Kansas as a fruit state

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SB 359
.B26
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KANSAS

AS A FRUIT STATH.

In 1850 Kansas was practically treeless. Along
the larger streams, where a rocky bluff bordered
the south or west side as a protection from prairie
fires, across the stream from the bluff, generally
arich bottom, contained a growth of timber. As
the country became settled and farms were opened.
the prairie fires were checked, and these timber
belts have widened out, so that there are thou-
sands of acres of natural forest in Kansas now
where there were only hundreds in 1860. Our
citizens have not only encouraged this extension,
but have planted thousands of acres in addition.
The belief in the late ’50’s and early ’60’s was
general, that these treeless plains were not natu-

rally adapted to tree growth, especially fruit-tree

growth, and when a few adventurous parties
planted orchards they met little encouragement
in the dire prophecies of loss and disaster of their
incredulous neighbors.

But there were wild strawberries all along the
Santa Fe trail, blackberries and raspberries of
fine quality im the timber openings and along
the bayous and ravines, wild grapes climbed the

trees, wild cherries were common, and wild
plums of many varieties grew in great abundance.
over many miles of the territory. Why should
not fruit do well here under cultivation?

Those who early tried found they had reckoned
well; the newly planted trees grew vigorously,
showing perfect health and that the soil suited
them, and, to the surprise of the planters, they
bore fruit while very young; some the third year
from setting, a thing never heard of in the East.
Trees in nursery rows only two years of age have
produced good apples in Kansas. So early and
so vigorously did fruit-trees grow and bear fruit,
that wonderful stories were circulated about
walking-sticks stuck in the soil and fence stakes
driven in place which fruited two years after ;
that grape and pear cuttings could be thrust into
the virgin soil almost anywhere and would soon
produce fruit.

Those stories attracted the attention of many
unscrupulous nurserymen with surplus and over-
grown nursery stock in states farther east, and
from 1869 to 1875 car-load after car-load of mis-
named, stunted, irregular and degenerate fruit-
trees were unloaded on the settlers, at top prices
and in immense quantities. No farmer thought
he had a home until he had an orchard. Those
tree merchants were so clever, so accommodating,
so very wise, and they gave away freely so much
advice which would surely (?) lead to success,
that willingly they were paid their exorbitant
prices, their labels were considered scripture-true,
and they parted company with a ‘‘God bless you”’

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to the planter and compliments to his bright, at-
tractive wife. A very few years after, when the
little, knotty seedlings or abandoned and never-
useful varieties came to bear a few scattering
specimens, these same planters would have liked
a few minutes’ earnest conversation with the rene-
gade who sold them the trees.

During this era when the wonderful success of
a few caused exaggerated ideas to prevail, that
any old thing would produce fruit if planted in
Kansas soil, millions'of trees were set out that
were only a disappointment and a delusion—they
have since become only amemory ; but such lack
of success discouraged many.

During this period, in 1869, the Kansas State
Horticultural Society began its work. A few
citizens with the true missionary spirit of mak-
ing the world better organized it; and its work
up to the present time has been worth untold
millions to the state. Its members have labored
incessantly along all experimental lines, using
their own money, labor and talents to develop
the best means and to discover the best varieties,
and to study out how to plant, cultivate, prune,
pick, pack, store and market all fruits adapted to
this climate, and to give this information free to
all inquirers. No fruit-growers are more ener-
getic, intelligent, industrious and beneficial to
their state than those belonging to the Kansas
State Horticultural Society; as a result, the lar-
gest apple orchards in the world are in Kansas.

Judge Fred. Wellhouse, of Topeka, has 1636
acres; and, at the age of seventy-four, with all

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the enthusiasm of youth he is growing the young
trees to plant 120 acres more. He once filled
twenty-two cars, all going in one train, with
Kansas Ben Davis apples of finest quality, for
one man, who took them to New York city.

In the last twelve years Judge Wellhouse has
grown in Kansas nearly one-half million bushels
of apples, for which he received an average of
twenty-eight cents per bushel. He has increased
his orchards until now he has more than 1600 acres:
in Leavenworth, Miami and Osage counties.

When the seasons are as favorable as the season
of 1902, he raises from 60,000 to 80,000 bushels.
In hot and dry seasons his yield falls as low as
400 bushels. In the season of 1893 he did not
pick the crop at all. 7

The judge’s original venture in apple raising
was on a 120-acre tract, planted in 1876 near
Leavenworth. The land was poor in quality, so
far as the production of wheat or corn was con-
cerned, and many looked upon his venture with
doubt. It was successful. In 1878 he planted
another quarter-section ; in 1879 he planted an
additional quarter, and increased his plantings as
follows: In 1889 he planted 250 acres in Leaven-
worth county ; in 1890, 540 acres in Osage county ;
in 1894, another 270-acre tract in Leavenworth
county, and in 1896, another 140 acres in the
same section.

The leading varieties are as follows: Ben Davis,
620 acres; Winesap, 76 acres; Missouri Pippin,
409 acres; Jonathan, 190 acres; York Imperial,

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150 acres; Gano, 160 acres; Maiden’s Blush, 16
acres ; Cooper’s Early, 16 acres.

The yield of fruit by years has been as follows :
1830, 1594 bushels; 1881, 3887 bushels; 1882,
12,097 bushels; 1883, 12,338 bushels; 1884, 11,-
726 bushels ; 1885, 15,373 bushels; 1886, 34,909
bushels ; 1887, 33,790 bushels ; 1888, 20,054 bush-
els; 1889, 14,507 bushels ; 1890, 79,170 bushels ;
1891, 63,689 bushels; 1892, 793 bushels; 1893,
no harvest, crop being ruined by hail-storms ;
1894, 47,374 bushels ; 1895, 59,138 bushels ; 1896,
784 bushels ; 1897, 3758 bushels ; 1898, 3639 bush-
els; 1899, 488 bushels; 1900, 88,940 bushels;
1901, 33,464 bushels.

This year he expects to harvest a crop of 60,000
or 70,000 bushels. Although there have been
some total failures recorded, the apple business
has paid. )

In the years when he picked 80,000 bushels or
more, Mr. Wellhouse’s expenses were nearly $15,-
000 annually ; his receipts for 1890 were $52,000.
In his years of apple raising he has realized a net
profit of $104,000, not considering the increased
value of his holdings in Kansas land.

Mr. Wellhouse has found the Ben Davis apple
to be the most profitable, while the Jonathan has
yielded the most bushels to the acre. Missouri
Pippin comes second in yield and Ben Davis
third. On Fairmount Hill, near Leavenworth,
he has erected a large packing plant, and another
at Tonganoxie, and his shipments of fruit are
made to Kansas City, Chicago, New York, Bos-
ton, and other points.

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There are many large orchards, and many of
our growers have this year from 5000 to 10,000
bushels of apples. Our state ranks fifth in num-
ber (12,000,000) of apple trees in bearing, Mis-
souri, New York, Illinois and Ohio only being
ahead of us. We will soon be second only to Mis-
souri. Kansas apples, especially Ben Davis,
Missouri Pippin, and Jonathan, are said by spe-
eialists from Washington, D. C., to be the best
in the world.

In the whole Union, only thirty counties con-
tain over 400,000 apple trees ; two of these coun-
ties, viz., Doniphan and Leavenworth, are in
Kansas. In Kansas, apples grow on upland or
lowland, rolling land or level plain, and our peo-
ple are putting out between one and two million
trees per year.

Pears do elegantly and bear abundantly, of ©
most luscious quality. We have pear blight, but
no more than the other states.

Our state is the home of the peach, and abun-
dant crops are grown in nearly all parts of it.
Many car-loads are annually shipped out to North-
ern and EKastern points. ?

Plums of the most-approved varieties grow
readily in every county, and wild plums along
the Arkansas river, by the hundreds of acres, are
a sight worth coming a long distance to look upon.
Thousands of bushels of plums waste each year
for want of a market.

Cherries are a sure crop, and often bring $250
an acre to the grower.

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Mulberries, nectarines, apricots, persimmons,
all grow and bear well.

Grapes, from Delaware to Concord, with all
between—even so-called California varieties — are
easily grown and are always plentiful. Our peo-
ple raise them for the table and do not abuse this
great blessing by any process of ferment, decay
or rot in order to make an intoxicant, under
whose influence they may insult and blaspheme
Him to whom we owe this luscious, health-giving
fruit. If God had the passions of man, no grape-
vine whose fruit was made into an intoxicant
would survive. Kansans—men, women, and
children—eat grapes in abundance.

Kansas is the home of the berry; no finer
strawberries, raspberries or blackberries are grown
in quantity anywhere; and several of the best-
paying varieties originated here. Strawberries
often yield over 300 bushels per acre.

Vegetables of every kind found in the market
grow luxuriantly in Kansas.

Watermelons weighing sixty to seventy-five and
even ninety pounds are shown at our fairs, and
their quality is of the very best. Muskmelons
equaling the famous Rocky Fords are plentiful
everywhere. Many a farmer boy drops a few
melon seeds in the midst of a big corn-field and
regales himself and his fellows off of the products.

Celery of equal quality, and several times larger
than that from Kalamazoo, Mich., is readily
grown in Kansas.

Eggplant, asparagus and all the commoner

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vegetables are as common in Kansas homes as
anywhere.

If you want all the good things that will grow
out of earth in the temperate zone, and want
them in season and out of season on your tables ;
if you want your boys and girls to have vigorous
bodies and clear, quick, snappy brains; if you
want to make the world better and its future
population of a higher grade ; if you want to live
happy and spend your declining years in serene,
calm enjoyment, and then make the shortest cut
to the happy hereafter, you should at once gather
your shekels and your progeny and hale to Kan-
sas, and get a little, or big, patch of her beautiful,
bountiful soil, and mix with her wonderful people.

WILLIAM H. BARNES,

Secretary State Horticultural Society,
Topeka, Kan.