nd would
advise its use on some lands. I do not pasture my orchard, nor would I
advise it. I spray with London purple in the spring, and am successful.
I sell my apples in the orchard, and do not dry any for market.
Missouri Pippin keeps better than other stored apples.

* * * * *

JAMES McNICOL, Lost Springs, Marion county: Have been in Kansas
twenty-seven years. Have an apple orchard of 12,000 trees, set from
three to ten years. Prefer Missouri Pippins alone for commercial
orchard, and Early Harvest, Maiden's Blush, Missouri Pippin and Grimes's
Golden Pippin for family orchard. Have discarded White Winter Pearmain
as not hardy. I prefer bottom land, northern slope, with rich surface
soil and porous subsoil. After plowing out deep furrows, subsoil with a
lister; then select well-rooted, two-year-old trees and plant carefully.
Distance apart is an important matter; if too close, the trees, no
matter how well cultivated, will suffer for moisture; if too far apart,
the wind will play havoc with trees and fruit. I would plant close rows
running east and west, as each row would help break the wind when the
trees in the row reach each other. I would plant twenty feet apart in
the row, and the rows thirty feet apart, and would recommend planting a
row of cherry, dwarf pear, plum or peach between the apple rows,
provided they are cut out at the proper time to not allow them to rob
the orchard of moisture. Cultivate often to a good old age with a disc
and Acme harrow. Grow corn or Kafir-corn for five or six years, leaving
a good space next the trees, not for weeds, but to be well cultivated. A
silly policy is to cultivate the corn that costs less than five cents
per row for seed four times, and leave the tree row that costs two
dollars or more uncultivated. Do not use a stirring plow; it hills up
around the trees too much. If you list your corn, go east and west one
year, north and south the next year. Keep the ground well cultivated;
grow nothing after five or six years, not even weeds or clover.
Cultivate at right angles and diagonal. Whenever you are blessed with a
good rain in summer don't wait until the weeds start, but cultivate as
soon as the ground will bear it. Keep a dust mulch on by cultivation;
few know the great value of a dust mulch. For a family orchard a
five-tooth cultivator near the trees, and a two-horse cultivator for the
middles, will do. Use the harrow often. Six days' work