New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-07-28
A MOUNTAIN FRUIT FARM.
MINING LAND PUT TO A NEW USE.

i
Juniata. aud making frequent rides over the hills
and among the Old-fashioned Dutch farmers Of this
and the adjoining county OF Juniafa; solid wealthy,
| unprogrcssiye as they an hundred years ago.
Many of them still live IN their hewed Lighthouses.
not half as large handsome. airy or comfortable as
their barns, which have named agricultural cot
tages."
Nearly all the orchards upon these old farms
of the most unimprOved sorts of apples and Seeding
peaches of late ripening kinds. Only now and then
a man seems TO have thought of trying experiments
in growing better sorts. more than
was wanted for family use. The people are
farmers in the strictest sense. Gardening
and fruit culture are occult sciences. But,
a new light is dawning in this valley; expert
ment is in progress which proves that these rough
mountain sides are natures chosen spots for
orchards that here the cultivators of peaches in
jersey Delaware and Maryl land may their
work when it fails in those States for here is
abundance of cheap land of little vaue for gram
cultivation yet excellent for orchards This has
been lately proved in several instances and different
localities, but most extensively the south bank
of the Juniata River. in Juniata County about one
hundred and forty-four miles from Philadelphia.
near station called ThompsOntown. There if the
traveller going west on the Pennsylvania Railway
will look out south and up the steep hillside, he will
10 900 ounce trees. and 5000 Siberian crab apple
trees. And if he should stop and walk and ride
through the orchard, as did to-day. and find one
dead OF diseased tree he will find than could;
although / was told by Mr. Taylor, the fore man,
that he did lose one tree the section where we
then were
"And how many trees are in this section ?"
Six thousand"
If a like result can be found anywhere else
earth 1 should like to be informed. that might
make another pilgrimage of thousand miles to see
it, as have to see this, the most healthy, thrifty
most promising young orchard have ever seen in
all my extensive journeys through the United States
and Canada. Yet.mOst of the land is unfit for any
other cultivation, and considerable portion OF the
ground has never been ploughed, because so steep
and fun of and roots. In this respect it re-
minded me Of some of the vineyards of Pleasant
Valley, N Y, 1t being often difficult to get dirt
enough to make good loose bed for the roots.
There is another remarkable feature about this
extensive orchard which is Indicative Of the charac
ter of the owner. Notwithstanding all the natural
obstacles, every tree has been SO exactly set In
right ngled lines that the transverse rows appear
as straight as those on the horizontal and vertical
lines. Thus when burrows can be pOughed at ALL
they can be run SIX ways among the trees, which
are set ) feet apart for peaches and ounces and
20 feet for apples. To accomplish this remarkable
result Of straight rows and exact distances required
many a hard days work removing stumps and
stones and filing up holes. Now the beauty of the
work fully repays the extra cost. 1t Is. however
costly work to prepare the steep hilisides By hand
labor for the largest part of the timber trees had
been cut Of years ago. leaving thicket Of brush
wood An attempt is being made to utilize the
brush by cutting II machine ike a straw-cutter
and sending the product to market for llnding coal
fires. As the roots in the ground continue 20 send
up sprouts. which must be repeatedly moved, the
proprietor wants TO know how 10 get them out with
ont too much expense of hand-labOr Who can tell
him the best way7 Can he fix stout caDstan at
suitable points the bottom of the slope and carry
a wire rope and grappIng-lron up the hill to the
roots and pull them out by mule or ox-poweri l
have advised
The first section of peach trees was planted in
1875, and the first full crop being gathered TO-
day. the varieties-C Crawford Early white of fair
size and good flavor; and Beatrice, small, red
blush early peach very delicious. The Philadel-
phia market beng overstocked, it does not pay TO
ship; a drylng-hOuse has been hastily erected,
and hOt-ar dryer, capable OF passing sixty bush
els day. put III opera ion. The peaches are peeled
By hand machines of a recently improved pattern,
which do good work rapidly By drying the fruit
the seeds saved for the nursery, for there are
many OF orchard yet TO be planted. The trees
which will come into bearing next year Will produce
fruit from early IL July till late frost. Ii is probable
that all of the improved methods OF putting up the
ripp fruit vii be adopted. instead of marketing it
fresh owing to the long transportation and risk
There All acres IN the tract, and with the eNcep
ton of strip along the river, part OF wnIch
IS already occupied by wagon road and railway !
the whole Is the northern slope Of high hill, and
Is undoubtedly most favorable location for an |
orchard; and fortunately 1t Is owned by gentle
who is not only able but willing 60 devote the
immense energy and money necessary 10 prove TO |
thousand other owners OF similar mountain land |
that il not worthless for cultivation, as has been
often declared that it has often sold only for its
value for mining or TIMBER.
Now think hear some impatient person who |
has read thus far about the operations of the owner
of this mammoth enterprise crying OUT no Is |
is he I You haven't tOld Us his name know IL; |
and It required considerable argumeht 10 ger MS |
consent mat might give il; for he did not wish |
to have 1t appear as though ne were Boosting OF |
what he had done. and he feared an avalanche OF
letters If his name was gwen. but to !
enforce good an example, L persuaded him |
to allow me to give his name, and then one |
will doubt what have said, who happens to re-
member during the past half century busy New |
York and Philadelphia business man, VINO usually |
writes his name II. Bradford" who was born |
upon the banks of the Connecticut River, ten miles
below Middetown. Ii yOu are curious to know |
when, you will find Hezeklah Bradford upon
the baptsmal register somewhere In tDat VICINITY |
/ shall not tell exactly where nor when the entry |
was made But will say that many men OF his |
age prefer rather than such untrIng labor as he
puts into tins enterprise while at the time he |
conducts his city business. Let us all wish |
eminent 10 the Bradford fruit farm and
that the success OF this experiment may be the IN
centve to many men To improve the waste lands OF
Pennsylvania mountain counties.
word as TO the incentive of Mr. Bradf0rd's great |
work few years ago this tract came into his |
hands upon the false representation that II con- !
tanned valuable veins of iron ore. He bought it
seen When seen, II was found to yield workable |
ORE and only a small tract of farm land with few
common farm buildings. The question now was
i" hat shall do with itp Thae question has been |
answered Mr. Bradford must take rank public |
benetactOr. | am glad that The TRIBUNE can first |
bring this enterprise into notice, and trust that 1t
will be a great encouragement To other owners CT
sim,Iar lands SCION ROBINSON.