110 THE KANSAS PEACH. 



Jesse Royer, Gove, Gove county, has lived in western Kansas over thirteen 

 years : has 1000 bearing peach trees seven years old, and 200 young trees set out. 

 Half of his bearing trees are seedlings, and 250 of these seedlings are of large size 

 and choice quality. He is on high upland prairie, and considers it preferable; 

 likes an east and north slope. He is growing, of budded varieties. Champion, 

 Crosby, Elberta, Excelsior, and one other — name lost; has tried none unsuccess- 

 fully. Would recommend specially for market the above list, and the same for 

 family; says they are all acceptable. He plants one-year-old trees, from eight to 

 ten feet apart (owing to high winds), cutting back to one foot or eighteen inches^ 

 a low top being desirable. Does not head in bearing trees. Never prunes roots, 

 as he says there is little enough root with them any way. His peaches all ripen 

 between September 25 and October 5. The extreme cold of February, 1899, in- 

 jured his trees fifty per cent. Some of the seedlings seem uninjured. He is not 

 troubled with curculio, but the flat-headed borer is with him. Has no other in- 

 sects, nor any diseased trees. Cultivates well, and grows some corn among his 

 peach trees. Would irrigate if he could, but has raised two good crops of peaches 

 and plums without irrigation. While prices range from SI to 81.50 per bushel he 

 sells but few. He and his family enjoy them, and give to neighbors and friends. 

 He is not sure that it would pay to plant largely in his vicinity. 



J. Weirtnian, Lincoln, Lincoln county, has resided in Kansas twenty-nine 

 years, and is a life member of the State Horticultural Society. Has now 100 

 peach trees in bearing, and 150 smaller. About 75 are seedlings, half of which 

 bear good fruit. His bearing trees are fifteen years year old, and on sandy soil 

 at foot of a prairie hill. The varieties are Alexander, Crawford's Early and Late, 

 Elberta, Wheatland, Smock, Stump, and Salway, and thinks this list a fine one 

 for all purposes. He plants one year from bud. Prefers western slope. Plants 

 fourteen feet apart. Does not prune at all. His earliest is Arkansas Traveler, 

 coming July 8: his latest, a seedling coming from Smock, in October. Fruit- 

 buds were all killed the past winter. His earliest varieties often "cook'* on the 

 trees. His fruit is not troubled with curculio, insects, or any disease, excepting 

 borers. He grows no crop and allows no live stock among his trees. He says 

 further: " I sell the fruit at home. Demand is good when we have a good crop. 

 Prices from twenty-five cents to one dollar. Extra good seedlings with small pits 

 bring thirty to forty cents per bushel. Peach crop too uncertain to risk large 

 plantings. Feed all refuse to pigs." About cold weather he says: " On Sunday 

 morning, February 12, the mercury stood at twenty-seven degrees below zero; on 

 the previovas Friday it stood at twenty-two below for ten hours. Before and after 

 those dates the weather was not cold enough to harm any well-matured trees or 

 buds. The Elberta stood it the best of any on my place." 



Rev. P. J. Eitzeii, Oakley, Logan county, says there are many small peach 

 orchards in the county, mostly seedlings. They do well on any soil, and slope 

 makes no difTerence if protected from the northwest winds. None are grown for 

 market, although there are many that are large and nice. They plant ten to 

 twelve feet apart, trimming off twigs and side branches to correspond with the 

 size of roots. "If top is larger than roots the tree is apt to die the first year." 

 No insects or diseases are known to trouble the peach tree or its fruit. "There 

 would be many more trees if people would keep live stock from them." They 

 irrigate by running water in ditches close to the trees. "All kinds of fruit-trees 

 grow very low and bushy ; limbs grow out a few inches above the ground; this is 

 explained by some people as being too high here, but I think it is on account of 



