The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1859-11-24
NO47
Fron the Philadelp bia Ledger.
Failure Of the Fruit Crop.

Failure Of the Fruit Crop.
Tue very great complaint in the interi-
or of the State Of decline in almost all
the established and most productive kinds
OF fruit, demands more attention than it
has thus far received Large sections
OF the interior of the State of New York
and Of Pennsylvania, that used to be cell
ebrated for their peaches, Cow are hardly
able to raise crop. The FarGers all
complain that the seasons seem too short
for them to ripen, and if not plucked
green, they rot on the trees. The frosts
kill the buds 10 spring, or insect or dis
ease destroy the trees. This year there
has been a toierable supply of plums in
the upper parts of our own State, but for
several seasons past till now this has not
been the case. The apple trees, too, ma
ny of them are bearing worse and worse
annually. True, old trees are dying
out and the fruit Of young ones is thought
to be inferior in quality. Insects multi
ply upon and spoil them. Such is the
trouble. What are the cause.! The
gun aud shot belt oE the boys is doubt
less Que cause OF the mu.tip,ieations OF
insects. But there is something far back
Of this. 1t i. week ana rotten state oF
the fruit itself which most encourages anG
fosters the mischicyous insects. Aud
this weakness aud ro,tenness is what must
maiuly lie sought out as to its causes, and
cured, if We would cure the evil
When fruit trees were first planted in
the State, it was ip virgin soil In North
umberland county, DR.. Priestly, aud af-
tcrwards his son moro extensively, im-
ported some Of the finest varieties or
English fruits, especially the apple
Aud these Dot only prospered, but pro
daced uew and fue varieties. Most of
the very best orchards in the surrounding
counties were trees of the Priestly y-rais-
ing. Some of these continue to bear to
this day very finely, where the ground
afford them sufficient nour!shmeut But
where the soil is exhausted, so are the
trees. We saw an orchard lot long since
where about half the trees were Oh rich
soil. and the other on a rocky, barren
land. but slight? covered The trees
were planted at the same time in all, but
IN one case they were still vigorously
bearing, aud il tie oibor hardly an apple
could De raised.
1t is probably tde want of sufficient
nouri,hmebt OF the right kind. which lies
at the basis of most of the much com-
planned o. failures 10 the fruit crops
Many faruor, think any soil good enough
for fruit trees, a0d they raise exhausting
crops o; cereals from land, and then won
der it does not bear fruit. Or they plant
trees where the same fruit trees were be-
fore, or where the soil is shallow and
sterile, aud rock lies close unGerneath.-
The raPidity of growth does aud must
greatly depend upon bountifll nourish-
ment being at hand, to supply all the
wants of the trees. II orr farmers would
make it point to clear piece Of the
richest timbered land as often as possible,
when they wanted to set out al orchard,
aud plant their trees there, the fruit
would be forw ader, and so escape many
of the evils to which they are subject in
not rpening. They would i1prove in
stead of deterioratiug in size and flavor,
and probably not be half so much infes-
ted and injured BY insects. Where this
is imgossible, the object may be secured
by surrounding the trees with virgin soil
on planting, or By suitable mauures and
eultiya alton. Several of the finest nurse
ry grounds in the whole country for fruit
trees, are to be found as far North as Ro-
chester
la France, almost every production is
cultiV ated in distinct garden. Men de-
vote themselves to one fruit Oh one fower,
such as the rose or the peach. or the pear,
or the apple. By careful cultivation the
soil does not wear out, and there is a
scientific study Of the habits and wants of
each fruit and flower which must be pro-
duced, or our productions will deterior-
ate.
We follow the English method of eul.
tiVating a variety aDd it has this advan-
tage. that different productions occupy
better the whole time aud are so far @.
conmlcal. There is, too, vast advan-
tage in the rotation OF the crops. But
this method requires ;or success a great
variety in our practical knowledge and
habits OF Industry. We base net set OBJ
tanned the wisdom which necessarily en-
geBders in the course of generations from
eultvating the same soil. Ia Ireland,
We see the potato blight has again ap-
/ peare1--a disease clearly engeudered by
the exhaustion OF some element Of the soil
not yet known.