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LEVI KIMMAL, Concordia, Cloud county: I have lived in Kansas twenty-five
years; have an apple orchard of 120 trees eighteen years old. For market
I prefer Ben Davis, Missouri Pippin, and Winesap; and for a family
orchard Missouri Pippin, Winesap, Limber Twig, and Maiden's Blush. I
have tried and discarded Golden Russet on account of shy bearing. I
prefer a sandy loam with a clay subsoil, having a north or northwest
aspect. I prefer two-year-old trees for planting. I plant my orchard up
to bearing with potatoes and corn; then seed down to red clover.
Windbreaks are essential; would make them of several rows of Osage
orange on the south side of the orchard. I prune my trees; thin out the
top to let the sun in for coloring. My trees are more fruitful when
planted in blocks. I fertilize my orchard with stable litter; I think it
beneficial because it mulches, enriches, and holds the moisture, and
would advise its use on all soils; no land is so good but what stable
litter will make it better. I do not pasture my orchard; I do not think
it advisable; but I mow all the weeds or whatever grows in the orchard
and leave it on the ground for a mulching. My trees are troubled with
twig-borers and leaf-rollers, and my apples with codling-moth. I have
sprayed my trees when in blossom with Paris green; did not succeed last
year. I dig borers out and pick the bad fruit (if there is any) off. I
hand-pick my apples for winter use into baskets from step-ladders. I
sell apples in the orchard; would rather sell that way than to hold
them. I feed the culls to pigs. My best market is at home; I never tried
a distant market. I do not dry any. I am successful in storing apples
for home use in a cellar. I do not irrigate, but use stable litter for
moisture. Winter apples brought fifty cents per bushel; dried apples
three or four cents per pound.

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SENECA HEATH, Muscotah, Atchison county: I have lived in the state
thirty-one years; have an apple orchard of 2080 trees from three to
thirty-six years old. For market I prefer Ben Davis, Missouri Pippin,
York Imperial, Jonathan, Grimes's Golden Pippin, Stark, and on rich,
moist soil, Winesap; and for a family orchard Early Margaret, Early
June, Early Harvest, Cooper's Early White, Sweet Bough, Keswick Codlin,
Maiden's Blush, Red Astrachan, Autumn and Summer Pearmain, Rambo,
Fulton, Smith's Cider, and Newtown Pippin (if given extr