Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1865-02-15

make them OF interest to but few save horticui-
turists, which is not my purpose. Suffice 1t to
say, therefore, that know no garden or frut
crop produced anyw here in the United States,
except few in Fioridl-an almost tropical
State-that cannot be raised here in great
abundance and with comparatively light
labor: the latter the result of the facts tina
the seasons are most pTopitous for all Ameri-
can fruits and vegetables, the soil nearly
always very loamy and wholly without
rocks and stones to obstruct cultivation, and
the means Of rapid, cheap and abundant fer
tiiZation lying at every farmers door. Or
these means not previously written OF,
may mention the "sea ore" grass and marsh
mud resorted to very commonly here The
first of these is usually composted in the barn
yard or spread on the field and ploughed in by
itself; the second being spread In the fall and
scattered and turned in alter being subjected to
a winters frost, when Its action Is helped by the
addition OF from fifty to hundred bushels OF
oystershell lime, burned with refuse WOODY
by the farmer on his own premises This ap-
plcation of marsh and lime is admirable for
wheat. corn and grass, being sufficient alone
to double, il not TO treble, the profit OF those i'm
portant crops the first season after its applica-
ton on lands of "The Shore" requiring fer
tilization for their due production. Nor does
the effect of the lime and marsh application
pass off here with the season In which it may
be applied; for the land shows it's effects as long
as the application OF lime and richer soil is
effective any where else in this country.
The ''sea ere"-i e., bay, river and creek
grasses-are only within the reach of those
owning situations Immediately bordering con-
siderable water courses, which, however,
are numerous beyond the conception of those
n lot ly latt
permeate in all directions the portion of Mary
lands Eastern Shore, of which am writing
With half mile OF front on the Choptank
river, l saved perhaps two thousand cart
loads OF this grass last season. and but for lack OF
preparation to that end In early spring, might
easily have saved third as much more. Green
and fresh, 1t is valuable as hog food. Swine
eat it with avidity, and compost it mora
speedily and in better form than that can be done
by man. 1t contains always large quantities
of minute molusca and other animaIcul.n,
which, when applied fresh to any crop, act
upon 1t as adyantageously as heavy dressing
ofguano. For mulching purposes, 1 kno " moth
ing SO convenient and certain and at the same
time half as fructifying. Up to this time net
one farmer in Thousand on the Eastern Shore
takes occasion to get it unless cast by the winds
and waves absolutely upon his farm. Else where
1t is gathered with scows wherever found In
con nvenient waters, ere 1t reaches the shore
and sells for 80 per cord. Millions OF cords of
it within easy reach Of the Eastern Shore
farmers are carried Off annually by receding
tides and winds, which might be secured,
comPosted or otherwise applied at a tenth OF
that expense. For either corn, potatoes or
cabbages, or m mulching, my belief is it is worth
ten times as much according to its actual cost
here, as any other fertilizer within the farmers
reach anywhere.
Every farmer in the counties OF Tablet Dor
chester, Somerset and Worcester, situated on
salt water, may feed his family on fine oysters
if he pleases, at an average cost Of not more
than ten cents per bushel for gathering them.
there being an abundance in all the surround.
ing bays, rivers and creeks, free to all who
will take them out OF the water. Their great
abundance everywhere has made the people
neglectfuI of the duty OF making plantations
of them, by which they are always improved.
as fine as their size and quality are In
this region. They sell at mere nominal rates
everywhere on "The Shore" as no where
have they to be hauled or otherwise trans.
ported for long distances to reach the
door of any one What L write of the &C.
cessibility, abundance and cheapness OF oysters
here holds good with reference to all the other
natural products OF the water courses, upon
which family may live at less cost through
out the year, and live more luxuriously than
L can conceive 1t possible to live else where
though 1 know we'll the abundance and acces.
sibility of game in the new sections OF our great
Northwest.
/ remarked in previous letter that we have
but two leading descriptions of soil on the
Eastern Shore: clay loan and sand soil, both
with clay subsoil The latter produces In.
dian corn admirably, even though generally
thrttlessly treated. Stimulated and assisted
as where men are forced to make the most of
their agricultural opportunities, doubt not |
the corn lands of "The Shore" would soon |
come to rival the reputation OF those OF South |
ern Illinois. But up to this time the inertness |
incident to slave culture, and the absence of
apparent necessity for systematic and ener-et. |
ic culture-I mean iD the matter Of securing a
mere living from the soil-haye very generally
prevented the development of their capab.lity
for the profitable production of this most i'm
portant OF all American field crops.
Peach culture is rapidly extending in this re-
gior, all its soils having proved admirably
adopted thereto, and the well known diseases Of
the crop having nowhere as yet manifested
on THE Shore" The lack of suffic-
lent steamer transportation last season, which
caused the loss OF tens of thousands of bushels
of fruit ual to any grown in the United States,
proved great damper on "The Shore's' peach
growers, and prevented a due increase of their |
orchards last fall. The yield was unexpected. |
ly large, and indeed the season was the first in
which any considerable quantity of this fruit |
had been produced here, as all "The Shores" |
peach orchards, ito speak off, were but lust |
coming into fair bearing condition. The |
steamer facilities will IeXt season be greatly |
increased, and the peach growers of "The |
Shore will be fairly supplied with other means |
of saving their crops; for canning, distillIng,
&c. So perceive no reason TO imagine that |
the check to the extension of peach culture on |
1.-THE Shore" growing out of the heavy losses |
from failure to get the crop of 1864 to market
will prove more than temporary. Peach grow
ing in Jersey is already well nigh entirely used
mp business;while Della wares late great adapta-
bili:y tor peach production is fast disappearing