The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-09-27
THE FARM And GARDEN.
Tho Winsap Apple IS The True Fruit
Of Virginia Soil.
l SPECIAL ARTICLE ON ITS CULTURE.
Mr.. v. n. Rucker. VINO 10 IN Extensive
Grower, Gives Some Valuable inio'"a
tion-success In Small Farms

sscret Of annie culture IN q nut she'll MI
pnckey ia the largest grower perhaps OF VINE
.rr,es in Virginia, and the best authority
on This snbiect in the State. His letter Is not
based on theory. but is written rom ac'uai
experience as follows:
'.Be sure YOU are right, then 90 ahead isA1
old maxim accredited 10 Dayy Crockett, ana
nav do in ordinary affairs oflife very well. put
In the horticultural world ono might oiten az
rive Mt the conclusion that he Is aosolu'ely
sure Of nothing. -
~ men who have tried the horticultural road
and know we'll its devious winnings. ls pros
pectiye sllurements and its deceptive ettfac-
fiops. a good one. for there surely, can DC ~
other enterprise or business so deceptive IN
nppearance 10 q man OF specialVies "hou no
first enters upon the WORK.
When | first took the Horticultural Farm OF
The close of the war. knowing our laoor Ior .
long time would be very unreliable ana haru
10 control. i went into 1t with o zest, tne aIuoi
az which has not yet entirely aoatou' put 70
Ia candid. | have received many an eye
opener. trrit
/ bought the most approved works on iruls
culture especially the apple. j took seycrai
horticultural periodicals, all OF which "eIo
written and edited at the North ana Ior ING
North. proorin
Massachusetts, of the Baldwin. tho SPY
tLs King the Paradise and other varie-
tIas in Now York and other Northern States.
So / reasoned if they can grow these
varieties. labOring under 30 many disadvsn-
tages of climate ana SOIL, why cen kio"
them too. Ii is true ! ordered mostly wlne-
sans. pippins md lady apples, but the nur-
seryman. OF his agent. not having these Yarle-
ties in quantities sufficient 10 MI the ON,
filed out with those varieties when 40 30
we'll at the North. and in this thing mace a
l-1 Lo1 20 xEalf nnfl fn4
trees came into bearing before my eyes
were well opened as TO the magnitude
~ tbe error. Nv father had succeeded
tiaely with the winesaps IL his orchard.
so fortunately ordered mostly winesaps'
or / would otherwise have been IN O Dad h1.
I will say here it was my purpose TO ralso
winter fruit. ln,securing the quantity OF wine
sap / did (ons-ffth of the bill | was prevent
ed from making a sad failure. The remain
ing four-ffths of the bill would never have
paid me. had then 10 learn that every va
rietv of apple has its own peculiar habitat IN
soii and climate and will not succeed well un-
less these requirements are satisfied. These
fine apples al the North, frst-class as WIN
ter fruit. when brought South are only
tolerable summer or fall apples. Inc russell
succeeds nowhere else as II docs III
Massachusetts, The Baldwin has at
tanned its greatest celebrity when grown
near Rochester or in middle New York. and
go on through the list of frst-class apples.
Here in Virginia. whilst the plppln, when
grown upon the mountains, receiving the
proper amount of attention, Is almost lhcoh-
parable. but few have the opportunity or the
ability 10 secure the proper Locations there
fore. / say for the greater portion OF our
State. for the mountains, the foothills or
Piedmont section, for every locality / have
yet seen, there is no apple to compare to the
winesap. 1t is the Virginia apple thriving
and perfecting its fruit with a vigorous
-xowth 1iruh and hOdV aphIColV eIcDii6u BY
sny other variety. V. II. RUCKER.
SUCCESS IN SMALL FARM.
We are convinced that a good farmer Will
make moro clear money from forty acres or
well fortified and weli-tilied land than the
average farmer is now making from MS lou
acre farm. If tho farmers who own l6O-acre
farms would sell off three forty-acre tracts to
three other good forty-acre farmers, and IN
that way get out of debt, they would be bot
tering their " condition, besides adding TO
the general prosperity of the whole country,
provided oil followed the policy of extensive
farming. In that way the rural population
would 10 quadrupled. We should then have
lower rates OF taxation, better homes, better
schools. better roads and better times all
around.-Fort Collins (Col.) Courier.
HOW TO USE INF
lime ia an essential to plant growth. but
only a small quantity is required, and 1t IS
rarely necessary to apply for this especial
The principal advantage in supplying lime
90 the soil is that it tends to make the plant
food already in the soil available. Wheat re-
ouires considerable nitrogento make the best
growth and yield. and lime applied on the
majority of the soils tends to make tins es-
eential element available. 1t can often be
applied 10 land intended TO be sown 70 wheat
with profitable results, but TO Keep applying
lime and getting rid of the nitrogen IN this
800. Af.op nrovaQ luInrlOna 10 tine soil IN the
end. especially il no material Is applied that
contains q good per cent. OF nitrogen To take
its place.
Lime is also valuable for ~decomposing vege-
table matter in tho BOIL; One OF the best
plans of using is TO apply broadcast before
blowing under clover or other green crops,
especially if the land Is to be seeded TO wheat:
On astif. clay soil lime can often be used
benefeially, helping TO make 1t more loose
and friable.
When used as a fertilizer. or rather to help
make plant food in the soil available. it should
be applied broadcast over the surface after
blowing and then worked into the soil with a
harrow or cultivator a short time before SOW
ing the seed. g,
intended TO be o TO grass. II l. also val
liable for cabbage and corn, especially when
a good application of fresh, coarse manure
has been gwen. Just how much can be used
must be determined by the condition OF the
soil aud the cost OF the lime.
CoBS LORE
A long spell of wet weather sometimes
comes Just as corn 10 t~asscling and silking.
When this is the case there will be many de-
fectiye ears OF corn. Each thread OF silk
reaches down To the cob, and holding the
pollen it ~fertilizes the germ which is found
at the other end. and around which the starch
anl husk of the grain are grown a. IA protec-
ton. Pollen is formed successfully and IN
such excess that no single rain. however Sc
we're, can prevent the full fertilization otthe
corn blossom.
AGAINST WIRE FENCES.
An editorial in Horse and Stable says; No
breeder who has the slightest regard for the
safely or comfort of his horse stock or tor
profit in the business should allow any
barbed wire fence about the premises where
his horses and colts run. There Is not q sea-
son passes without some valuable ANNA 5
being killed or totally ruined by cuts received
from the cruel barbs. Several cases OF this
lind lave cnfna 10 our knOUlelCa this Qea-