THE KANSAS PEACH. 129 



corn and potatoes among his trees for three years. Allows no live stock of any 

 kind among his trees. He does not irrigate. He picks in tin water-buckets, 

 with a hook to hang them on the limbs, and markets in "diamond" one-half- 

 bushel baskets, selling at home and near-by towns, receiving from sixty cents to 

 one dollar per bushel. Feeds the refuse to hogs. He does not think it would 

 pay to plant peaches largely in his vicinity. He further says: "Too early to de- 

 termine whether the extreme cold has seriously injured the trees. Of course all 

 peach fruit-buds are killed." 



Joliuson Keller, Arkansas City, Cowley county, has been in Kan.sas 

 twenty-two years, and has 500 bearing peach trees, one-half of which are seed- 

 lings of choice size and quality; they are planted on a black, sandy loam, which 

 he prefers. He believes that an east or north slope would be best. His varieties 

 are Red June, Yellow Crawford, Stump, Heath Cling, and a few others, names 

 unknown. He has discarded Red June and Amsden as too wormy and unfit for 

 market or to eat. His best-paying fruit is the Heath Cling, but he would grow 

 some Crawfords for family use. He sets out two-year-old trees, twenty feet apart, 

 trimming off one-third of the top, and allowing all the roots to remain. By ex- 

 perience he finds it decidedly preferable to head back bearing trees. His earliest 

 is the Amsden, coming in June, and his latest is Heath Cling, coming the middle 

 of October. Says that the extreme low temperature of last winter did not injure 

 his trees. Many of his varieties cook badly on the sunny side while on the trees 

 during the hot, sunny weather. Curculio troubles his early peaches badly, and 

 has caused him to discard such varieties ; no other insects or diseases affect his 

 trees. He grows no crop among his peach trees, and allows hogs to run in his 

 orchard to eat up the wormy peaches. Does not irrigate. Picks by hand from 

 step-ladders, and packs at once in crates under the trees, placing them — by hand 

 — in layers, closely in the crate, rejecting all except the best. Says he has shipped 

 to some extent, but it came very near destroying his religion. His most sat- 

 isfactory market is at home, where he receives from twenty-five to fifty cents per 

 bushel. Thinks it would not pay to plant largely in his vicinity, unless for can- 

 ning or drying. Feeds all refuse to hogs. Says, further: "I have noticed a 

 great many reports in papers concerning the injury done peaches in this state by 

 the hard freeze in February last. In this locality the peaches are not all killed; 

 the injury done was mostly among the budded and grafted varieties; there will 

 be enough left of seedling varieties to supply the wants of all our home people." 



Li. M. Howard, Girard, Crawford county, has fifty budded trees, on black, 

 sandy soil, north slope. His varieties are Elberta, Early and Late Crawfcrd, Old 

 Mixon Free, Greensboro, and Triumph. The first named he considers best for 

 market. He sets "June buds, one year old," 16x20 feet apart, cutting the tops 

 within six inches of the bud, and heads back one-third of new growth each year. 

 Thinks Triumph his earliest variety. Says the cold injured all varieties to some 

 extent. Grows no crops and allows no live stock among his trees. Picks and 

 markets in baskets holding one-fifth of a bushel. He further says: "Sort them 

 nice and be sure to put the best on top ( nit )." Does not think they would pay if 

 planted largely there. He further says: "In 1879 I brought from Michigan 

 choice stock, comprising Hill's Chili, Smock, Rareripes, etc. Of these I planted, 

 in spring of 1882, 800 dormant buds. They grew finely, but it was six years be- 

 fore I obtained a crop. I discovered that choice Michigan varieties were not a 

 success in Kansas — the fruit cracking, sunburning, etc. The following winter 

 was so severe the fruit-buds were again killed, so was my patience, and I dug 

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