The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1873-12-06
m;mbt Esatta.
Fruit Growing in Maryland.

AN ESSAY READ BEFORE ADVANCE GRANGE,
NO. I, P. OF H., CECIL CO., AT CoLoRA,
NOV. 10Th, 1873, BY GEORGE BALDERs-
TON, SECRETARY.
We have chosen the above caption
for our essay as one that has command
ed as yet but little attention in our sec
ton of country, and is capable of being
discussed to profit by all classes in an
agricultural community. Fruit culture
in it's broadcast sense, embraces most
that is grown on the farm but as COM
monty spoken of, it is divided into two
classes; those growing on trees or
large fruit, and those on vines or bush
es, or small fruits. The culture of the
latter has always been recommended
for those owning small properties or in
close proximity to ready market.
There is nothing that yields more sure
or liberal return for the labor and capt.
tai invested than small farm devoted
to the production of small fruits and
vegetables, when near large city or
smaller manufacturing village. But so
far as the wants of large part OF the
farmers themselvs are concerned there
is perhaps no other class OF our cltl-
zens, with equal facilities for supplying
their tables, that are content to do
without these luXuries as much as some
of the farmers themselves. We regard
fruit of all sorts in its seasons as not
only one of the Injuries, but also as
one of the necessities of life, as liber-
al use of ripe fruit is always conducive
to health. But at the present time
when we are looking about us to see
what can be done to lessen the expenses,
as we'll as increase the profits of our
farms, we see no opening that presents
a more favorable outlook than the more
general culture of the apple, pear and
peach The latter, it is true, is rather
an uncertain crop of late years; but
with careful culture, they generally pay
a good interest on the investment. But
the apple and pear are as yet subject to
but few diseases in this latitude; and
our proximity to good markets, makes
us quite sure of profitable return for
our crops Most farmers that have
given up apple culture as Improbable,
have done so because they never gave
the subject enough attention to make it
pay. The culture Of peaches on our
Eastern Shore has become science,
and gives employment to thousands of
men, and the fruit has acquired a rep
utation that opens market for it as
far north as it can be safely transported.
Apples on the other hand that grow
here on our hills in as great perfection
as in any other part of the globe are
not raised in sufficient quantity to sup
ply our home markets, and thousands
of barrels have to be imported annually
to supply our city markets, on which
freight has to be paid from New York,
New England or the great West.
Why is it that farmers, as a class
are so slow to take hold of a business
that cannot fail to be profitable APP
pies can be as cheaply grown as peaches;
they do not require to be handled so
quickly, and when properly marketed,
will command as good price. 1t is
true, that apples grown in our State do
not now command as good prices as
some of those above spoken of, but this
is nobody's fault but our own.
By years of care and culture, the
apple trade of western New York has
attained vast proportions and the fruit
has an established reputation in market
that brings customers, and generally
at remunerative prices. Our own OBJ
servation and experience for several
years past have proven to US that we
can grow better fruit, that will retail at
better prices than the same kind of
apples grown further north and by a
careful selection of varieties, we can
soon have enough that will also combine
productiveness and good keeping quail
tiles
The only reason we are now deficient
in winter apples is that we have trust
ed to northern growers to find US in
new varieties instead of improving our
native sorts. No fruit will keep during
our Winter that is ripe before freezing
weather commences, and our longer
season ripens all fruit of more north
ern origin, too perfectly to allow of
their being held to profit for Winter
sales. But this very circumstance
makes the fruit that we now have better
for Fall use, as we all know the super
iority of a ripe apple, to one prema-
turely taken from the tree.
All that is now needed to make all
our hill country valuable as fruit re-
gon is to plant more, cultivate more,
and give more care to handling, sorting
and marketing the fruit. There is
hardly farm but what might devote
twice as much to fruit as they now do,
without diminishing their yield of grain
or grass, and with the proper care in
always sending to market a uniform
and reliable article of fruit, there is no
reason that Cecil county apples might
not have as good q reputation in our
wholesale market as Cecil county hay
now has, and yield as good a profit to
. the producer. The orchard is not so
exhaustive on the soil, does not require
such hard labor and can be attended to
in the way of manuring and pruning
in Winter, when other work is not press
ing. We could give you the profit of
few acres in orchard from actual
sales, but as this essay is long enough
we viii defer many other points that
might be made, for another occasion.