THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN 
215 
AMERICAN GROWN FRUIT STOCKS 
A great many nurserymen and fruit growers do not 
realize how the fruit tree seedling business has developed 
here in this country in the last few years. It is true, like 
many other lines of industry, there was a halt during the 
war and we have not yet come up to the pace that had 
developed before the war put a stop to many industries. 
The growing of apple seedlings especially bids fair to 
equal the supply from foreign sources, as time goes on. 
Mr. L. R. Taylor made the first planting of apple seed¬ 
lings in the Kaw Valley, Ivans, in 1879 or 1880, and the 
location has proved to be eminently fitted for the purpose 
and it looks as if it might ultimately equal the Loire Val¬ 
ley in France. When Mr. Taylor planted his first apple 
seedlings lie used a garden drill, holding about a gallon 
of seed. This the operator pushed down the field, refill¬ 
ing from sacks of seed placed along the row. Following 
the operator would come a man with a wheel hoe cover- 
tliis, horses are used, which will do the work of a dozen 
men. Practically all the apple seedlings in the United 
States are raised in the Kaw Valley and no oile seems to 
know just why it is they cannot be raised as successfully 
in other sections. It has been tried in a good many places, 
but as far as is known, few have succeeded. The grow¬ 
ing of apple seedlings as classes is specialized industry 
requiring certain location, special knowledge and equip¬ 
ment to grow them cheaply and well, so that it hardly 
pays a nurseryman to take time to grow his own if he 
uses from twenty-five to one hundred thousand seedlings 
or less. Usually he finds it is better to buy the Kaw Val¬ 
ley stock than to try to grow them himself. Due to the 
scarcity of apple stocks a great number of small growers 
have recently started in different sections, but very few 
reports have been received of success, a number have 
turned out complete failures and it still remains to be 
seen what character of stocks will be developed in the 
new localities. The above cut is a picture of a section of 
Section of a field of Apple Seedlings on the Nurseries of L. R. Taylor and Sons, Topeka, Kansas. 
ing the seed. The rows would be planted about 3V2 feet 
apart and cultivated with a two horse cultivator. When 
it came to scuffling, there would be a man on each side 
of the row with a common garden hoe, cleaning out the 
weeds from along the rows. A very slow process, indeed. 
Now, instead of a hand drill pushed by a man and fol¬ 
lowed by a wheel hoe, a wheat drill, is used holding two 
bushels, planting four rows at a time with plow attach¬ 
ment covering the seed making it possible for one man 
to plant and cover from 12 to 15 acres a day. Consider¬ 
ably more ground than was planted by one man in the 
early days. Instead of 3^ foot rows, there are now two 
foot rows being almost 50 per cent, saving in land. 
When it comes to cultivating, one horse is used which 
cultivates two rows at a time, instead of two horses and 
one row as in the olden days and instead of so much hand 
work keeping down the weeds during the early stages, 
wheel hoe scullles are used for the first few weeks. After 
a field of apple seedlings on the nurseries of L. R. Taylor 
& Sons, Topeka, Ivans, who grows about 140 to 150 acres 
of them. 
POUGHKEEPSIE NURSERY COMPANY 
REORGANIZED 
Reorganization of the Poughkeepsie Nursery Com¬ 
pany of Poughkeepsie, N. Y., a partnership formerly 
owned hy Albert Terstceg and William Godding, has 
been effected by the incorporation of the concern. The 
officers of the new company are Win. Godding, President, 
E. ,T. Daniels, Vice President, P. J. Van Melle, Secretary- 
treasurer. 
The corporation has taken over the obligations of the 
former partnership. Mr. Godding and Mr. Van Melle 
will have the management. 
