The Cecil Whig., 1875-03-06
THE FRUIT FARM AND NURSETY OF
n. BARNARD, ESQ.

n. BARNARD, ESQ.
We take pleasure in laying before our
readers the following report of committee
appointed by the Kent County Agricultural
Club to visit the Fruit Farm and Nursery
of N. Barnard, Esq, at HowelPs Point,
Kent county:
The undersigned committee, appointed
by the Kent County (Md.) Agricultural
Club, to visit the Fruit Farm of N. Bar
nard, Esq, in said county (Still Pond P.
o. on Howell's Point, beg leave to report
that on the 4th of September, 1874, we
performed that duty and found much of
interest to claim our attention.
The farm contains about 444 acres, and
of the Chesapeake Bay, at the mouth of
Sassafras river. There is a wharf on this
property where steamers stop daily for
Philadelphia and Baltimore, and even New
York when freight is offered which afford
ample facilities for shipping the large guam
titles of fruit raised on the farm.
The peach orchards cover an area of
over 200 acres, which are in a thrifty con-
dtion and show good tillage, but unfortu-
nately, like most other peach orchards in
Kent county this year, will not produce
over one-tenth of crop, certainly not
more than 5000 baskets. We find also
planted on this farm about 1900 Dwarf
and Standard pear trees in bearing, which
look very thrifty, many of which are now
loaded with large luscious fruit. But they
too are partial failure this year, owing to
the severe frosts last Spring, which killed
much of the bloom. We saw but single
tree in this orchard affected with the blight.
There are about 1,GO0 apple trees in
bearing, most of which, Mr.. Barnard in
forms us, are of choice Winter varieties.
We find, also, handsome cherry orch
Richmond variety, of bearing age.
But, in our opinion, one of the most
important and interesting features in MIR.
Barnard's operation is small fruit culture,
upon which he has bestowed much care
and attention. The canes are vigorous
and thrifty, have made fine growth, and
are thoroughly cultivated.
The Philadelphia raspberry, once so
famous, we think has lived out its full
measure of existence; from some cause it
has degenerated, and for the two past
years blights, withers and dies, till it is
now no longer worthy of cultivation as a
market variety. Mr.. Barnard has dug
most of them up and planted Brandywine
and Doolittle Black Cap in their stead,
nf yyh oh wi in, hna ~,
year.
Owing to this change he has but about
23 acres in full bearing the present year,
viz; 8 acres of Deolittle Black Cap rasp-
berries, and Is acres of Wilson Early and
kittatinny blackberries, having dug up
about II acres of Philadelphia raspberries
the past Spring.
Thinking that a statement of the net
proceeds of this important branch of fruit
culture would be interesting to our Club,
we subjoin the following statement or esti-
mate, taken from the account of sales
rendered Mr.. Barnard by his Commission
Merchants in Philadelphia and Baltimore,
as we had free access to Mr.. Barnard's
books and papers, showing the following
facts:
8 acres Doolitte Black Cap raspberry
produced 9,195 qts. Average net per qt.
ia
10 acres Wilson's Early and Kittatinny
blackberries produced 3O,2 OTIS. Average
net per at. 81 cents. $2,G39.9G net-per
acre, $175.99.
From young patch of Brandywine rasp-
berries just commencing to bear and too
young yet to bear more than ! of a crop,
acres produced ITS qts. Average net per
qt. 194 cents. $s2676 net-per acre, $75.5s.
This leaves the net proceeds after
deducting freight, commission,
carriage, &c, 81, ,039 0S
Deducting the cost of picking, 50917
Leaving net bal over all costs of So, 5209
1t may be proper to state that the aver
age price per quart of blackberries would
have been about 10 cents net had it not
been that the patch named above con-
tanned some Lawton, which were shipped
late in the season and sold at very low
prices.
1t is also important to note that the
drought the present season reduced the
yield. Mr. Barnard is now making ar
rangements for planting about 20 acres
more of Brandywine raspberries, which he
prizes more highly than any other, COM
manding about double the price per quart
of any other variety, and their shipping
qualltles Delng second to none in existence.
The peach nursery on this farm is one of
the finest we ever saw, containing nearly
100000 trees in splendid condition, 100, 900
of which are Early Beatrice, Early Louise,
and Early Rivers, principally of the first
named). $4,000 of the Early Beatrice v ere
budded in June and July of this year by
the new system of budding lately discov-
cred. We measured some trees thus bud
ded that are now from q to 81 feet in
height, and from present appearances will
attain height of from to feet this Fall.
In connection with the nursery there are
a large quantity of raspberry and black
berry plants, which compare favorably with
any we have seen.
There is also a fine peach orchard of
about 10 acres of Early Beatrice, which
are very fine, and from present appearances
should bear fruit next year.
1t is an important fact that we find from
Mr.. Barnard's account Of sales that both
raspbcrries and blackbarries sold for as
good prices in Baltimore as in Ph:ladel-
phia, the present year, probably owing to
the increasing demand for canning pur-
poses.-hen Ners Of September 2Gth, 1874.