The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-03-11
Gvsaing State 9olirnal.
FRUIT CULTURE.


sonable diligence and skill, it is absolutely
certain to pay fairly.
Every variety Of soil, slope and situa-
ton, where hole can be dug and a tree
or vine set, can be rendered available.
But the plants must be adapted to these
varying conditions. Thus apples of some
sort will grow everywhere in Virginia, but
any given variety will not do equally
everywhere. So of the grape, the pear,
the cherry, and all the list of fruits Lo-
cal influences also make themselves felt in
changing the quality of fruit. As rule,
winter varieties, carried few hundred
miles South become mellow in autumn,
and lose entirely their long-keeping quail
ity. Sour fruits become pleasant, and
pleasant fruits inspid by the same change.
The bearing qualities of trees change in
the same way. Only few trees and vines
do well on varied soils and over large
spaces. The Concord grape and the Will
son Albany strawberries are two remark
able cases of fruits which are prolific
everywhere but these are greatly i'm
proved in quality in the warmer climates.
There are two prime conditions to be OBJ
served in selecting trees:
1st. Get good ones.
2d. Get varieties adapted to the climate
and soil.
To be sure of getting good trees, you
must find reliable nursery man. Avoid
irresponsible tree pedlars. They have cost
us millions, not merely in the loss of trees,
but the Encouragement of tree-planting g
caused by these failures.
Consult the nurseryman nearest you ,
and find out what be has for sale, and If
you have no list, get him to make you one
In our advertising list, you will find
franklin Davis & Co., Of Richmond.
Their list is large, and their stock we'll
grown and true to name. They will send
you what you order. In the northern
part of the State, Chalkley, Gilligham &
Co. have extensive nurseries of we'll grown
trees, and are entirely reliable Friend
Gilligham is man of sterling integrity,
and has been growing fruit trees in Vir-
ginia for twenty years, and will give you
good list. His advertisement in our
paper will give details
When we came into the State few
years ago, we found great difficulty in OBJ
tanning detailed information as to varieties.
Seeking information from all sources, we
have annually changed our list to correct
errors. In our experience some things
have become clear, and we have watched
others with some care. This is now our
fourth season, and already we can see
where the facts we present in this article
would have saved us hundreds of dollars !;
vet, in spite of mistakes incident to a
change in climate and soil, where no ex-
tensive fruit growing has been done, our
venture in setting fruit will pay far better
than any other branch of our farming.
If one reflects moment the safety Of
such Investments, intelligently made, will
appear. Let us set out this spring hun
dred well-grown apple trees. They will
cost, say, $15 per hundred at the nursery,
and when set, say, twenty-five cents
each. We now cultivate the ground
thoroughly with some hoed crop, being
careful not to plough near the tree, or
plant anything SO as to draw sustenance
from the soil near its roots, Or let a
single weed remain. Four years, with
proper care as to trimming, protec-
tion from noxious insects, and, of course,
protection from cattle and sheep, will
give us on an average a peck of fruit to
each tree. If culture is still kept up,
this yield will be steadily increased at
the rate of so per cent, till the tree
attains its full size, and even then it will
continue to bear for century. At the
sixth year from the setting, the trees will
average one bushel each, and if they are
of the proper varieties will be worth fifty
cents per bushel at the very lowest esti-
mate. Each tree will then yield us a
gross income Of fifty cents per annum,
which is the interest at ten per cent. upon
five dollars.
We have now q piece ofproperty which
is lust as well worth fve.bundred dollars
as if it were in government bonds or gold ,
and one that willinoreass its income more
surely and rapidly than any other kind of
property we know, AT ten years old such
| an orchard ought to yield a thousand
bushels of good fruit, and twenty years
two thousand at least Every tree is then
worth twenty y-fve dollars at ten years old,
and fifty dollars each at twenty years.
Don't point to your old neglected Or
chards of seedlings growing in the grass
and weeds, which have never been cultiva-
ted, manured or trimmed, and which trea'
you as shabbily, as you have them. Don
point to even well cultivated or
chards of trees brought from abroad, mo-
adapted to our climate, which may grou
finely but give no fruit. Find us an or