Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1895-11-19
FRUITS or rnn TnSas COAST.
A Few Thought. From nm Expert
enrrd IIortt cuitnrist

~ san ANTONIO NoNempSr w
The discussion OF fruits for tho coast
counties with respect TO the problems OF
irrigation which may be Involved has no
many and diversified features as 10 make
it difficult to mere thpn direct attention
to some Of tho more important ones
Irrigation In all it's forms viii unaues-
tionably become q portion OF the hortlcul-
tural development OF the counties Dor
dering on tho gulf and probably much
further toward the interior than many
would realize at first thought
During the session Of the last lcgisia-
turo tho coast country representatives
wefo asked to make the passage OF
drainage law their hobby. The law had
hardly been passed before some OF the
most progressive began to realize ana
learn from threatened drouth that they
had provided for emily about one-halfvhs
emergencies liable to occur. These VINO
have been associated with the develop
ments and gigantic improvements made
along our Texas coast fully realize tue
Importance OF providing for both drainage
and Irrigation to secure the greatest re-
suits In any branch OF practical or COM
mercal fruit culture. At flrnt thought
ono would hardly expect that prov.d nj
for Irrigation was more important then.
or rather the hegnn ng OF, thorough
scheme providing an abundance OF later
to mako irrigation prtstiual rrJvls on
must be made to carry Off surplus water
speedily In order that untnNora9ie etiosts
upon the physical condition OF the soil
may be avoided. Any lystom which pro-
vides for the escape OF his surplus nee
osaarily provides drainage with Lut httis
additional expense IN ndnptiug the ditcn-
es for their new Dii SLOT,
This discussion Of tho fruits OF our
coast counties naturally divides itself
and fruit tree products. during tie past
year my own eNnerlnce IN tho manage
ment OF the gardtns or2hgidh aud eS-
tenslvc nurser es OF the Galveston MUIR
sury and Orchard company has ,uught
no several Important lessons and iur-
nishod some excellent opppfiunit es for
observation. Some Of the Work was pure
ly experimental and carried on under IN
direction OF my friend, protector X. -.
Price, horueulturist OF the Agri ultnral
and Mecnnn cal cole ge. n mparstiN"
tost was made In cur nurseries OF a NUM-
Der OF varieties Of strawn rites v IN REF
orence TO HAT ard ridBe cultivation.
rows wlthstood the drou,h win SUI
flciont advantage 10 more thhn
ntfsrt unfayorable results due to n lex
Of drainage Ia case Of excessive rhhfa l..
Berry plants, however, grown on the
ridges and lrr gu,ed during urOuth Or
when IA need Of water, pro uend such a
period of limo that shc advlsablllty Of r.
iigntlon admitted OF no discus ION. Tle
are thoee who have uPue money IN me
cuitlvntieu Of strawberries, hut hey NJ
Ways dcuended more or less upon the
season. hence ! sincerely le,lovc that
we have yet 10 learn how much Ter acre
can actually 10 Melted e we tpkn iho sea-
son, na Il were, Into our rwn hnnas. IN
der naturally existing con itlonH parhaps
tho Nounan Tor Charlestan NJ and Michels
Early have given the most gene al sius-
EVfg N Non rNpf 1
have little doubt NJ the perfect success
OF tho Hoffman, Enhance, Eu No. ?,
Gaudy and Tie old reliable " lscn's A.
bany; possibly also Park ERrie. Win
this collection of perrita OF prime qNal'ty
and covering a long season the Texas
coast country would luovittllv become
the favoiite strawberry producing region
OF the Union
I have dwclt upon Strawberries TO this
extent rather reluctantly because | think
tho Importance OF strawberry culture TOR
OF other worthy berry crops. Straw cry
culture for us Is an Important Industry.
or shall | say spe ,ialty. Tut It In mo e
Important that we 10 not dlperd upon It
alone for n money crop, The blackberry
rivals IN luxurinnt growth and nHtoniHh-
ms, produelveness N our co,gt counties,
and yet not sufficient hllckberrleH are
grown Within our own borders to supply
our local markets.
This much neglected fruit covers a pc
riod Of rlpenlng which follows closely
upon tile clore OF the strawberry season
and forms an admirable EuccrsHion. Why
II has been 50 much neglected IN my opiu-
ion lies In tho fact, as above stated. that
the average gardener or orohurdlat, has
the strawberry FOYER and places too much
Importance upon this, single crop. pr
matter OF extending his berry season y'N
weeks longer with another and different
crop. Blarkberrlca require loas hand cul-
tivatlon, and In fact are less expensive
10 produce and handle, A friend Of mine
the past season sold $40 worth Of Dallas
blnekherrles from a triie, less than n half
neighbora, ''he didn't half try" As 70
varieties the Dallas at this time is pre-
seminen,y leader for our eoast counties,
Early harvest has Its place TO mike n
succesgion along with Dallas, and " really
a very productive. profitable aud Rcner-
iy sr!'slaet2X I,. y1r'iS 70 eY.Va,e &
Of some for the home market. and viii
doubtless ever be grown moro or, less
OF moisture and responds 10 Irrigation
bountifully.
The production OF orchard fruits rro-
pabio 'f fSYor more The mos e9iyatlon ~ pears
has been proven cmluently fnccessfui In
our coast counties, rs also has been that
Of the, japanese plums, II we nre TO
Peaches and grapes also have been found
more or less satisfactory, though neither
nosscss the points Of strength In their
contest for commercial honors.
Upon inspection II appears that those
fruits have hten taken ~ anu cultivated
upon n commercial basis which are least
susceptible 10 droutn. At least the fruits
much neglected respond literally to all
proper Irrigation treatments, and depend
moro or less upon an abundant water
supply IN tho soil. refer more especially
to tho fig, The root system OF the surface
fig Ia a grower and hence feels drouth
quickly. with plenty OF water the pro-
ductiveness OF the Nc Is something really
wonderful II can be crown 70 easily and
begins bearing almost with the first year
from planting, that II should be much
more largely and generally planted for
cSpmerciai orchards.
The second fruit which has claims for
more popular favor than 10 now given IL
IL found In the olive. ] should, however,
confino itn cultivation on large scale
pretty well down TO tho southwestern
end Of our tier Of coast counties, taking
care not 10 geL far enough n0rthestwnrd,
eastward or northward TO encounter sud,
den and decided frosts. olive oil and
picked olives havo a steady valuation IN
tho market. and olive growers as rule
are sound financially. There H. AZ least
snfficlent Of prorniso in the Industry In
the Southwest to freely encourage Its
study and planting upon scale extensive
enough 10 form a basis from which 70
calculate.
With Irrigation the fruits which are
gcnernlly recognized as being n success
CONNIE eta ly can , Q made more profitable
The neglected fruits mentioned depend
somewhat upon a SUFFICIENT supply Of
moisture even after attaining some age,
because their root system II near the
strfitee Nv uroyidinQ irritation there Il