Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1886-07-29
MELONS BY THE MILLION.
Thousands Of Acres Under Cultivation For
Great summer Luxury.

Thousands of Acres Under Cultivation For the
Great summer Luxury.
From the Charleston, 8. C., News.
All that section of country lying along the
line Of the South Carolina railway, between
Midway, in Bsrnwell county, and Aiken, may
be called the garden spot of South Carolina
The land is fertile and is easily cultivated, is
abundantly watered by ynever-failing streams,
aud is settled by an industrious, energetic,
and intelligent people. On either side of the
railway track well-kept farms, neatly
trimmed vineyards, and teeming orchards
stretch away as far AZ the eve can reach.
During the past four years more than 100000
peach trees have been planted in that section,
and II is estimated that at least 10000 OF these
trees are now in bearing condition. In ad-
dition TO the attention to that has been given
to the cultivation of fruit thousands OF dol
lars have been invested in the planting and
cultivation of the vine, while thousands OF
acres are planted each year in watermelons.
All OF the smaller fruits are grown to periec.
tiOn, while the land yields bountiful crops OF
vegetables with the least possible expenditure
OF money and time. At this season OF the
year the woods and old fields are full of wild
and uncultiyated plums and grapes, while
the delicious huckleberry Is running to waste
because there are none 30 poor ~ to do it
reverence. The returns from all the fruit
and melon crops have been remuneratiye,
and the business Is consequently growing in
importance year dIteT year. In the orchards
at Williston there are about 10000 trees; ; at
Blackville more than 10000 trees; at Mont
morenci about $4,000 trees, and at Aiken over
5000 trees. Throughout Barnwell and Aiken
counties there Is a small orchard On nearly
every farm, and the people have discovered
in the profits which they have realized from
these smaller and diversified and too long
neglected industries certain road to wealth.
About tour years ago few OF the farmers
of Barnwell county began to plant water
melons "for market" The cultivation OF the
crop was so easy and the profits so large that
the acreage was increased, better methods
were employed, improved varieties OF seed
used ana closer economies practcsd, until
now the growing OF melons for shipment TO
Northern ana Western cities has become an
established industry. In 1854 5000 acres
were planted In watermelons. Owing to the
certain unfavorable conditions of the seasons
and the markets the returns on the crops
were not so large AZ had been expected, and
the melon growers were discouraged. The
acreage in 1885 was considerably reduced
not more than 2,3iS acres having been
planted in melons. The profits on the crops
last year were so large and the demand sc
well sustained throughout the season tina
there have been more than five thou
sand acres planted in melons this year
The condition OF the crop Is promising, al
though the heavy rains in June Is believed
by some Of the growers, will greatly decreas'
the yiald, Tho early rains Ia June causet
un1Y ~ ~ llrrf m6lons TO fall of the vines
on4 ~ hGNyy ChOUou with the cool weathe