years; has
an orchard of five acres, twenty-three years planted. For commerce he
uses Ben Davis, Missouri Pippin, and Jonathan, and for family use would
add Maiden's Blush, Grimes's Golden Pippin, and Rawle's Janet. Has
discarded Rambo as too shy a bearer. Prefers light soil, with a heavy
subsoil in the bottom, with a southern slope. Plants thirty feet apart
each way. Grows no crop in orchard, and cultivates with stirring plow
and cultivator until the trees completely shade the ground. Believes
windbreaks necessary, and would plant box-elder, three feet apart, in
rows three feet apart, so as to shut out all wind. Binds with
corn-stalks to protect against rabbits. Prunes by cutting off lower
limbs and thinning center; says it is beneficial, and makes fruit larger
and of better color. Thins apples on trees when the size of marbles, and
believes it pays. On pollination he says: "I had one tree that stood
alone, and never bore fruit until I got honey-bees; then it bore all
right." Uses no fertilizers. Allows no live stock in the orchard. Has
sprayed just after the blossom fell, with London purple and Bordeaux
mixture, for the last five years, and it has reduced codling-moth. Uses
knife and soap-suds for borers. Picks and sorts into three
classes--sound and big, medium and affected, and culls. Sells in orchard
and in Salina; makes vinegar and hog feed of culls. Never shipped any
apples. Stores for winter by burying in bulk, and is successful. The
Missouri Pippin and Rawle's Janet keep best. Prices from fifty to
seventy-five cents per bushel. Uses boys from fourteen to twenty years
of age for help, and pays fifty cents to one dollar per day with board.

* * * * *

J. W. WILLIAMS, Holton, Jackson county: I have lived in the state forty
years; have an apple orchard of 225 trees of various ages, the oldest
being thirty-nine years. For market I prefer Ben Davis, Missouri Pippin,
Winesap, and Jonathan; and for a family orchard Red Astrachan, Early
Harvest, Dominie, Lowell, and Winesap. Have tried thirty varieties and
discarded all excepting the above mentioned. I prefer a rich soil with a
porous subsoil and a north slope; can see little difference between
hilltop and bottom orchards. I prefer two-year-old trees, with
symmetrical form, for setting; when planting I trim all affected roots
and prune lightly; set them inclined to the southwest. I cultivate my
orchard as long as it lives with a plow and