andy soil, and gypsum subsoil. I
plant in squares twenty-four by twenty-four feet. I have cultivated up
to date with stirring plow and cultivator. I grow garden-truck among my
trees until seven years old; after that nothing. I believe windbreaks
essential in this county, and would make them of Russian mulberry,
cottonwood, and locust. I would plant on the outside a row of mulberry
four feet apart; next, a row of cottonwood or locust eight feet apart.
To prevent destruction by rabbits I rub with fresh blood. I prune with
a knife to prevent watersprouts from getting too thick; I am sure it
pays, and lets sunshine into the center of the trees. I use stable
litter, straw or rotted hay for fertilizer. I do not pasture my orchard,
and have no insects but grasshoppers. Our crop has been light, owing to
dry weather. I sell largely in the orchard. Our best market is at home.
We dry a few for home use. I keep some for winter use, in a cave dug out
and covered with earth. I do not irrigate. The prevailing price for
apples is one dollar per bushel, and of dried apples, six cents per
pound.

* * * * *

E. T. DANIELS, Kiowa, Barber county: I have lived in the state
twenty-five years. Have an apple orchard of 150 trees, from ten to
sixteen years old, four to eight inches in diameter. For market I prefer
Missouri Pippin, Winesap, Jonathan, Twenty-ounce Pippin, Maiden's Blush,
and Rawle's Janet. Would plant the same varieties for a family orchard.
Have tried and discarded Ben Davis, Early Harvest, Smith's Cider,
Lawver, Fink, Walbridge, and McAfee; they will not stand the heat and
drought. I prefer bottom land, with heavy loam and red subsoil,
southeast slope, sheltered from north and south winds. I prefer a good
yearling tree, planted in a dead furrow; after planting, plow two
furrows to the tree, and then harrow. I plant my orchard to corn for two
years only, using a twelve-inch plow, cultivator, and harrow. I
cultivate my orchard as long as it lives, and plant nothing in a bearing
orchard. Windbreaks are essential on the south and north; would make
them of a belt of deciduous trees, six rods wide on the north, and
one-half as wide on the south; would make this of native trees--elm,
ash, or mulberry. For rabbits I wrap the trees with hay. I prune my
young trees with the thumb and finger mostly, forming low heads; bearing
trees I prune very little, except to take out the blighted limbs. I thin
my apples