THE KANSAS PEACH. 125 



Geo. Weniiij»er, Selkirk, Wichita county, has 700 peach trees; 500 of them 

 are seedlings, 150 of these being of choice quality. They have been planted six 

 to ten years, on black, sandy loam, which he believes most suitable; prefers 

 valley to any slope. He has Heath, Hale's, and Foster, and recommends them 

 for all purposes. He planted two-year-old trees, ten feet apart, trimming back to 

 a stick from twelve to eighteen inches long, with damaged roots trimmed 

 smoothly. His Hale's come July 1 ; Foster, October. Has no pests or diseases. 

 Grows potatoes and beans among the trees and allows no live stock among them. 

 Sells at home, at one dollar per bushel. Does not think they would pay if 

 planted largely for market. One-year-old trees mostly killed to the ground or 

 snow line by cold of February, 1899; buds all killed. 



THE FOURTH DISTRICT. 



A. R. Baxley, Humboldt, Allen county, an old Kansan, has 100 peach trees 

 planted ten and sixteen years ago. Sixty are seedlings; forty of these are bearing 

 valuable fruits. They are growing in a loose, sandy soil, with yellow clay subsoil, 

 which he believes to be the right thing, if not too flat. He prefers a western as- 

 pect. His budded fruit is all Amsden. He prefers one-year-old trees, planted 

 20x30 feet, and knows nothing of pruning — does not practice it. He has a choice 

 late cling coming about October 1. Says all varieties in his orchard were injured 

 by extreme cold of February, 1899; at least a foot of all tops was killed. Some 

 of his peaches cook on one side while on the tree, a white seedling with thin foli- 

 age being most affected. Curculio troubles his fruit some. Borers have caused 

 a loss of one-third of his plantings. He grows rye among his trees and pastures 

 it until early summer; then sows sorghum and pastures it down; all this with 

 hogs only, and they are taken out when the crop is eaten. Picks and markets 

 in half-bushel baskets, selling at retail in home town at twenty to forty cents per 

 bushel. Uses refuse in family preserves and butters. Hardly thinks commercial 

 peach orcharding will pay there, but has seen no practical test made. 



William Newcoinb, Welda, Anderson county, has 400 peach trees, 175 of 

 which are seedlings. His trees have been planted five years, on black limestone 

 land, but says he would prefer red limestone. He is growing the varieties that 

 are recommended by the Kansas State Horticultural Society in its reports (see 

 elsewhere in this book). He plants his trees 160 feet apart, making 160 to the 

 square acre, trimmed to a whip, and the roots trimmed somewhat. Curculio 

 troubles his early freestones, and the borers will get in his trees. Grows no crop 

 among his trees. Says that the cold killed all of the peach buds for this year's 

 crop. 



B. F. Pancoa.st, Tola, Allen county, is an old settler, and has long been sec- 

 retary of the Allen County Horticultural Society; has twenty-five bearing trees, 

 twenty-three of which are very choice seedlings of his own growing. His trees 

 are from four to sixteen years old, and are growing on black bottom land, which 

 he considers the best. Of budded fruit he has only two trees, one Grosse Mig- 

 nonne and the other Stump the World. He prefers trees one year from bud, and 

 cuts top and root quite short. His peaches are planted among his apple trees, 

 which are two rods apart. He heads back about one-third of each year's growth 

 in his bearing trees. Curculio troubles his freestones; has no other insects or 

 diseases, excepting a little leaf-curl, not serious. Is troubled with fruit rotting 



