The morning news., 1889-04-10
GEORGIA FRUIT GROWING.
A Land Where Pears and Peaches
Thrive.
From the Neio YORK. Times.

From the Ne0 York Times.
THoMAsvILLE, GA, April 6-The fruit
crops all over Georgia this year will be
prolific, exceeding those Of previous years
by fully one-third. Not single variety of
small fruit shows lack of vitality. Peach,
pear and plum trees have been blossoming
luxuriantly for a week or more. TIE
peach trees, the most sensitive of all
fruit trees either south or north, have bios
somed SO heavily that it will be necessary
to thin them out. Without exception the
trees wiatered well. The main drawback
to the successful culture of varieties such as
the Early Rose, the Beatrice, the Alexan-
dria, and SIMILAR trees, is what is called tn
Indian summer. which usually occurs about
midwinter. During this period there is a
marked Increase in the temperature. The
result is that tie sap begins to run and the
blossoms aud fru buds awake into active
life out of season. When a cold damp spell
follows Immediately in the wake of
Indian summer the result is generally dis
astrous. This was the case during the sea-
son Of 1888, and consequently the peach
crop in many localities was practically
failure. During the past winter the Indian
sum ueI was mild and no sudden change of
temperature ensued. This fact, together
with the circumstance that may new trees
will come in bearing for tue first time this
summer, warrants the statement that the
prospective yield Of peaches will be ole of
the largest ever grown in this state. The
trees will begin bearing about the middle
of May, and the bulk of the crop will be
shipped by steamer from Savannah and
Brunswick, and by refrigerator cars from
many points inland.
What might be called the distinctive
fruit Of the southern and southwestern por-
tions of the state in point OF acreage,
thriftineSS and extraordinary degres OF pro
ductiveness is the LeCoute pear. This fruit
was first discovered about th.rty-five years
ago in the department of agriculture at
Washington by Maj. LeConte 1t was
classified as "Cninese or sand pear" The
major sent some cuttings to Liberty county,
Ga. Five years later the ees propagated
from the cuttings began bearing fruit.
During the war Gu tings were brought to
Thomasville aud to other portions OF
Thomas county To-day there are thou
sands and thousands of this beautiful and
vigorous tree in blossom. It's culture is
only second to that of cotton, aud it can
safely be asserted that five years hence,
judging by the extensive plating now in
progress, it will be the leading product in
Thomas county and in many other coun ties
in Southwestern aud Middle Georgia.
The symmetry of the tree attracts the eye
at once. 1t begins bearing in it, fifth year.
anu Wlleu IL - IL years OlI tulTby DusHolH
to tree is not considered al unusually
heavy yield in this locality. The pears be-
gin TO ripen about July l. The fruit is of
a light lemon color, with crimson cheek
large in size and very juicy. 1t sells for 81
to 81 a craft, and the average cost of ship
ping the crates north is 40 cents. The main
objection t. the fruit is that il must be mas
keted Immediately after it natures. Bart
lett and other varieties of pears have been
a nd cf IL ar haiun aunnpGEftliy fta1
the LeConte. In time the grated trees
will afford large anu varied assortment OF
pears that Will Keep for weeks and months.
Kieffer's Hybrid pear is also being largely
cultivated. In many localities it Is still an
experiment, The great bulk of he pear
or p for years to come will be the LeConts
The -acreage Of grapes is beng steadily
increased. The principal varieties are the
Concords, the Delawares the Brightons a d
the Scupparnongs. fhe wood is vigorous,
and the yield in its entirety will be a heavy
one. The climate and the soil in South