104 THE KANSAS PEACH. 



troduction. Had some peach scab. Grows no crop under trees. Would pasture 

 with hogs; they will eat fallen fruit and worms. Picks in baskets from a step- 

 ladder, and markets in both crates and baskets, dividing into firsts and seconds. 

 His best market is local; he receives an average of one dollar per bushel. 

 Thinks peach planting on a large scale would not pay; too severe droughts. 

 Throws refuse away. His varieties were so chosen that he can fill orders at any 

 hour, from earliest to latest; to explain: "Hale's Early laps on to Troth: be- 

 tween Troth and Early Crawford — about six days — there is no standard variety 

 that I know of, yet we have a good unnamed variety that fills that space." He 

 discarded many varieties because they dropped too badly during drought. La- 

 grange — his latest — sheds fruit very badly. He is now trying a new yellow free- 

 stone that ripens late. His trees bloom from the first week in March to the first 

 week in April, and ripen fruit similarly. 



W. J. Gritfiiig', Manhattan, Riley county, is an old-timer, grew up in Kan- 

 sas: been here forty years, and for many years secretary of the Manhattan Horti- 

 cultural Society ; has now only about eighty peach trees, fifty of them in bearing; 

 twenty-five are seedlings. His bearing trees have only been out from three to 

 five years. They are on upland, with clay subsoil, and he believes it good; says: 

 any good upland will grow peaches. He is growing Crosby, Triumph, and El- 

 berta, but would advise, for market and family. Stump, Elberta, Triumph, Early 

 and Late Crawford. Would plant two-year old trees, one rod (IG.l feet) apart, 

 pruning all bruised roots and cutting the top nearly all oflf. Amsden comes 

 earliest, about July 1, but is too tender. Says cold of February killed all buds. 

 Says curculio troubles him only when crop is light. Has lost several hundred 

 trees' with rosette. Grows corn or any hoed crop among trees. Markets in half- 

 bushel baskets, avoiding the specked and imperfect specimens. He markets at 

 home and in Manhattan, at fifty cents to one dol|ar per bushel. Thinks if 

 planted largely they would pay largely for a while. 



Jaiues Wilson, Assaria, Saline county, has lived in Kansas twenty years; 

 has a peach orchard of seventy-five bearing trees and fifty younger ones. Of 

 these twenty-five are seedlings, fifteen of which bear uncommonly fine fruit. 

 His trees have been set nine years, on a heavy, sandy mold, which he believes 

 the most suitable. He likes a southeast aspect. He is growing Elberta, Yellow 

 Cling, White Honey Cling, and others: would especially recommend Elberta and 

 White Honey Cling. He planted two-year-old trees, twenty-three feet apart, 

 without pruning, and does not prune at any time. Curculio troubles his late 

 freestone varieties; has sprayed, with very gratifying effect. Borers trouble him 

 some. Says peach yellows is caused by a failure to bear, following a year in 

 which they were overproductive. He allows swine to range among his trees. 

 He picks and packs in half-bushel baskets, covered with mosquito net or slats, 

 leaving out all defective, small or wormy specimens. His best market is Salina, 

 Kan. He sells at both wholesale and retail, generally getting a very satisfactory 

 price. He doubts the advisability of planting largely for profit in his locality. 

 Says peach orchards in his neighborhood are neglected, thus causing inferior 

 fruit in small quantities. Thinks that owing to cold in February the conditions 

 are not favorable for a good crop. 



Martin Dean, Bavaria, Saline county, has 1800 peach trees. He is the 

 originator of Dean's Orange peach. Seventeen hundred of his trees are seedlings. 

 Seven hundred of these are fine, as Dean's Orange is a persistent seedling, com- 



