hard of sixty-four trees, twenty-two of which
are fourteen years old, and thirty-seven inches in circumference. For
commercial orchard I prefer Ben Davis, and for family Early Harvest and
Winesap. I prefer black loam with sandy bottom, south slope. I plant
two-year-old trees, in rows eighteen feet apart. I do not cultivate my
orchard, but mulch it with hay for four years. Windbreaks are essential
here; would make them of cottonwood trees, planted in rows around the
orchard. For protection against rabbits I use whitewash and tar paper. I
prune to thin the tops; think it beneficial. The wind thins my apples
for me. I fertilize my orchard with hay; think it beneficial, and would
advise its use on all soils. Do not pasture my orchard. I shall spray
this year after the bloom falls with London purple and lime water. I
peddle my apples. This is the best market, because they are scarce. I am
successful in keeping a few bushels in a pit; the Missouri Pippin keeps
best. I do not irrigate. I am located on bottom land. Price has been one
dollar per bushel.

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M. A. WILSON, Atwood, Rawlins county: I have resided in the state
nineteen years; have an apple orchard of fifty trees ten years old, six
inches in diameter. For all purposes I prefer Winesap and Ben Davis. I
prefer bottom land with a dark loam and a clay subsoil, with a northern
slope. I prefer two-year-old trees with good tops and stocky bodies, set
in early spring, sixteen to twenty feet apart. I plant my orchard to
corn, potatoes, and garden-truck, using a hoe and cultivator; have never
ceased cropping. Windbreaks are essential; would make them of Russian
mulberries planted twelve feet apart each way; trim and cultivate them.
For rabbits I wrap the trees with rags or burlap cut in strips three or
four inches wide; begin at the bottom and wind up; if the limbs are near
the ground, wrap them, too. I prune with a small keyhole saw and shears
to keep the tree hardy, and think it pays. I thin my apples when they
are about half grown; it pays. I fertilize my orchard with stable
litter; it has been beneficial, and would advise its use on all soils.
Do not pasture my orchard. Trees are troubled with tent-caterpillar and
flathead borer. I do not spray. I stand on a step-ladder and pick my
apples, laying them in the baskets as carefully as though they were
eggs. I sort into two classes--best, and second grade. I sell apples in
the orchard; re