Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1880-07-29

THURSDAY EVENING, JULY 20, 1890.
A Mountain Fruit Farm.
Mining Land Put to Nsv Use.
Solon Robinson in n. 7. Tribune.
am spending few weeks in the beau
tiful valley Of the Juniata, and making fre-
quent rides over the hills and among the
old fashioned Dutch farmers Of this per
ry) and the adjoining county Of Juniats /;
solid. wealthy, unprogressive as they were
an hundred years ago. Many OF them
still live in their hewed log g-houses, not
half as large, handsome, airy or comfort
able as their barns, which l have named
" agricultural cottages.
Nearly all the orchards upon these old
farms are of the most unimproved sorts OF
apples and seeding peaches Of late ripen-
ing kinds. Only now and then . man
seems to have thought of trying expert
ments in growing better sorts, or more
than was wanted for family use. The
people are farmers in striotest sense. Gar
dening and fruit culture are occult
sciences. But, new light is dawning in
this valley; an experiment 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 Maryland
may renew their work when it fails in
those states, for here is an abundance OF
cheap land, of little value for grain culti-
walton, yet excellent for orchards. This
has been lately proved in several instances
and different localities, but most extensive
Iy on the south bank of the Juniata river,
in Juniata county, about one hundred and
forty-four miles from Philadelphia, near .
station called ThOmpsOntown. There, il
the traveller going west on the Pennsylva-
MIA railway will look out south and up the
steep hill side, he will see the main part Of
an orchard Of Il, 500 peach trees, and 1000
Siberian crab apple trees. And il he should
stop and walk or ride: through the or
chard, as did to-day, and find one de ad
or diseased tree, he will find more than /
the foreman, that he did lose one tree in
the section where we were then.
And how many trees arc in this sec
tion?''
"Six thousand"
IL a like result can Le found anywhere
else on earth should like to be informed,
that might make another pilgrimage Of
a thousand mi les to sec it, as have seen
this, the most healthy, thrifty, most prom
ising 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 a considerable portion Of the ground
has never been plOughed, because 80 steep
and SO full of stones and roots. In this re-
spect it reminded me of some OF the vine
yards Of Pleasant Valley, N. Y, it 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 il in
dicatlvc of the character Of the owner
Notwithstandingssal all the natural obstacles
every tree has been So exactly set in right
angled lines that the transverse rows appear
as straight as those on the horizontal and
vertical lines. Thus, when furrows can
he ploughed at all, they can be run six
ways among the trees, which are set Is
feet apart for peaches and ounces and 20
feet for apples. To accomplish this re-
markable result of straight rows and exact
distances required many hard days work
removing stumps and stones and filling up
holes. Now the beauty of tho work fully
repays the extra cost. It is, however,
costly work to prepare the steep hillsides
by hand labor, for the largest part of the
timber trees had been cut off years ago,
leaving a thicket of brushwoOd. An At
tempt is being made to utilize the brush
by cutting it in machine like straw cut
ter and sending the product to market for
kindling coal fires. As the roots in tho
ground continue to sendup sprouts, which
must he repeatedly moved, the proprietor
wants to know how to get them out with
out too much expense Of hand labor. Who
can tell him the best way? Can he fix q
stout capstan at suitable points at the bot
tom of the slope and carry wire rope and
graphing iron up the hill to the roots and
pull them out by mule or ox-power? I
have SO advised.
The first section Of peach trees was
planted in 1875. and first full crop was be-
ing gathered to-day, the varieties-Craw-
ford's Early (white), of fair size and good
flavor; and Beatrice, small. red blush,
early peach, very delicious. The Phila-
not pay to ship; so a drying house has
been hastily erected, and a hot-air dryer,
capable of passing sixty bushels day,
put in operation. Tho peaches are peeled
by hand machines Of a recently improved
pattern, which do good work rapidly. BY
drying the fruit the seeds are saved for
the nursery, for there are many acres of
orchards yetto be planted. The trees which
conc into bearing next year will produce
fruit from early iIr July till late frost. It
is probable that all of the improved
methods of putting up the ripe fruit will
be adopted, instead of marketing it fresh
owing to the long transportation and risk.
There are IA acres in the tract, and with
the exception of q narrow strip along the
river, part of which is already occupied by
wagon road and railway, the whole is the |
slope Of high hill, and is un-
most favorable location for an
orchard and fortunately it is owned by q
gentleman who is not only able but will |
ing to devote the immense energy and |
money necessary to provo to q thousand |
other owners of similar mountain land |
that it is not worthless for cultivation, as |
has been often declared, so that it has !
often sold only for its value for mining or
timber.
Now I think hear some impatient per-
son who has read thus far about the oper-
atoms of the owner Of this mammoth en-
terprise crying out, "WhO is he? You
haven't told us his name! - l know it
md it required considerable argumnnt to
get his consent that might give it for he
lid not wish to have it appear as though
ne were boasting of what he had done,
md he feared an avalanche of letters if his
lame was given. But to force so good an
persuaded him to allow me to
rive his name, and then no ono will doubt
what I have said, who happens to remem-
'er during the past half century
busy New York and Philadels