The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1871-03-04
tut CveII
Coupon BOndhOlder's Rural "reminiscences
BY AGRICOLA.
Part First.

Part First
think it was the oracular Emerson who
said, with painful truth, to one who had
yearning for country life without practical
knowledge of rural pursuits, "To have no
land was bad, but to have some land was
worse, for it took a salary to support it,
Many such persons, l fear, who thought
"ten acres enough" have found, to their
sorrow, that less than ten acres was en-
tirely too much.
Such was the case with our friend Coupon
Bondholder, who, having been banker all
the early part Of his life, in the eventide of
his days bought small place in the coun-
try, and became a perfect enthusiast in
agricultural and horticultural matters, and,
as you will soon perceive, had some sad
experience in his time.
His first trial was in planting patch of
raspberries, "a new variety purchased at
high figure) with long canes attached to
the roots, and fruited them the first year
of planting. We shall not soon forget the
glow of triumphant pride upon his broad,
rosy face, when he came into the cars with
his first box of fine, luscious berries on his
way to market. "Ah, hal" said he, "look
at that for city farmer!" Poor man. he
did not know that canes fruited the first
year would utterly exhaust and destroy his
costly plants. He is wiser now.
Upon the death of his first patch, he
into tbo 81 h.
ing raspberry, those marvellous kind that
fruited throughout the four seasons. They
grew enormously, and finally, after two
years, he had half an acre of plants. He
was often asked chow those ever-bearing
things produced" but never gave decided
answer, until at last, he said he thought he
had been deceived, like person reported
in the convention) and had instead of ecer-
bearing, had got the nerer- bearing sort.
In planting out his orchard he became
convert to the doctrine of surface planting,
and placed his dwarf pear trees in holes
not more than three inches deep, and put
small mound of earth around each tree
The mound of earth, in process of time,
was hoed away, and the ounce stocks were
exposed, and dried up in the autumn sun,
stunning the trees; and that interesting
little specimen of entomologist the ISaperda
Vicitata (Which was unknown to Coupon)
laid its eggs on the ounce roots, and the
trees showed signs of chlorosis, and died.
Coupon was utterly astonished, on exami-
nation, to find his pet trees completely
girdled by the borer.
He now became convinced that surface
planting was not suitable to his locality; so
he planted again, full of hope, in grass sod,
and mulched his trees heavily with litter.
Everything went on all right for year or
two, until one spring he noticed his trees
did not put forth foliage, as usual, when
upon examination he found that the mulch
ing and grass had furnished fine harbor
for field mice, and that his trees were all
girdled by these Industrious rodentia.
Having thus failed in two attempts to
raise dwarfs, he planted standards, with
the indomitable will of man not to be
overcome by the small accidents of life.
He bought his trees from northern nur-
sery large trees, at an enormous price, so
as to ''get the fruit earlier" but not having
had much experience in planting, and the
trees being too large to bear it WELL half of
them died the first year, from "running
short of sap" the others, owing to the
kindly assistance of his COWS while he was
at the sea shore recruiting wasted energies,
were able to follow suit soon after.
But he was lucky to have some in a
circle, in the lawn, beside those in orchard
style, upon which he was experimenting
manuring, pruning, &C., with view to
heighten the color and improve the flavor.
With some of these, however, am afraid
he overdid the matter, for they died, very
mysteriously, once in while. He at
tributed the mortality to aridity of the
atmosphere, parasitic fungus at the roots,
&c. Having read in agricultural books
that such were effects upon fruit trees;
little dreaming it was his own handi- work.
The pears with beautiful color and height
ened flavor have never appeared; but he
had some specimens, rather cracked and
spotted, from his favorite trees, with
flavor somewhat resembling a mixture of
copperas, persimons, and decayed bananas.
Peaches also he tried to produce, but has
met with no marked success. The peach
borer was his great enemy until he read in
one of his agricultural papers that gas tar
applied to the bark and roots of the tree
was sure remedy and preventative, and
would Danish them in all cases. He ac-
cordingly tried it. 1t did Danish them, but
unfortunately to relate, it also banished
the gital spark from all Of the trees to which
it was applied.
His next effort was in the grape vine
line. He had read that they did not do
well unless in soil of volcanic origin, and
in proximity of water-say lake or river.
AS his land was not of volcanic origin, he
bought large quantities of sulphur, and
applied to his plants; and to supply the
latter want he dug large pond in the
middle of his vineyard, and drew the water
from well near by with an expensive
wind mill erected for the purpose But
his grapes did not appear to grow very
vigorously, got mildew and oidium, and
finally died; he blamed it to the aridity of
the atmosphere, little dreaming it was
negligent cultivation and the presence of
too much sulphur.
For want of space and for fear of firing
your patience, will have to exclaim, with
many another writer, "more anon"
sB At the cor. of Sd & Orange sts., in
the City of Wilmington Del, there is an
establishment from which issues weekly