The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1872-07-19
Thinning Fruit.

Hon. Marshall p. Wilder, in his ad.
dress before the American Pathological
Convention, at Richmond, Va, stated:
This is lesson we have to learn,
and the necessity of which we have Of
ten endeavored to impress upon cult
vators, and which every successive
season teaches with stronger emphasis.
1t is absolutely necessary for all who
send fruit to market to send large fruit,
and the markets are constantly and
progressively requiring large and fine
fruit. Even the Seckel pear, which
once commanded in the Boston mar
ket the highest price, will not now, I'M
less of extra size, sell for any more, if
as much, as common varieties of larger
size. A medium sized fruit, or even
one of smaller size, may be more eco
ponical for use, but until some decided
change in the preference of the msjor-
ity of purchasere shall take place, large
fruit will sell better than email. +.
To produce this, the fruit must not
only have food cultivation, but must
he thinned, and we agree with Mr..
Meehan that "one-half of the trees
which bear fruit every year would be
benefited by having one.half of the
fruit taken off as soon as it is well set,
and that the Overbearing of tree will
in a few years destroy it," We may
lay it down as certain rule that eX-
cessive production is always st the eX-
pense of both quantity and quality; il
not in the same season, then in sue
ceeding ones, for when branch is con-
tending with branch, leaf with leaf,
and fruit with fruit, for its supply of
light and food, it would be indeed an
anomaly in nature if this should not
result in permanent injury OF the trees
as well IS to the annual crop. 81
According to London journals, lately
received, great dependency prevails at
the South African diamond fields. Ma
ny of the English diggers are disguised.
At the best, life to those, even "to the
manor bOrn, is bad enough; while to
the cockneys, born within the sound Of
Bow-bells, it is simply uncomfortable. 1t
is no joke breaking ground in shallow
less sand, under scorching sun, with
rations of tough OK flesh to eat, seasoned
with condiments at the price of gold,
and dispensing with vegetable and even
bread. For sleeping place one has to
be content under bush, or wagon, or
a fimsy bell-tent. For drink, nothing
is to be had but tepid water, sorely
needing the services of filter. But
the worst of it is that the diamonds are
pooh-poohed by the Jews of London
and the cutters of Amsterdam. At the
first going off diggers not only believed
in their fields, but exaggerated their
value while their expectations We're
raised continually and their illusions
fostered by middlemen and merchants.
Patriotic South Africans assumed that
the stones from the Vaal River were of
water as pure as those from Golconda or
Minas- Geracs. But when they come to
remit, dealers in London and Amsterdam
shook their heads and pronounced the
con:ignments valuable and curious, but
of decidedly inferior quality; besides,
markets necessarily select must speedily
become glutted. The London journals
now predict that the populations of the
once thriving canvas cities must thin
fast, and the mines be left to some
knots of ploddirg adventurers who can
resign themselves to severe and steady
work and moderate pay, with the chance
of their toll being occasionally sweeten-
ed by dash. of speculation.