3(?2 JEFFERSON COUNTY, KANSAS. 



the poor and old ones to the butcher. I hope to have in a 

 few years a flock as good as the best of sheep-raisers. 



FRUIT 



Fourteen years ago I planted an orchard of one hundred 

 apple trees in the bottom of a small creek running through the 

 farm. The trees seemed to grow very well, but I have only 

 gathered one crop of fruit from that orchard. Ten years ago I 

 selected a location on the prairie, just above a limestone ledge 

 of rocks sloping to the northwest, and have now over seven 

 hundred trees. About half of them have borne well for the 

 last three years. The two great pests of the orchard are the 

 borer and the rabbit. The former I keep down by constant 

 watching. I always carry a sharp knife along, and whenever 

 I see him at work I cut him out at once. I have lost but a 

 few trees, but have seen whole orchards entirely destroyed 

 by them in a few years where they have been allowed to work. 

 The only certain plan with the rabbit is to bind the trees up 

 with corn stalks or paper. 



APPLES — VARIETIES. 



I plant my trees eighteen feet apart each way and culti- 

 vate both ways. Every year I plant with corn or potatoes. Idonot 

 favor sowing small grain in an orchard, as it seems to stunt the 

 trees. Part of this I have seeded to clover, and have a good 

 stand. Next Spring I intend to seed down the rest, as the 

 trees are getting too large to plough through. 



After twenty-four years' residence in the State, I find the 

 climate favorable for apples. The Early Harvest, Sweet June, 

 and Red June, answer best for early apples ; for Fall, the 

 Maiden Blush and Rambo ; for early Winter, Jonathan (one of 

 the best apples ever grown) ; and for the Winter, the Winesap, 

 Ben. Davis, Willow Twig, and Jenniton, are admirable. The 

 great mistake which new beginners in the fruit line make is, 

 that they plant too many varieties. For blackberries we have 

 the Kittatinny and the Wilson. Last Winter these were killed 

 to the snow line. I shall next try the Snyder. 



