Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-02-27
4 PRACTICAL CHAT.
,rToN LADY DISCUSSES
FRUIT-RAIsING.
e,DDsv SEED AND APPLES
no.crIbcs the Fertility of the
.n,lfuI section en- which she
rive, and Gives Some sound Adj
rr.nondence Of The DIspaton)

lT1rrCeponuchce OF AHt Rioi''~''f
.r,roN. VA. February al wonder n
eorrcously-coiored seed catalogues
~. ,he same fascination for every one
-, thoy possess for me?
,,,ually I spend an hour OF two some
amy day in late winter marking the
,,rs etc, that I would like to have.
~. rst I wisely hold back while the
,.r, mails continue to bring in other
..,orBes larger and more highly-colored
NAN thc first. so so into a course Of
ming with pencil and paper that would
s,ath TO the poor flowers. and con-
....so that. as. / never have much luck
-..b oowers, the bulk Of my order in
.-,,snls seeds viii be best for me-end.
'.,,,mically and gastronomically con-
,.s.-.l. better for the others as well.
ry,,l.v. the lists are o. X. the orders
en-. off, and 1 feverishly wait for the
,..i. 20 comc--and for the snow, lying in
.-..t heaps about the mountain hollows,
r,.t away. These wishes time full
,s tst iu my garden things come up that
,.,sr were planted, and others. sowed IN
aim and a rich, loamy soil, are con-
,....,us by their absence. / had a large
.r,, vine growing all over the ground
.r..1 could only trace 10 part OF a melon-
ed bag blown from the garnet lott
.-i ,ae prettiest plot Of touch-me-nots
.,s+ ever sprouted in May were luscious
ed ,sdIshes in leafy June. / have plant
ii he seeds OF the moon flower and
5rasmcd that at night my home would
~ ike "a realm of satellites, only to
and later on. a morning glory vine climb
80 rsrnnanuy from my neighbours back
yard fence.
CHARGE IT TO THE SOwER.
B1t this is the fault OF the sower, and
.,. ~ The seedsmen. With the great big
r-rsd states Government in a business
competition, il is a wonder that there Is
fech a prodigal dash Of color in the seed
,stslocucs or that the seeds. themselves,
rrs SD very reasonable. This free-seed
distribution does not seem 20 me 10 be
exactly fair. Why wouldn't Uncle Sam be
81 well justified IL sending out plows
rom his government mineral lands, or
ul rom his forest reservations, or
.rosks from his seal fisheries, or any
Other commodity which he has, and we
would like to have?
Certainly, II / were a tailor or a dress
maker / would not fancy ready-made
suits being sent gratis TO my probable
customers.
4 large appropriation is made each year
for-the free distribution Of seed by the
Agricultural Department and there are
uo places in the national capital of more
interest than the beautiful botanical gar
Gems and the secd-hatching laboratory.
These properly belong to the promotion
O. asriculture They determine by intelli-
gent investigation what sections OF the
country have the conditions best adapted
10 the growth Of certain seeds 10 render
their cultivation successful. This is well
a. crops that are not known in any spe-
Cal section, but that could be raised with
profit Seeds OF such crops. or informa-
on that would enable the farmer to Sc
.eJ their best varieties, would not only
help him. but through him would be an
: Vantage TO the whole country.
The eratuitOus distribution of the COM
non varieties Of seed, that can be readily
--own by farmers on their own lands, or
lurchased from any seed-store, is really
ot needed.
congressman send out bundles of these
sort Of seeds TO the farmers Of their dis
iuCts. but ] have 20 see the first farmer
who looks upon It as anything more than
an alienable right. 1 do not say the
-ongressman means to promote politics
Instead OF the cause Of agriculture. but
the "horny-handed son Of toll" holds him
sof IN high esteem. About the free
aft OF seeds, he has a kind OF '"rhis-is-
le-hOuse-that-Jack-b idea. He
raises the crops that pay the taxes; that
makes the appropriation; that gets the
seeds with the public funds, and when
they come back 10 him, It isn't so much
%, q compliment as OF receiving his own
again.
The N. c. may, and probably does,
think differently.
SUGAR BEET SEED.
in this neighbOrhood our farmers have
been receiving from the government
packages Of the sugar-beet seeds with
requests that results would be reported.
This Is a wise and legitimate expendi-
tlre Of public money. Probably there Is
10 other place where tn percentage Of
sugar In root crops, such as sweet pOta-
toes, rutabagas, beets, etc, Is so great
as along the foot Of the Blue Ridge hills
Gown the Rockfish Valley.
Some quality Of the soil OF the high
drainage seems TO develop all the sac
charine properties. Beets can be raised IN
great abundance and at a low cost.
With our best lands and In all seasons
10 is possible to raise ten bushels of beets
70 the same ground space that VIII pro-
1lce one Of corn.
This subject of growing sugar beets is
but lately claiming our attention. NO
thing as yet rivals the apple In. our
affections or in profit 20 the fruit-groWers
rocket ssgf&
For forty miles along the eastern
slope Of the Blue Ridge Of Albemarle and
Nelson county. adjacent, IS section Wen
entitled 10 the name given IL by apple
buyers-the paradise Of the apple.
Without speaking flguratively our
aup'es are the apples of the Hesperides'
and Oh Bible lore apples OF goio III
frames OF silver" ~.
In this long, rich Valley OF the hock-
fish. with its chocolate foothills, lhulNiu-
bal excellence in special specimens ol
apples 81 portrayed without number licea
are found 20 produce as many as thiIts
barrels: with a diversity IN SIZE from siiS
Northern Spy" to the Lacy,
I ffnv ecarIet annie with long stem, not
unlike the old-fashioned craOapple IN APP
rearance This apple IS finely navored'
Raised the mast season, by fancy apple
growers a mile below Alton, the niue
beauty was gathered with the Stems Vh'
and sold AT $40 a barrel In New hoIA
THE PIPPIN IS QUEEN
OF course the "pippin" is green. The
iark, gray soil IS most faVoIaDie ~ "a
,r0wth. The red apple grows pes =" -
.oil The Virginia winesap. lroln i. -.
ayored apple section, Is the uoh"o"
dyed best keeper and the rcn. ~
inest apple In flavor and Color u a.
g nesaps grown outside Of Piedmont VIZ
INT -. FINI