The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1879-11-06


ing and cultivation. I omitted to
mention, in selecting site for fruit
garden, one matter which I regard as be-
ing very important, that is never select
one where the same kind of fruits were
grown before, because it is difficult to get
the trees to live, and if they do live they
never do so we'll, whether it is because
the rotten roots are poisonous to the trees
or because some element or elements i'm
portant to their health and growth have
been exhausted, do not know. Before
the first tree is planted out the plat of
ground should be enclosed by high and
substantial fence, even in those countries
which have no fence laws, so that the
trees, and vines when planted may be
absolutely safe from the depredations
of stock, which often in single night
so mar the beauty and symmetry of the
trees that the true lover of trees would
sooner see them dug up in order that he
might again plant over aud train them
to suit his fancy of what trees ought to
be. q, sr s
The fruit garden in our climate should
contain, at least the strawberry, the plum,
the fig, the apple, the pear, the peach,
the grape, the mulberry dnut trees, the
two last in a separate inclosure, and with
little care and attention many of the
kinds less suited to the climate might be
added. Each tree, vine and plant show
ing to the g,ower by its peculiarities that
/ it is true to name, and that the growth
and form is as near perfect as the most
skilful management could make it, all
covered over during the earlyspring with
bloom of various colors, tints and hues,
which are ornamental in the highest de-
gree then come in succession the rich,
luscious fruits, each kind in its season
seeming to surpass in appearance and the
exquisiteness of its flavor all that pre-
ceded it, giving pleasure; refinement and
health to those who share its blessings,
SURPRISING the fabled apples -of~Hesperi-
des, guarded by the hundred beaded dra-
gon, and should lead us to adore the God
who so richly supplies us with good
things of His bounty, land grateful to the
men whom He has used as His agents in
producing from the sour crab of the for
est the prince of apples, the Newton pip:
pin, and from the choke pear of the
woods the;magnifcent Bartlette and ex-
quisitely favored Sickle pear, which has
been largely effected within the last GEN.
tury, and there is no telling or even i'm
agining what may be achieved within the
next century. Goo, indeed, loves to assist
man in all ais efforts to improve his
blessings.
Ihave thrown out some ideas about
the selection of a site for an orchard, the
general preparation of the soil, the diff.
,ferept kinds of fruits which should be
cultivated, and the advantages and pleas.
ures connected with fruit raising, and l
nowccome to the selection.ofthe varieties
of the different kinds to be planted, refer
ence being had to the appearance and
quality of the fruit, the object for which it
is produced, whether for home consump-
ton or for distant markets, or for the
stock farm, and especially for having q
liberal supply of different kinds Of every
period of the year, and Of not leaving an
over supply ct any one period. will at
tempt to suggest the varieties. Ny ad-
vice is to furnish the Lindleys, Of North
Carolina, the Berckmans, of Georgia, or
the Summers, of South Carolina, with a
full description of the plat of land,
prepared as above directed, which you
intend devoting exclusively to fruit rails
ing, and leave it to them to select and
furnish the trees, vines and plants with
theihtention of carrying out the objects
above suggested, and leave it TO them to
suggest where and how each should be
planted. You will then have the fruits
just as you need them, and the orchard
exhibiting skill, experience and design.
Don't buy trees from those men who go
about over the country with their highly
colored plates and catalogues, who as
a general thing, know nothing about
fruits, but can in few moments furnish
you with the very best trees you want all
properly labelled
The holes in which trees are to be
planted should be from'three; to four feet
in diameter, and should be from
twelve to eighteen inches deep and
should be filled with rich wood mold or
rich scrapiDgs from the jams of the fences,
and plant the trees in such way that
when the dirt fully settles down they will
stand no deeper than they stood in the
nursery for if they are they will not be-
gin to grow till they throw out from their
bodies new set of growing, or as they are
sometimes called, breathing roots, and
in that way the growth of the year is en-
tirely lost. At the time the trees are set
out all the mutilated roots should be cut
off with sharp knife and the roots
should be carefully spread out as they
would naturally grow, and the tops
of the trees should be carefully cut
back so as to make them correspond
with the reduced condition of the roots,
and thereby the proper, equilibrium of
the two may be preserved. The lower
limbs in this climate should not be more
than from two and one-half to three
feet from the ground, and the tops of trees
should be so trained that the sun should
never stiike the bodies of trees more
than three or four years old except early
in the morning or late in the afternoon,
otherwise the bodies of the cherry, the
peach and some others will De killed
where the sun strikes them from II to
2 o'clock, and in addition to that the
flavor of the fruit is always affected by
the exposure. The best artificial pro-
lection is made by fastening corn stalks
together and fastening them around the
budies to be protected. No substance is
a more complete conductor, and
they permit the air to pass freely them
selves and also between them and the tree.
The cultivation of fruit garden
should be clean and shallow. but it should
not be continued late in the season, as
much new wood should not be produced af-
ter it is too late for it to fully mature.
When the trees are small root crops aud
vegetables may be grown between them,
but no crop that will shade them; and
no kind of small grain should ever be
sown amongst them, as is very apparent
from the appearance of the trees, not on
ly when the crop is gathered, but long
afterwards, and if the grain be sowed
Lt. 800. {.oo,