THE KANSAS PEACH. 95 



past. Has had "signs" of yellows, but always dug and V)uined the suspects. 

 Allows no live stock in, and plants only cultivated crops. Cultivates thoroughly, 

 from spring to July. Picks from ground or ladders into baskets, and markets in 

 peck baskets when available. Packs systematically and all of a size, rejecting 

 small or imperfect ones, which he finds readily salable at bakeries and restau- 

 rants for immediate use, and to families for peach butter, at abbut twenty-five 

 cents per bushel. His best markets are Lawrence and Topeka. Two grocery- 

 men in Lawrence handle for him from 50 to 200 baskets per day. Prices vary 

 from fifteen to thirty cents per basket. Says certain varieties would pay if 

 planted largely. Is so well satisfied v^'ith varieties named that he will replant all 

 killed trees with same varieties. 



David Brown, Richmond, Franklin county, has 550 peach trees — 500 of 

 these are twenty years old: half are seedlings; they are on red soil, which he 

 prefers. Says any slope will do. His varieties are Alexander, Stump, Crawfords, 

 Early York, Rareripe [?], Crosby, and White Heath Free; all of which, except- 

 ing Alexander, he recommends for all purposes. He sets one- or two-year-old 

 trees, sixteen feet apart each way, without pruning; trims bad roots. His Alex- 

 ander comes on June 20, and White Heath Cling in October. This latter some- 

 times "cooks" on the tree. Curculio troubles his early varieties of freestones: 

 never has leaf-curl, yellows, or any diseased trees. His best market is Ottawa: 

 he sells in one-third-bushel crates, discarding all undersized or defective ones, 

 averaging eighty cents. Says they will pay if planted largely. Lets culls rot. 

 Says, further, "people have become careless about peach trees, and let their 

 orchards run down." 



AVilliaiu Cutter, Junction City, Geary county, has lived in Kansas twenty- 

 eight years: has 2000 bearing peach trees, from three to thirteen years jjlanted, 

 and 1000 younger ones. They are growing on high and low lands, but he claims 

 the higher is the better, with north and east slope. Grows too many varie- 

 ties to mention. Has discarded Bokara No. 3, all "blood" peaches, Crawford's 

 Early, Globe, and others. He recommends, for market, Elberta, Mountain Rose, 

 Champion, Salway, Heath Cling, and Crosby : and for family use would add some 

 early varieties. Plants only one-year-old trees, 12x16 feet apart, pruning to a 

 stick two and one-half feet high: has tried severe root pruning with success. 

 Believes in heading in well, especially if injured by cold. His earliest is the 

 Sneed; latest the Bonanza, October 15. The cold of February, 1899, killed the 

 nursery trees, and severely injured the bearing trees — many are dead. Curculio 

 bothers the earliest always. Has sprayed, but it did no apparent good. Other 

 insects that trouble his peaches are wasps, tree-crickets, and grasshoppers. No 

 insects on trees. Some leaf-curl comes and goes : does no damage. Grows mel- 

 ons and potatoes among his trees for a few years. Allows nd live stock in on pur- 

 pose — finds live boys will get in at night [bless the boys; he was once one]. Picks 

 in eight- to ten-pound baskets, and markets in ten-pound baskets and one- third- 

 bushel crates, mostly without wrapping, rejecting all overripe, small or specked 

 ones. Markets as near home as possible. He wholesales to storekeepers, receiv- 

 ing from one to two dollars per bushel. He thinks it would pay well to plant 

 largely in his locality. He gets his refuse dried for half. 



»J. "W. Williams, Holton, Jackson county, has lived in Kansas forty years, 

 and grown many peaches; he now has but twenty-five bearing trees and eight or 

 ten in bud on three town lots. Has retired from active, hard work, but his ex- 



