The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1856-05-15
q GRl9 WA T WR AL
From the Soil Of the South.
FRUIT TREES AND THEIR CULTURE.

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fruits without the sweat of the brow. But
there is labor of the head as we'll as the
hands, which tree culture emphatically
wants. First, the cultlvator should know
what is the specific food to form woody
fibre. foliage, or fruit. Second, what dis
eases the tree is subject to, and what insects
are prejudicial to its healthy development.
Wi,hou, this knowledge, Meth good trees.
nor good soil will produce good fruit, for
successive years. The favorite soil for the
apple, is n calcarious loan, and where this
does not abound, the cultiva:or may supply
an artificial loan of lime and muck. A
healthy, well fed tree, will resist the at
tacks Of insects, like healthy, we'll fed an
imal therefore, when applying preventives
and remedies for insect deprejations, apply
at the same time such nourishing food to
The roots as will enable the tree to bear
some loss Of its juices. We have n tree of
the red Astracan variety, growing near the
wash house, which has been we'll supplied
with soap suds from the wash tub, and al
though it stands in light sandy soil, has
resisted the attacks of the aphis and borer,
and is a luxuriant beautiful tree. bearing
abundant crops Of fine fruit. The aphis,
or bark louise, may be destroyed by wash
ing the parts infected with strong lyc or
soft soap. Caterpilars will now be found
on the limbs and foliage Of the apple tree,
and should be destroyed before they defoli-
ate the tree, and lay the foundation for
millions of worms next season. Where
the web cannot be reached conveniently, tie
piece of old rag on the end of pole,
saturated with spirits Of turpentine, and
fred under their nests it will soon cause the
death wriggle. The pear tree will flourish
in lighter soil than the apple, and is bet
ter adapted to Southern culture. This tree
IS not as subject to disease in the Southern
States as farther North. Standard pear
and apple trees should be trained with a
low head, so that the trunk may be pro-
tected from the sun i; it is better to prune
and pinch off now, when the branches are
soft, than to wait until the wood has ma
tured. A slow growing, stunted pear tree
may be started into vigorous growth and
bearing, by forking the ground around the
roots, and watering with liquid manure !;
leached ashes worked in the ground around
the tree, will improve the fruit, rs potash is
its specific food. No weeds, or grass, should
be permitted to grow immediat ly around a
fruit tree, any moro than they should
around stalk of cotton or corn. We look
upon p!owing among fruit trees rs ruin
Gus practice, as it is impossible to pIow
without breaking tho surface roots, which
are the main sources of nourishment to the
fruit; even the hoe should he used with
caution. Should n limb of tree show
signs os the leaf blight, cut it off immedi-
and burn it, to prevent the spread of the
disease; should the whole tree appear
sickly, doctor the roots, as we'll as the
trunk. With proper culture. the pear tree
is destined to be one of the most abundant
fruit crops of the South.
The plum and peach tree, flourish in a
sandy light soil, but the fruit is not as per-
feet as when grown on stiff soil, from the
fact that the insects prejudiciaI to the fruit,
cannot SO we'll burrow in stiff soil.-
Plums especially, should be planted in stiff
clay. The trees should be planted where
hogs or geese can run under them, SO that
all the punctured fruit may be destroyed,
md with it the worm that makes the cur
culio. The plum tree is subject to but few
diseases in this climate. The peach tree
will bear lighter soil than the plum. The
great enemy of the peach tree is the worm
that girdles it, at the base. This worm is
produced by n moth, which lays its eggs OIL
the soft bark, jast at the ground, beginning
about the 1st of June and continuing
throughout the summer. This may be pre-
vented by tying broomsedge around the
bottom of the tree. Remove the earth
around the base, and place layers of broom
sedge, standing upright SO thick that no
part OF the tree 10 exposed, and carefully
tic it around. The moth will not lay its
eggs above the top Of the broomsedge, and
finding no soft bark 5elow, will seek some
other place to deposit its eggs. Where the
tree e already infested with these worms,
which may be known by the gum exuding
from the base, remove tho earth and gum,
and pour boiling water into the worm holes.
The size and flavor Of the peach will be
much improved BY the application Of, liquid
manures around, the roots, and the ground
opened with . fork, tha. it may penetrate:
No wormy fruit should ba allowed to decay
unasia the tfsss,i a. they will Pyoss. the
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