 tle labor these comforts could be had. 



The writer left Minnesota January 15 and arrived in McPherson, 

 Kansas, on January 17, to visit friends and benefit health by spend- 

 ing the winter in a milder climate. McPherson is 180 miles south- 

 west of Kansas City, and in a productive part of the state. The first 

 visit here was made some twenty-three years ago. At that time 

 the country was destitute of trees, and it was generally believed they 

 vv^ould not grow and that gardens could not be had not fruit suc- 

 cessfully grown, owing to the hot winds that occasionally came 

 from the arid plains to the southwest. But the passing years have 

 caused great changes in the face of nature. Groves have been 

 planted and fruit trees set out, which are in a thriving condition. 

 Street shade trees of elm, soft maple, box elder, cottonwood, hack- 

 berry, catalpa and honey locust have been set out, and many are now 

 nice large trees. The street trees and lawn trees have been planted 

 too close, a fault not unusual in starting tree planting, and now 

 cause too dense a shade. They will need thinning out to admit the 

 sun rays, both for health and for comfort. 



Kansas in a certain sense is in a transitional period of develop- 

 ment, but has the making of a great state. However, climatic con- 

 ditions vary greatly between the eastern and western parts of the 

 state, owing to altitude and rainfall. At the mouth of the Kansas 

 River the altitude above the sea is 750 feet, and the annual rainfall 

 about forty-five inches, while in the extreme western part of the 

 state the altitude is from 4,000 to 4,400 feet and the average annual 

 rainfall only fifteen inches. This necessitates a different system of 

 both agriculture and horticulture between the extreme east and the 

 extreme vi^est. In this county (McPherson) peaches, apricots, 

 plums, cherries, pears and apples do well, except that pear trees 



