North Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1850-1852, 1852-01-03
from the Soil of the SOUTH

We have so many inquiries lroln u,ifo' ~ Er.I
of tho South upon the different orsnclIes u onS
C,it,,ro ,bat we deem we cannot answer all more
octollv than to republish our treatise upon Fruit
Tltr at the South submitted to the tirst Far OF
a. Rpssall and N[useogee Agricultural Society
&C. our visit to the Macon Fair we are more than
orar convinced of the beautiful adaptation OF our
c;mat, to the growth and full perfection OF all the
Fruits described Will some of our Southern read
ers add to the list the culture of the Orange Lemon
Pine Apple, Date, Olive and Guava, as adapted 10
nortions of Georgia. Florida, Alabama, LOUISIANA
and Taxas2 In the culture of these Fruits we have
no experience and shall feel under obligations II
some one having experience will come to our aio'
APPLE.
All the fine varieties of this fruit have been pro
duced from the wild Apple; and to the MONKS OF
the middle ages we are indebted for the hrst great
improvements in fruit culture. The cultivated aP-
pIes of the United States were introduced rom
Europe by seeds and by cuttings, and although the
wild crab grows in almost every State IN the Union,
~ od;bIa yarietv Is indigenous. The great diff
Guilty in cultivatng the apple here, IS IN the TACT
that almost all the trees originated in colder eli
mate. and change of climate is almost certain to
produce disease. 1t is immaterial whether tree,
cutting, or bud is brought from cold climate, for
the bud contains all the elements of the tree, its
health and its diseases. This no doubt is the rea-
son why most of our apple orchards are SO short
lived ten to fifteen years being their average length
of life. If we would cultivate the apple success
fully, we must propagate it from seeds, and I'M
prove upon Them and when once we get a good
variety propagate from it by root grating. Apple
seeds should be planted in the Fall, or if delayed
until Spring, warm water should be poured over
the seeds until they sprout which will be in about
three DAYS, and then the seed planted will grow
from three to six feet the first year, and produce
fruit in three or four years from seed out OF lot
i Al, ho cfNT1On
good fruit; these may be propagated by root-gratt-
inc. which is the most certain and speedy way of
PROPAGATION in this climate. This may be done
from the first of February to the first of April
Take Seeding roots of one years growth, cut them
off about one inch lower than they out OF the
ground, now split the remaining stem just enough
to take in the graft. The gratis should be taken
from fruit bearing trees, and from wood OF last
years growth; cut the gratis with two or three
buds, and as many as possible with terminal buds
take sharp knife and cut the end OF the graft IN
wedge FORM commencing at the lower bud; now
insert it in the root taking care to keep the two
outside banks together plant the root either In the
nursery or where the tree is to stand leaving the
terminal and one other bud above the ground; be
careful in pressing the earth around the graft that
it is not moved from the union of its bark with the
bark of the root. In any good soil, the graft will
grow from four to six feet the first year, and will
has now become tree, and to be made productive
must be cultivated, nursed, and tended. 1t will
grow on almost any rich soil, and it is useless to
cultivate the apple unless the soil is rich. Where
the soil is not naturally rich, the roots should an
nually receive top dressing of some good veget
able matter with little lime ashes. The tree
should be pruned, so to throw out its branches
low, to shade the trunk from the intense heat O
our summers sun, which frequently bsetrs the
l., md Tbo n
the orchard should be regularly cultivated, taking
care not to injure the roots. One of the best me
thods ever adopted in this climate, is to shade the
whole grounds of the orchard with straw-wheat
oat, or pine straw. This preserves an even temper
allure, keeps the ground cool and moist, and gives
the tree astonishing vigor and beauty. There
four insects which are great enemies to the APP
pie in this section-the borer, the moth, the bark
louise and the black worm, which infest the roots
The best remedy for the borer and the bark louise
is to rub the trunk and the limbs of the tree with
soft country soap this not only destroys the insects
but invigorates the tree, and also etfeetualy pre-
vents rabbits from barking them for the black
worm around the base of the tree, ashes or lime
may be used with advantage, and are a good pre-
ventive-but where the worm has already begun
his ravages, take sharp knife and pick him out
filling up all the worm holes and wounds with soft
soap. The moth that produces the Apple worm
NO OCsIiOyOo ny PShlllS uP Ill InO hulG G41t
falls and feeding it to hogs, by permitting hogs
to in the orchard
If the people of the South will discard Northern
raised Apple trees, and raise their own seedlings
we may have the Apple in as great perfection here
as any where else; for wherever the wild crat
grows there may the improved varieties be grown
also. 1t is true the Apple tree will not be long
lived here as at the North, but they come into bear
ing much sooner. 1t is stated of the celebrated
green Gage plum, that out of several bushels O
seed planted and raised to bearing that the green
Gage was the only one out of the whole lot wortl
cutivating: and if we can by planting bushels o
Apple seeds, produce one that shall hold rank as
fruit with the green Gage it would be the creates
acquisition to fruit culture, that has ever beamec
upon the South; and it can be done-all it wants
is patience and perseverance. The greatest rea
difficulty that we have to contend with, is tn,
speedy decay of the fruit, after it has matured
Whenever we find remedy for this, the Soutl
will have nothing to fear in the culture of tn,
Apple.
THE PEAR.
The Pear is native of Europe and Asia, ant
was first introduced into this country by Frencl
settlers. There is no fruit that has been more i'm
proved by the Horticuturist's skill than the Peal
In its native state, it is unpalatable thai
the crab, and is termed choke pear. It is nov
made melting, sugary, and buttery. Van Mons
the celebrated Belgium pomologist, has produces
eighty thousand new seeding Pears many of then
of exquisite favor and all said to be worthy of cul
tvation. The Pear tree is not as subject to diseas
in this climate as the Apple, is the fruit as sub
mt % h. e