und.

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JOHN ELDER, Glen Elder, Mitchell county: I have lived in Kansas
twenty-seven years; have an apple orchard of 280 trees, from twelve to
twenty-six years planted. For family orchard I prefer Cooper's Early
White, Early Harvest, Chenango Strawberry, Maiden's Blush, Missouri
Pippin, and Ben Davis. Have tried and discarded Willow Twig, Lowell, and
White Winter Pearmain, on account of blight and sun-scald. I prefer hill
land, with black loam soil and clay subsoil; a northeast slope. I prefer
two-year-old trees, planted in dead furrows. I cultivate my orchard to
corn for a number of years, using a lister, while the trees are young,
and a disc when they get older. I cease cropping after six or eight
years, and plant nothing in a bearing orchard. When windbreaks are close
enough to do good they sap the ground too much. I wrap the trees to
protect them from rabbits, and keep them growing and healthy, for
borers. I prune my trees, and think it beneficial. I do not thin the
fruit on the trees. I fertilize my orchard with stable litter, and think
it keeps a tree healthy and growing, which will protect it from borers
and other insects. Do not pasture my orchard; do not think it advisable.
My apples are troubled with curculio and gouger. I have sprayed after
the blossom fell, with Paris green, London purple, and blue vitriol;
don't know that I reduced the codling-moth any. For insects not affected
by spraying I bored a one-half inch hole in the trees this spring and
filled it with sulphur; then plugged it up. [?????] I sell apples in the
orchard; also retail. I do not dry any. Prices have been from
twenty-five cents to one dollar per bushel.

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C. A. PERDUE, Beloit, Mitchell county: Have lived in Kansas eighteen
years. Have an apple orchard of about 250 trees. I prefer the Missouri
Pippin for commercial purposes. I prefer a black loam soil with a clay
subsoil; north slope. In planting trees, I would set them thirty feet
apart; mine are twenty feet and are too close. I have cultivated my
orchard, but think I did not do it right. A light culture to keep the
soil loose on top, to act as a mulch, would, I think, be beneficial.
Think it best to grow no crop in the orchard. I think windbreaks would
be beneficial. For rabbits I use woven wire. I prune to lessen the tops;
I think it ought to be done every year, so as never to cut any large
limbs; I thi