The Arkansaw traveler., 1888-11-03
ARKANSAS DEPARTMENT.
WHITE COUNTY.
GRAPHIC, in Arkansas Democrat.


of wild fruits indigenous to this por-
ton of the state. In every direction,
upon uncultivated lands, wild black
berries of most excellent quality grow
in profusion, and, though they may
be an annoyance to the farmer, they
afford generous return for the labor
expended in gathering and marketing
them, and all that are offered find a
ready sale in Judsonia for canning at
remunerative prices. The value and
excellence of blackberry wine is too
generally known to require comment,
and the demand for genuine black
berry wine is far in excess of the pro-
duction, and the process for manu-
facture is so simple that anyone of
common intelligence and proper care
can produce a merchantable article.
The more lowly but not less luscious
dewberry grows to perfection without
care or cultivation and is In every
respect as valuable as the blackberry.
Strawberries soon usurp the fields not
kept in cultivation, but are SO inferior
to the choice varieties cultivated for
market no account is taken of them.
The low bushes form natural trel-
lis for the muscadines and wild grapes
with which they are festooned and
which are found in every direction.
The muscadine is preserved and made
into jellies far superior to the cheap
limitations found at the grocers which
are often no more than colored and
favored gelatin. Muscadine wine is
n no way inferior TO that produced
from the choicest varieties of Guilt
waited grapes and finds ready sale
wherever it is introduced. The much
laughed at and seldom appreciated
persimmon is entitled to recognition
in the catalogue of fruits, and q much
higher place on the roll of honor than
it has ever attained, for there is not
a more luscious fruit than the despised
persimmon after it has been thorough
ly mellowed and sweetened by the
winter frosts and snow, and when
dried it does not suffer by comparison
with Smyrna figs. The persimmon
in Arkansas is as common as the cac-
tus in Texas, and probably on that
account is not more highly appreciated,
as the proverb, "Cost nothing, worth
nothing" has a firm hold on popular
prejudice. 1t has become fashionable
to despise the pawpaw, but the small
boy and Opossums, as we'll as persons
whose natural taste has not been viii
ated, are ready at all times to attest
its virtues.
Plums, rich, ripe, red and juicy, are
found in the woods often excelling, in
richness of flavor and beauty of ap-
pearance, tina damson and wildgoose
varieties of the fruit orchard. In
addition to the wild fruits already
mentioned, there are found growing
wild raspoerries, gooseberries, haws,
whortleberries, crab apples and wild
cherries. The latter attain their great
est excellence when q component of
cherry bounce, said to be capable of
smoothing wrinkles from the brow
of age and restoring the vigor of
youth.
These many, many wild fruits grow
ing to perfection, serve to show the nat
ural adaptability of the soil for fruit
culture, and point the road to wealth
through the mos: agreeable and prot
table Of rural pursuits.
In days ride In the immediate
vicinity of Judsonia, I have noticed
walnuts, hickorynuts, hazelnuts and
chincapins, but have seen no pecans,
though ] am credibly informed they
grow in this country. A great var
iety of acorns is found in this vicinity,
and this year are unusually abundant,
which insures well filled smoke houses
without necessitating heavy drafts
upon the corn crib. / accepted the
kind invitation of Mr.. Key to occupy
a seat in his livery hack and went
about twenty miles northwest of Jud-
sonia, to a place named Little Red.
Passing through fruit farms for sew
eral miles, we entered the forest COM
posed of great variety of trees, prom
inent among which were post oak, red
oak, white oak and gum of different
kinds. The woods are 80 open that q
hunter may ride with the hounds in
chase of deer thu feed upon the rich
heritage that covers the ground. These
open woods afford excellent range for
stock, and the cattle / saw were fit for
the shambles. While driving through
this rich range and observing the ad-
vantages OF good water and shelter
from summers sun and winters blast,
the thought was suggested that per-
haps some one had made q mistake In
passing by the open grassy woods of
Arkansas to seek stock range upon
the base and often bleak prairies, 500
miles further from market. However
much the railways may be disposed to
meet csttlemen at distant points in q
spirit of concession, and give such
rates a. will facilitate rather than dis
courage shipments, they cannot sus-
tain reduction that win leave the