Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1873-10-10
Gbe farm.
The Market Fruit Gardens.


it on the one hand from the market
vegetable garden, and on the other from
the market fruit orchard, where large
fruits are grown for market. We wish
to discourse somewhat freely upon the
business of raising small fruits for mar
ket, and as we believe that success more
generally attends upon the culture of
few acres in small fruits, than of a
large number, we call it fruit garden
instead of fruit farm.
Thesteady increase ofour population,
and especiallyof our city-dwelling pop
ulation, the growth of fruit eating hab-
its in community, and the multiplica-
ton of fruit-canning, and fruit-drying
establishments warrant the prediction
that the demand for fruit will increase
rather than diminish. Such being the
case a gradual, and judicious extension
of the area devoted to fruit growing is
called for. The great mistake made
in the extension of any branch of pro-
duction is that it is too general
The soil culturist becoming aware that
the demand for certain products ex-
ceeds the supply, make general ex-
tension ON of the area devoted to their
production, and the result is, the sup
ply greatly exceeds the demand, prices
decline, and the business becomes I'M
remunerative.
To become successful small fruit
grower, a man must be specially quail
fled for the business, must be suitably
located, and must make it his sole pur-
suit. The qualifications necessary are,
briefly:
1. An analyatical mind, capable of
examining minute details, and carrying
them into operation. Some men will
make comprehensive plans, but lack
that patient attention to details neces-
sary to carry them out. Such would
hardly succeed in the business of fruit
gardening. One with the natural quail
ifcations indicated. after a brief SER
vice with a practical man, might en-
gage in the business with reasonable
hope of success.
Q. But then, his location should be
favorable. He should be located near
a large city; or near depot where he
can ship to large city. There are too
many disadvantages attending garden
ing remote from town, to make it adj
visible. The labor of hauling manure,
of marketing the fruit, and of procur-
ing the necessary amount of the right
kind of labor is enough to discourage
gardening far in the country.
Tee many have tried making the
small fruit business an adjunct of farm
ing. They do not go we'll together
Both require the exclusive attention of
the cultiyator at one, and the same
time. Just when the blowing and SOW
ing for spring crops require the utmost
efforts of the farmer, the transplanting
and cultivation of small fruits must be
attended to; and just when haying and
harvesting call for all the help that the
farmer can procure, picking and mar
keting fruits can not be delayed. So
we say-make small fruits, (not one
kiasa of small fruits) speciality.
shSdln VIC UCl1CtO UlldiU IL u1U SdIuCu-
ing pays better than fruit farming
E'or an experienced man, FIVE acres are
enough to commence with. By the
time he has fully mastered that amount,
and brought its production mp to its
utmost capacity, he will be so instruct
ed in the knowledge of the business, in
the knowledge of varieties, and the best
manner of marketing as to be qualified
for extending his area. Wehave known
of many failures in the small fruit bus
mess from launching out too extensive
upon the start. Men who would stu
dy books and papers, become possessed
of the theory of fruit gardening, learn
what large returns had been realized
from one acre of straw berries, or rasp-
berries, or grapes, and conclude that
if they should plant ten, twenty, or fif-
ty acres, with proportional results, they
would be able to net large income.
They would borrow money, roll up
large bill fos plants, make large expen-
ditures for uneducated labor, and find,
after two or three years, that they were
running behind, and abandon the bus
mess In disgust. THERE'S better way,
and we shall try to find it.--Americaa
Rural Home.
s@We haverepeatedly asked wheth-
er it will pay to buy grain to feed to
~o44Io or,,,e ~. booro r., 4c7,o vonl boo