THE KANSAS PEACH. 121 



third. Has some curculios, a few leaf-crumplers, and no disease. Grows corn 

 among young trees, and allows cattle and horses among them occasionally. Irri- 

 gates successfully, while young, from a spring branch. Picks carefully into bas- 

 kets, rejecting all unsound ones, and selling at retail at home at from one to two 

 dollars per bushel. Sells refuse at a low price. Thinks they would pay if planted 

 largely on suitable ground and properly cared for. 



J. »T. Ablard, Lawndale, Pratt county, has been in the state thirteen years; 

 has 840 peach trees, planted from six to twelve years. Less than twenty of these 

 are seedlings, only three of which are worthy of notice. They are on black loam 

 with a clay subsoil ; he believes some sand would be better. Thinks all slopes 

 are equal. His varieties are Stump, Old Mixon Free, Old Mixon Cling, Elberta, 

 Crosby, Champion, Salway, St. John, Triumph, Beers Smock, and several oth- 

 ers. He has discarded Alexander as too wormy ; Crawford's Early as too tender 

 in the bud. For market or family use he would recommend only the above. He 

 plants yearlings or June buds, 12x24 feet, trimming off nearly all the branches, 

 and trimming the roots to stubs one to two inches long. His Amsden have borne 

 early in June, and a large white cling (probably Heath) comes in the middle to 

 the last of October. Cold of last winter killed all the fruit-buds, but did not 

 injure his trees. His peaches often "cook" on the sunny side. He is troubled 

 with no insects except borers, and no peach diseases. Grows corn among his 

 young trees; never allows live stock near. Does not irrigate. Uses all the prod- 

 uct at home. Thinks railroad rates are too high to make peach growing pay in 

 his vicinity. 



Joseph Bainiiiii, Arlington, Reno county, has lived twenty-six years in 

 Kansas, and has 1300 peach trees, all seedlings but twenty-three; all are above 

 the average in quality. His bearing trees— 1000 — have been set from fifteen to 

 twenty-five years, on black, sandy soil, which he believes just right. He likes 

 southeast slope best. His budded varieties are Amsden, Champion, ^Elberta, 

 Crawford, and Crosby. He would discard the Amsden as too watery, soft, and 

 wormy, and would recommend the balance of the above list for all uses. He sets 

 one-year trees twelve feet apart, but would recommend sixteen feet as preferable. 

 He only prunes top at planting time to balance root. The Amsden comes with him 

 about June 20. Says the cold of February, 1899, did not injure his trees at all. 

 Curculio troubles him; he sprayed, and killed the leaves on his trees. Borers 

 are a great trouble. In very wet times the leaves have curled and died. Grows 

 no crop after three or four years. Sometimes he turns in the hogs. Picks and 

 markets in half-bushel baskets, rejecting all imperfect ones. Sells near home at 

 fifty cents to one dollar per bushel. Says they would pay if "good ones" were 

 planted largely. 



E. Morgan, Hutchinson, Reno county, has lived in Kansas eighteeh years, 

 and has now growing 1025 peach trees, all choice budded fruit, now planted five, 

 six and seven years, on heavy, light sandy loam, on which they have done well. 

 Says all slopes will give same results in his county. Varieties are Mountain Rose, 

 Elberta, Crawford's Early, Crosby, Heath, Champion. Chair's Choice, Salway, 

 Smock, and three others ( names lost), and would recommend the above list for 

 all purposes. Sets trees one-year-old from bud, 15x1.5 feet, with all branches 

 trimmed off and all injured roots trimmed. Heads back bearing trees annually, 

 and thinks it the very best way. Curculio troubles early and medium freestones. 

 Root borers are troublesome. Has some curl in spring, but it disappears. Grows 



