Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1871-10-31
FACTS ABOUT EAST TENNESSEE
The Culture of Fruit.
NO. XLIII,


We recently had an interview with two
intelligent gentlemen from the State Of
Pennsylvania, who were on tour of OBJ
servation in East Tennessee, and were en-
deavoring to find a section where they
could cultivate the different fruits with
success. They asked us numerous ques-
tons touching the matter, and seemed
very DESTROYS of settling in our midst, pro-
vided they could be assured that East Ten
nessee was the place for their business
The interview in question has led to the
production of this article. -ss- refs--f
We want, before entering into the merits
of this subject, to state few unvarnished
facts, which will go to show how vastly
our section has been injured by the care
lessness and the want of enterprise on
the part of our own people in their
attention to the fruit business. In this, as
in everything else, they have undertaken
in developing our resources and of thus
adding to our wealth and prosperity, they
have been exceedingly remiss. They have
given the matter comparatively no atten-
ton. We all know this to betrue. There
is not an extensive fruit raiser in East
Tennessee. Not one. We make the as
sertion deliberately. There is not one who
follows it as business even upon mod
crate scale. Most every farmer, it is true,
has a few fruit trees, but they are usually
of an ordinary selection and grown with
no view of profit. The highest ideas we
have upon the subject is, to make a few
gallons of cider, to have dozen pecks of
dried fruit, and, in some instances, to con-
vert the fruit into brandy. The trees are
TlonfnA in S1nuoF W mo arH orc loft
to axe care of themselves. We regret the
necessity of recording these melancholy
and humiliating facts, but the time has ar
rived when we must speak out for the good
of our section. Weare not satisfied to look
on quietly and contemplate this wholesale
butchery. If, heretofore, East Tennessee
has not come up to her proper standard in
fruit growing, it is because her own sons
have not done their duty. They have ac-
complished the fearful work, and at their
doors lies the sin.
We haze a fine fruit country. What is
it that makes fruit country? The true
answer of this interogatOry will solve the
problem.
All well informed pomologists agree in
the following authenticated facts: 1st. A
pure climate I'd. An elevated belt of
country (high hills and mountains) and
Sd, rich soil. On these points there is, and
can be no difference of opinion. Now, the
only remaining question to settle is, do
do all these prerequisites combine in East
Tennnesse? We say emphatically they d0.
There is no purer climate, we undertake
to say, on this continent. 1t is mild and
genial. Were it severe, it would play ha-
voc with fruit The frigid climate of the
North often kills the trees. They have to
be nursed and cared for in the gentlest
manner. In many places they have to be
protected from the whitening winds and
storms by throwing heaps of straw around
their roots. On the prairies they are fire.
quently laid low and torn up by the roots.
For over five months in the year they are
bound tight and fast by the rigorous bends
of frost and ice. Who does not perceive
that this fearful action of the elements will
ultimately prove disastrous, not only to
the fruit, but to the trees themselves
We have nothing of the sort to contend
with here. Even in the winter season
proper there is no stage or condition OF the
thermometer that will work any serious
consequences upon fruit trees. From the
meteorological record, kept at the East
Tennessee University at Knoxville for
January, 1868, we have the following
facts:
Mean temperature for said month, at Z
A. NJ, 32045/ at 2 P. NJ; 1885,; at 8 P. NJ,
1922. Mean temperature for month,
35o05/. Coolest day, January 30th, Mean
temperature for "a hours 20o16/. Warmest
day. January 9TH. Mean temperature for
"A hours, 52066/. Extreme temperature at
z A. NJ, 14aaO and 500; at 2 P. NJ, 23440 and
533o; at P. NJ, DO and $50. Mean bar
ometer height, reduced TO freezing point,
at A. NJ, 29,0S9 inches; at P. NJ, 20, O63
inches; at 6 P. NJ, 29.0S9 inches. Mean for
4 I7x-fp
lures during the year 1868 were 140 and 81
giving a range of 7So The range in Ohio
is about 1852 in Missouri, over zoos, and
in Florida about 750.
Thus it will be seen how extremely IA
vorable the climate of East Tennessee is to
the growth and culture of the fruit crop.
We do not mean of apples alone, but of
grapes, apricots, strawberries and peaches,
Of the latter millions of bushels could be
raised at nominal cost. The trees are
prolific, and they live for century.
One-draw back we have had In this sec
ton in the apple crop is, that our people
have been greatly imposed upon by spur
ious fruit trees and gratis from Ohio and
elsewhere. In many instances the great
est frauds have been practiced upon un-
suspecting farmers. Then behind this
there is another difficulty. Trees shipped
| from more northerly latitude, do not
suit this climate. A winter apple from
| the North would, in all probability, be a
fall apple in East Tennessee. AT any rate
| this is a question that should be carefully
considered by pomologists.
All that is lacking to make the fruit
business grand success is, the planting OF
extensive home nurseries, selling the trees
at reasonable price and spreading abroad
the necessary information as to how fruit
trees should be planted, how they should
be treated and how to manage the fruit.
We have all the natural advantages we
| could possibly deserve. Add to this that
we are contiguous to some of the finest
| markets in the world.
| We conclude with this significant re-
| mark. that if some enterprising pomologist
of Ohio, or anywhere else, will come to
East Tennessee and establish nursery OH
| large and Intelligent scale, push the work
| with vigor, and advertise his business, we
undertake to say that, in ten years or less
time, he can make an Independent fortune.
4 sA--Ap