Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1886-04-09
THE ORCHARD.
Why Hitherto Unsuccessful Horticulturists
Should Not DO DISCOURAGED.

why Hitherto Unsuccessful Horticulturfsts
Should Not be Discouraged.
One of the interesting questions that
is perplexing many fruit growers over
the land is whether to plant again to
supply the places of the many trees
that have gone the way of all trees so
prematurely. 1t is the opinion of many
persons, l am aware, that land devoted
to fruit growing has not brought as fair
return as that devoted to other crops.
And in not few cases this opinion is
well founded-especially as to the last
ten or twelve years, and in some local..
ties. OF pears the blight has almost
swept the land. Of plums, the curculio
has scared the planterin many instances
into consigning them to the brush pile.
Of apricots and nectarines the same
may be said. And the peach orchards
in many localities where formerly they
grew and bore luXuriantly are now to
be counted among the bygones. MANY,
very many, despairing of a better day,
have decided to leave all these alone
forever. But while discarding these,
they have not yet lost entire
faith in the apple. Yet the problem
whether it, too, shall go, is gradually
forcing itself upon their minds. 1t
can not be denied that the prospect is
a gloomy one. What, therefore, shall
the frut-grower do in the matterp
Shall he give up fruit altogether that
best and most luscious of NATURES gifts
to man, and turn his attention again TO
hog and hominy for food? Shall he
fold his arms and acknowledge himself
beaten in the STRUGGLED My answer is:
Don't give it up so! TRY, try again"
Let us renew our energy and go to work
again--faith without works is dead; put
on new armor and renew the battle.
The spider tried seven times before he
could bring the dead beetle to his nest;
let us plant at least seven times, and we
may succeed. Our first, our second and
even our third paintings have been
mostly at random; let us now profit by
experience, and where that is lacking,
keep on experimenting. No remedy is
yet known for the blight. Some of
these days that light will beam upon us,
and then we will have that valuable
fruit in abundance-for the pear is
otherwise hardy and fruitful. Some
of these days an effective
and easy remedy will be
found to counteract the depredations
of the curculio. and then we shall have
plums and apricots again. At an un-
expected period, some investigator will
find out just what is the matter with
our soils, that renders our apple orch
ards so short-lived and fruitless; some
enemy will destroy or drive away the
codling moth; then apples will redden
on our trees once more from year to
year.
While planting, let us make use of the
knowledge we have acquired. One
great cause of our frequent failures in
the past has been that we did not make
use of the knowledge we possessed.
We know that certain processes will, il
not wholly eradicate, at least greatly
lessen the evils complained of yet we
do not apply them, We charge Provi.
dence with some of the failures which
properly belong to ourselves. Above
all, let us continue our Investigations
try new methods of culture-new vaiie
ties, new applications to our soils, new
principles in propagation--and then i
we fail, 1t will be satisfaction TO know
that the fault is not our own. Cor
Prairie Farmer.