the fruit drops off,
and Ben Davis, because it cannot stand heat and drought--the trees decay
early. He prefers north or northeast slope, bottom land, with a deep,
porous soil, the more porous the better. He pastures his orchard with
horses, cattle, and hogs, and thinks it advisable if done with care; it
pays. His trees are troubled with tent-caterpillar, flat-headed borer,
and leaf-roller, which do little damage. His greatest drawback is
drought and heat. He does not spray, and cuts borers out in August or
earlier, and kills the caterpillars. Picks his apples by hand. Never
sells them in the orchard; raises mostly for home use. Stores some in
boxes in a cellar. Does not irrigate. Marketable apples usually sell for
twenty-five cents per bushel.

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J. W. GOODELL, Sedan, Chautauqua county: Have lived in Kansas fifteen
years; have an orchard of 200 trees, which are nine years old. For a
commercial orchard I would plant Ben Davis, Winesap, and Missouri
Pippin; and for a family orchard would add Early Harvest. Have tried and
discarded Lowell and Yellow Bellflower as too tender for the climate. I
prefer bottom land having a black, sandy loam, and a northern slope,
and plant one-year-old trees, thirty by thirty feet. I cultivate with a
disc, and am still cultivating, growing corn in the orchard for nine or
ten years. Windbreaks are essential. I would make them of natural oak if
possible. For borers and rabbits I use concentrated lye and lath
jackets. I prune my trees with a saw and shears, and think it pays and
is beneficial. I never thin apples while on the trees, and have never
fertilized. Do not pasture my orchard. My trees are troubled with
canker-worm, tent-caterpillar, root aphis, fall web-worm, and
leaf-roller, and my apples with codling-moth and gouger. I spray for
canker-worm and all other insects before and after the foliage appears,
and think I have reduced the codling-moth. I dig the borers out with a
wire and wash the tree with lye. Pick my apples into baskets, and sort
into firsts, seconds, and culls. I sell in the orchard, and make cider
of the culls. Do not dry any. I store some for winter market in a cave.
Do not irrigate. Prices have been from forty cents to one dollar per
bushel.

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A. D. CHAMBERS, Hartford, Lyon county: Have been in Kansas thirty-two
years. Have 3500 apple trees; 1500 of them have been planted twenty-five