Daily Democrat and news. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1859-1864, 1861-01-15
l.. 8. Blackman's Report to the State
Pathological society.

The following is Mr.. Blackman's re-
port, which was submitted to the late
meeting Of the State Agricultural Sc
ciety, which we think will be of interest
to the Fruit Growers Of this State. MIR.
b. il one of the most successful fruit
raisers Of this county, and his experience
shnnll he carefully considered bv 9th
Nix. SEcRETARY-DEAR SIR Hay
ing been solicited to report to the State
Pathological Society, my mode and
manner of fruit growing, and also my
views upon the same, in this climate, l
comply, not, however, without some re-
luctance, lest | might discourage some
brother who is about to engage in the
business.
! grew one orchard to perfection he
fore coming West, and have since found
that many varieties of apples which
tlourished in the East will not grow
here. Twenty-three years since l com
menced growing an orchard in this
State, and am sorry to say that it is not
fruit growing region. Here is the
gopher, rabbit, sapsucker, caterpillar,
bo'er, curculls, blight, porous soil, Au-
gust sun, dry Falls, hard freezing in
winter, hot sun in winter (Which thaws
and bursts the bark Of apples trees, )high,
racking winds, late Spring frost while
trees arc in bloom, ETC., etc.,-alI these
combine to battle our best energies in
fruit growing.
My location for fruit growing is con-
sidered the very best, being timbered
on three sides and open to the South
formerly lightly timbered with burr oak
AID hickory.
| have set out some 400 trees, inclu-
ding 80 pear trees, and have not at This
time more than 600 living. My mode of
setting trees is to dig the hole suffi-
GENTLY large, SO as to allow shifting the
tree either way, make the rows run in
all directions, then throw in some soil,
get down on my knees, and with the
hand place the earth we'll under the
roots, (the potato l find capital thing
to put in, fill up and pack the dirt clo.e.
l never use any manure except that CON-
posed Of chips, cobs or leaves. Fall
blowing is very destructive to an or
ohard. The proper time to prune is after
the middle of June, as the tree will i'm
mediately commence to heal. and will be
less liable to sprout.
/ have GA varieties of apples in my
orchard, though l do not mention this
as being any credit to it, but as an err
ror for were TO set another l would
contne myself to small variety, com.
mencing with the Red June, Sour
Bough, Hawthorndon, Willcwtwig, Rol.
ler's Jennetting, Yellow BcIlfower, Col
vert. Perhaps there Is no apple which
adheres to the twig IS we'll IS Rollers
Jennetting, which is matter of vital
importance in this windy country. The
Willow Twig is as hardy a tree As any
other apples rather above medium
size-green, with flushed cheek-not
the finest grained-annual bearer-mod-
eratey prolifc-unitorm size-no small
apples among the Willow Twig. They
can be gathered in a cart lit one has
mind to do SOY drove to the cellar win
dow and poured in, and though some
will of course be cut and bruised by the
operation, the cuts and bruises become
callous, and will not rot, as is the case
with other apples, and in the next July
will come out we'll favored and juicy.
You wished to know, sir, what my or
chard nett me per annum. 1t netts me
about $500; one year 5000. Fruit
commanded heavy price that year l
got % per bushel at wholesale. MI.
Maak, OF Davenport, buys . great m =
aPpIe' OF me-frequently paying me IS
per bushel. Never want to see times
SO flush again.
Davenport is the best fruit market on