Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1883-10-06
Fruit Culture.
COrrespOndence southern Planter.

Ool' w H. Ayru, III his history OF
the dividing line in 1929 between
North Carolina and virginia, makes
this just remark, at is an observation
which rarely fails of being true, both
in virginia and the Carolnas, that those
who take care to plant good orchards
are in their general character industri>
Gus people" This is as true now as it
was then. 1t was the mark of good
planter before the war between the
States, to have large orchards and
vineyards. They were not for profit
but were for the pleasure and use of
the family, and the negroes upon the
plantation and were, besides, of sani-
tary benefit. In country naturally
fertile, with an almost perfect climate,
well watered and timbered, accessible
to market, every branch of agriculture
ought to flourish; and after a fashion
it does fourish-that is to say, with
imperfect caltivation-with a surplus
of untitled lands, from which nothing
is gathered but taxes, with the minor
resources of the farm neglected, the
Southern farmer, and if he is prudent
makes a little money. But tits is the
rule of agricultural life to which there
are many exceptions. In every neigh-
borhood, a few farmers are laying up
money, and this is done by a patient
intelligent attention to the small pro.
ducts of the farm. The meadows are
moved and the hay cured and stored,
the poultry is attended in a proper
manner, the berries, grapes and fruits
are marketed, the cattle and pigs are
kept healthy and fat, fences and barns
are put in order, and manures are
saved. The odds and ends of the farm
are saved and sold, and it is this saving
that makes money.
1t is to one of these subordinate
crops that the attention of the farmer
is invited-it can be shown how, by its
growth, outstanding and manipulating
in inexpensive factories, it can be made
source Of much profit.
In warm climate free diet of
fruits is most conducive to robust and
regular health, and no one should know
this better than the intelligent farmer
After the war, Northern men came
South and bought property. They
were led by the natural botanical law,
that fruits could be grown to advantage
where they grew to the greatest per-
lection, and were not attended with
the expense of transplanting, acclimat.
ing, etc. They found a congenial eli.
mate and land of sufficient fertility fol-
their purposes, and large tracts Of
country were given to fruit culture
In many cases they have been signally
successful, but in majority OF instan'
ces, being disheartened by partial fail
ures, they abandoned their undertak
ing and fell into the ranks of cotton
producers. But an impulse has beer
given the industry, and it has moved
along year by year, until in no part o.
the South is its influence unfelt. There
are orchards and vineyards tended with
skill and made sole care of the owners
in almost every community, but the
farmers, as a rule, give only passing
thought to small things. Trees anC
vines are purchased from a travelling
vender, without regard to their adap
ton to..the soil, and are planted. will
little care. When so planted tn,
farmer considers his part of the worl
done, and leaves the rest to be done by
the trees themselves. They are no
protected from insects, disease, cold O
heat, and yet he is astonished his orch
ards do not bear fruit. If the fruit
matured it is gathered in a rough way
or allowed to fall and rot. Those VIII,
have made specially of growing frui
for market furnish about all the mar
ket receives. They are as we'll inform
ed in regard to their business, and pur
sue it with the same activity ant
shrewdness that men pursue any other
But it is the average farmer who ha
the facilities for growing fruits, ant
only fails to do so for the want of tn
disnosition who is TO make the 0ree