The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1873-03-30
CO. u,M!l.BIsA, sc, s
sunday. AefaipK a:apas, March So, 1873.
.Fruls Cp,sss, ma Ersek R.rmin..
I, The fruit ,Iand tstfok; farm tjtslness il

,RfoTing,1n, the South. tIta importance
yrould idstify larger Investments in it,
:ahd demand that closer attention, be paid
.ltoft tits prosecuted with considers
BILE activity at Norfolk, Wilmington.
tOharleston, Aiken, Savannah and other
:places in Georgia, aud at several in Flo
>rida. It las been thoroughly demon.
etrated that fruit crops pay largely upon
Investments from curly shipments North.
An equal degree of success awaits the
enterprise of canning them. We re-.
member series of articles, q few yenrs
since, in the Southern Culi0ator, from
the pen OF Mr.. Moses, of Columbus,
Georgia, which were demonstxative of
the profits and certainty Of fruit culture.
In twenty ,Jears, he had gathered nine.
teen good crops. The bills Of sale. ap-
pended to his articles in the Culivator,
showed. upon fruit forwarded by express.
1t heavy charges, profit ranging from
ten dollars to twenty dollars crate OF
two bushels. His conviction was that
no crop was equally certain and profita-
BILE in intelligent hands, and his advice
was to plant largely. He thought it i'm
possible to overdo tho business. The
:denand increased more rapidly than the
supply. The late VIM. Gregg, from
field of'a few acres Of thin pine land, the
: first year it came into bearing, sold fruit
in New York, in one season, to the
amount of $1,000. which was nearly all
profit. as the cost of raising and gather
ing it was small. It seems surprising
what we do not engage more largely in
this beautiful and profitable pursuit.
It's rich tetnrns have been demonstrated
by figures and experience, time aud
aagains The;most devoted adherents to
cotton culture must admit that it1s well
10 have d side crop, which will bring in
money for expenses and living during
the snmmerr There is alppg petiod of
comparative inaotivitys between the ga.
,thering and sale Of one cotton crop and
the preparations for planting another.
which might be turned to profitable use
in planting out orchards. vineyards and
berries. or in preparation OF lots for
th6m. The time that many farmers
waste in guzzling vile whiskey at country
stores, or in complaining OF the hard
times, il applied to this purpose. would
yield handsome addition to their in
come. There is comfortable living to
be found in the Scuopernong grape
alone, for those conveniently located
'noar railroad station. It is free from
diseaso. q prodigions bearer, and yields
wine that is always in demand at q
good price, or the must may be sold to
manufacturers. Fruits may be easily
reared. All the processes of planting,
budding, grating. trimming, gathering.
boxing aud slipping are comparatively
light and pleasant labor.
Truck farming is kindred branch of
business, which would we'll repay those
who would faithfully follow it. It is
growing in Columbia and in the neigh
'borhood, and. in few years, as the city
continues to increase. it will be remu-
.Rerative to largo number of market
gardeners. 1t can be proftably and
easily conducted on the lines of the rail-
ways to Charleston and Wilmington,
where steamers regularly connect with
the Northern markets. The soil of Rioh.
land and Sumter, and other localities on
the Wilmington and Columbia Railroad,
is admirably adapted to it. It is quick,
light, warm, easily worked, and suf-
hoien.ly retentive OF moisture and ma
nure. The fail OF rain is tolerabIy uni
form. aud neither extreme of drought
nor wet is experienced in any hurtful de-
gres. The emperature is 80 favorable,
as generally to require little artificiul aid
in starting the plants. The lime and
mari which the lands require. may be
easily obtained from the Waccamaw aud
from Charleston, and delivered on the
spot required. What difference such O
cultivation would produce in the face of
the country, and how rapidly it would