Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1894-08-29
PEACH CULTURE IN BELGIUM.

Belgium, which is not larger than the
State OF Maryland, after supplying a
population OF 500 to the square mile,
exports los, 900. eco pounds of fruit.
Last year, although not drop OF rain
fell from the 6rst of March 20 the mid
die of August, tho markets were glut-
ted, and the value Of the foreign ship
ments rose % SIS 600, 00O a very large
per cent-the ratio Is not stated in the
report from which l quOte-Was
peaches, and peaches OF the finest vsri-
cites.
Ii has occurred to me that there are
other causes than the nearness OF the
gulf stream aud the warm winds
from Sahara, 10. the fact that
Belgium, lying abreast OF Labrador,
though OF equal temperature with our
Interior States, should so far surpaSs
these in the production Of peaches.
With similar geological formations,
soils and climates years residence
in Liege has presented just such. mete-
geological phenomena as l have wit
messed in Indianapolis. Louisville, st.
Louis, aud LeavenwOrth-there can be
10 natural reason why the one should
not produce, and with equal certainty,
everything grow in the other.
Thirty years ago, Kentucky was mr.
surpassed 10 the production OF this fruit.
Neither u New York, when Delaware
and New Jersey had shipped their har-
vests thitRer, nor in California, nor in
any of the capitals OF Europe have l
seen finer peaches than were once
grown in the blue grass country. And
thls was true, no doubt, OF the entire
section l have indicated But now all
is changed; where orchards formerly
fiourished, tree is hardly 10 be seen;
where the fruit was once large, rudy,
and delicious, only few pale aud In
sipid seedlings are 10 be found. The
farmers say that the climate has
changed; that in denuding the lands OF
tueir forests they cleared the way for
the winds; that constant cultivation
and artificial fertilizing have changed
the character OF the soil, and this con-
clusion is fully confirmed by the exper-
ierce OF the Belgians.
As long ago as the invasion OF Cesar,
this country was famous for It's fruit,
but the extension Of systematic agrl-
culture in the middle ages denuded the
land OF its woods, aud crops became
caDriCiOus.
When a people has increased TO 500
10 the square mile, a conservative gov
eminent can leave nothing 70 chance.
Since the revolution OF 1880, therefore,
the State has looked after It's every in-
dustrIal enterprise with pAternal solicit
tude. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ~
Inc at the base Of them ail-haS, per-
haps, been the NEST ZealOusly fOstered.
Every conceivable device has been tried
10 make two blades Of grass grow where
only one grew before.
In fac soil, and in situations protected
from the north and northeast winds,
peach trees grown from the seed have,
in all the past, occasionally borne fruit,
but the kingdom Of Belgium is to-day
kingdom OF uses, and everything must
do It's duty or perish. To ascertain the
best stock upon which 10 bud, long
series OF experiments were tried aGd
tried again upon all the varieties OF
prune, the apricot, sweet and bitter a.
mOndS, every tree indeed OF q kindred
nature, ill the conclusion was reached
that the best stem for grating is tie
red plum, found in many places in the
United States. This hardy plant, whose
r11Ts TPeAa SsIs G1a -sCrike-dsep, i'm
parts much OF its own vitality 10 its ios-
ter scions. Grating or budding is done
out OF doors, so as not 10 soften the
young tree by accuStoming IL 10 unnat-
Ural condition.
The uext question they considered
was that of soil. % sandy and dry
earth, it was found that neither the
plant nor the peach fOuriShed, the one
being spindling and the other small,
while IN rich and moist alluvial, the
tree prOspered az the expense OF the
fruit. A calcerouS soil, neither wet nor
dry-and this nature has partially sup
piled 10 our Middle States-iS preferred
by the peach-the young trees reQulr-
ing great deal of lime. AS 10 is i'm
possible TO tell, without chemical anaiy-
sis, the exact amount OF this element
contained Ia any given quantity OF
earth, IT'S application must 90 more or
less governmental. However, the rule
here is 10 first thoroughly fertiiZe the
soil with guano or chicken endure, aud
then, after planting the tree, add
peck of lime 20 every cubic yard OF
earth, placing il near the surface. As
II is necessary 20 loosen the earth for at
least three feet square and three feet
deep, this quantity, q Oushel 20 the
tree, may seem large, but the aUthOri-
tee are agreed that more rather than
less would be- better. The application
should be repeated every three years.
Turning from the standard tree,
which too often failed 10 be profitable,
Ipey Experimental with espallerS wood
en- railings), but these were found 10
be so open and exposed that the young
trees Jared very li,t,e better upon them
than in the orchard. They next tried
the wall, not as IN England, where mu-
raj Enclosures are bUi.t az great expense
for the special protection OF delicate
fruit, but the sunny sides OF their
houses, and net with such astonishing
success that there are few houses TO-
day in Belgium upon whose southern
exposures trees are not trained. No
chateau is too grand and no cottage
700 humble 10 furnish them pro-
lection aud support Last summer,
7 saw ripeniug upon the gable end
OF town house, d surface OF about 30
feet square, 2,227 peaches, aud every
enc of them larger than hens egg.
There wore four trees, two OF them
with dwarf stems not more than -
inches high, and branches g feet Ions
aud radiatiug like the ribs OF fan, and
riders bushes grated upon small
stOcSSl whose boughs began 90 spread
where the others terminated. The pro-
jectiug limbs had, OF course, been re-
moved, aad alI their vitality forced into
the lateral branches. Any Californian
cau beat this, perhaps, but trees out
there flourish in the open, and are per-
mi,ted toretaia all their limbs. l take
IL for granted that everybody knows
the limbs OF vail trees are comparative
II few 10 number, and are held in their