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THE SOUTHERN WORLD, JUNE 1, 1886.
6
States as the philloxera is of the grape vines
on the Continent of Europe. Thousands of
apple trees in the South gradually starve to
death in consequence of the destruction of
thei* rootp by these insects. The owners sec
the gradual decline of their trees without a
suspicion of the cause of the trouble.
It has been claimed that coal ashes dug in
around the trees will drive off the aphis, but
we do not know personally that this is true.
Fruit growers should experiment on their
trees with different applications to the roots
of their trees. Such substances as possess at
once manureal properties and elements
offensive to insects would naturally suggest
themselves, a mixture of lime, ashes, salt
and sulphur, while supplying elements
specially proinotive of the growth and
health of the trees will at the same time
prove offensive to the aphis.
The apyle leaf fungus, which attacks the
leaves of most varieties of the apple, the
quince, the common red haw and the wild
crnb apple, while not so destructive of the
life of the trees, effectually prevents them
from maturing healthy fruit.
Tills fungus causes the yellow splotches on
the leaves and is commonly called rust. It
makes its appearance before the leaves at
tain their growth in the Spring, and fructi
fies in this latitude the latter part of July
and first part of August,
Examined at that time under a glass the
plants may be plainly observed in inflor-
essence. Their roots ramify through the tis
ane of the leaves, first destroying their pow
er of assimilating the plant food taken up
by the roots, and finally the leaves them
selves fall in mid-summer, leaving the
trees almost ns bare as in Winter. Trees
growing near red cedar have been observed
to be affected more seriously than
those remote from them, and the fungus on
the fruit where there is sufficient substance
for its complete development exhibits the
same development in wet weather ns is seen
on the cedar ball. This taken in connection
with the fact that trees adjacent to cedar
trees suffer most point* to the conclusion that
the fungus is propagated from the cedar to the
apple loaf. Will not the readers of the
Southern World observe the circumstances
under which their trees are affected with
leaf fungus and report? The results of the
observation of a large number of growers
may lead to valuable Information. J. S. N.
Irish Potatoes—Mow to get a Fall Crop.
It is often the cose that success in certain
branches of horticulture depends upon ap-
pnren t i nsigni flcant circumstances which are
derived only from practical experience.
There is little difficulty in prd&ucing a good
crop of Irish potatoes from the spring crop,
if planting is done early in thoroughly pre
pared and well manured soil.’ The Irish po
tato requires an abundance of moisture, and
this is usually secured for the spring crop.
Indeed, this can be secured independently
of seasons by mulching heavily with wheat
straw or pine straw—the former to be pre
ferred.
The principal trouble, however, in our
climate, is in keeping the first crop through
our long summers. They either sprout or
shrivel or both before winter and become
worthless as food. The question then is,
how to get a supply for winter use from our
own gardens.
This has been accomplished with utmost
satisfaction by bedding the small potatoes
from the spring crop just us the sweet po
tato is bedded for slips in the spring.
When the spring crop is dug, cull out all of
the potatoes from tho size of a hen’s egg down,
and expose them to light, but not to the di
rect rays of the sun, for several weeks. This
will prepare them for sprouting without
producing rot. About the first of August
prepare a bed at some point convenient to
water,and bed theinjust ussweet potatoes are
bedded, except that no manure need be used
to force them. Spread the potatoes thinly—
not nearer than an inch of each other—and
cover with three inches of wood smold or
light loam. The wood smold or loam is rec
ommended because they will not form a
crust over the bed after watering. Keep the
bed moist, but not saturated with water lest
rot be produced. When the bed is watered,
wet thoroughly to the potatoes, rather than
give a light sprinkle daily, just moistening
the surface.
When the plants appear above the surface
of the ground, take them up with the po
tato adhering and transplant both. If more
than one sprout comes from the same tuber
cut between them and set the parts in differ
ent hills. Have the land ready and trans
plant every few days as fast as a sufficient
number of plants appear to justify atten
tion. If the ground is dry, pour a pint of
water into each hill around the plant, using
care to cover all moistened soil with dry, to
prevent baking.
By this means a fall crop of potatoes may
begrown with asmucli certainty asa crop of
sweet potatoes. The only difficulty about
growing a full crop rests in getting the po
tatoes to sprout in time to make before frost.
This may be done generally by mulching
heuvily just after a rain to retain the natural
moisture, butwith nothing like the certainty
of the plan here proposed. The potatoes
planted for the second crop should not be
cut as for the spring crop on account of the
greater tendency to rot in warm weather. The
crop planted os here directed, is cultivated
in the usual way, but need not be dug until
needed for use, as they do not become
watery as the spring crop is if left in the
ground.
As they approach maturity, however, and
before severe frost occurs, enough earth
should be thrown upon them to prevent
freezing, They may, however, be dug and
stored for use during winter if it is pre
ferred. We have had abundant crops grown
in this way to supply all needed for the
table during the winter and spring, and to
plant for the spring crop for five consecu
tive years. Any farmer or gardener who will
follow the directions here given, may be
come entirely independent of northern
growers, both for the table and for seed.
The seed might to advantage be renewed
from the northeast once in fi re years to se
cure earlier maturity, but for no other rea
son. Those intended for planting the spring
crop, should be dug several weeks before
planting to allow them to dry well, but we
have dug and planted the same day with
most satisfactory results. The quality of the
fall crop is far superior to that of those
grown in the spring, and we think, better
than any we can buy on the market.
J. S. N.
The Fruit-Grower*' Problem.
The peach crop of Middle Georgia and
corresponding sections east and west is un
precedented in quantity and quality and is
now fast approaching maturity. Already
many boxes of the earlier varieties have
been sent to northern markets, and the bulk
of the early crop will be ready in June, to
be followed by the finer specimens and great
middle crop in July and August. The pur-
amount question is safe transit to the best
markets at reasonable rates. At the call of
Hon. J. T. Henderson, Commissioner of Ag
riculture, a large convention of frui t-growers
and others interested in the subject, met in
the hall of the Department of Agriculture,
at Atlanta. Thursday, May 25th, to consider
“ways and means” to get the crop into
markets on paying terms. An account of
the proceedings will be furnished by
the editor-in-chief of the Wori.d. The
writer was present at the convention—an in
terested listener—and was impressed with
the importance of the subject in its bearings
upon the future of the industry in Georgia
and the South. The extent of the present
area devoted to the production of fruit,
while considerable, is nothing to be com
pared to the magnitude to which the busi
ness of fruit-growing may be stimulated in
the course of the next five or ten years, if
rates of freight and other facilities for safe
and cheap transit be arranged, with the ex
press purpose of encouraging this prospec
tive development of a great industry.
Fresent profits should be a matter of minor
consideration with the transportation com
panies, and experimental trips of refriger
ator cars might be undertaken, even at a loss
—in view of probable returns in the future.
The larger fruit-growers present at the
convention, manifested a decided preference
for the system of direct shipments by the
grower to the commission merchant at final
destination, the fruit to be sold on commis
sion. This is probably the best, for the
professional fruit-growers, whose interests
are so large as to justify them in informing
themselves of the details and intricacies of
the shipping and commission business, and
at the same time enable them to command
the best and most faithful service from the
middlemen. The severe are ral growers in
Georgia whose orchards will supply one or
more car loads per day for weeks together,
during the height of the season. It is man
ifestly to their interest to do their own ship
ping and deal directly with fruiterers and
commission merchants at the point of con
sumption or distribution, just as it is sound
policy for five hundred or one thousand bale
cotton planters to ship their cotton to Hew
York or Boston. Bnt we think it will be
found beat for small growers generally—
those whose surplus for market will range
from ten to five hundred bushels each, dur
ing the season, to sell at the nearest shipping
point toa shipper, for the cash, and thus re
lieve themselves of farther risk and trouble.
It is difficult to understand why a small
farmer or fruit-grower should send his
dozen or fifty crates of peaches to New York
or Cincinnati, take all the risk of loss by
decay in transit, glutted markets, rapacious
middlemen and dishonest returns, when the
same farmers are uniformly advised to sell
their cotton and other farm produce at the
nearest market. In encouragement of the
policy of selling to shippers, we are glad to
note that the low rates offered by the sev
eral railroad lines as incorporated in the re
port of the transportation coinmtttee of the
recent convention are not restricted to pro
ducers, but are offered to all alike.
We are lead to the adoption of these views
from observation of the business of handling
and shipping all other products of the farm.
Of course any producer can ship his own
fruit if he thinks he can do better, and we
have no doubt some of them can realize
greater returns by this course, saving—as he
will—the commissions of the middlemen.
Either plan can be resorted to at the option
of the producer, according to circumstances.
We hope to see in the course of a few years,
such a development of the business of fruit
growing, that regular fruit trains will be run
two or three times a week or even daily,
on all the main lines of railroads running
towurds the north and west, just as fruit
trains, milk trains, poultry trains, etc., are
now running in the Middle States and from
East Tennessee. To accomplish this, every
encouragement should be given, both by
fruit growers and railroads and commission
men. Concessions must be made in the
spirit of liberality and in the view of future
benefits. The growers are quite as likely to
demand or expect unreasonable profits as
tbe common-carriers of their products. We
heard some growers say that they could not
afford to ship peaches for less than a net re
turn of $2.00 per bushel, in view of the fact
—which was asserted—that they would
yield that sum when evaporated. We pre
sume, the cost of the process of evaporating
must be taken from the $2.00. A bushel of
average peaches will produce G>pounds of
evaporated fruit. This, at $2.00 per bushel
would give 33M cents per pound. We will
say that if such a price can be secured for
dried fruit, the producer would do well to
market his entire crop in that form. It
would appear to a reasonable man, that fifty
cents per bushel, net, for an entire peach
crop, ought to give very satisfactory returns
for the capital and skill invested in a
peach orchard. It is unsafe to invest capital
and labor, expecting higher prices, for they
could not be maintained. One acre will
carry one hundred and seventy trees when
set 12X20 feet and ought not to cost more
than twenty-five to fifty dollars per acre,
up to bearing age. In Middle Georgia we
may safely count on an average of one peck
of merchantable peaches to each tree, one
yenr with another, after the third year.
This would be forty-two bushels per acre,
which—at fifty cents per bushel—would net
twenty- one dollars per acre. Is not this
good business?
What has been written above is intended
to apply with equal force to apples, melons
and other fruits, and also to vegetables, so
far as the system of handling and selling
the crops is concerned. R.
%ive $tock gjtynrtmmt.
The Stock I.nw—Soiling Cattle.
One of the best evidences we have of the
progressive spirit of the farming and plant
ing people of the Southern States, is shown
in the onward march of the stock-law.
County after county has adopted it and
other will follow this summer. The ques
tion then os to the most economical method
of keeping Btock under the changed condi
tion of things involved in the adoption of
the stock law, is just now an important one.
Of course this will depend very much upon
tbe circumstances surrounding each indi
vidual. Some may have ample natural or.
prepared pasturage for their stock, while
others may And itnecessarv to resort to soil
ing to feed their stock. Those who have
the pasturage and can afford to use their
lands in that way, have nothing to do ex
cept to fence in a sufficient area to support
the amount of stock they propose to keep,
and provide food for winter. In either case,
whether the stock are soiled or pastured,
ensilage is the cheapest means of supplying
winter forage. If the soiling plan is adopted
it is important to provide a succession of
crops to be cut and fed through the entire
season. For winter and early spring noth
ing equals barley and rye. This may be
followed by lucerne, which Is ready for cut
ting in April and again every month or two,
according to the character of the season as
to a supply of moisture. This is a forage
plant which is not properly appreciated in
the South. It affordsearly, continuous, late
and abundant cuttings of stock food unsur
passed in nutritive properties. It should
be sown in drills, fifteen inches apart in
September on well manurod and thoroughly
prepared land. In favcftable seasons it may
be cut as often as six times between April
and November. Next to lucerne, the oat
crop may be used in a green state, to be fol
lowed by clover and grasses, corn forage, the
millets, comfrey, etc. No one who has not
tried soiling has any idea how small an area
of fertile soil is required to furnish an ani
mal an abundant supply of green food
throughout the year, if it is kept constantly
occupied, following each crop promptly
with another. Those living in counties in
which the stock law has been adopted,
should try this system.
Cattle really do better, if kept in a com
fortably shaded lot or an airy shed and soil-
fed, than if allowed to run out on such
pastures as are generally accessible on the
commons. Besides this, the owner has
choice of the parentage of the calves—a mat
ter of no small consideration—when it is
remembered that a half Jersey heifer calf
is worth from ten to twenty times as much
asa scrub. We know farmers are naturally
averse to adopting new systems, but as
their surrounding circumstances change,
they must adapt their practice to them.
J. S. N.
I.IVK STOCK NOTES.
Horses.—H. B. Holton, of Baltimore
county, Md., has refused $20,000 for his bay
stallion, Orange Blossom who has a record of
2:2<JM.
At a sale of horses in Eminence, Ky.,
May 24th, ninety-two head brought $18,1)52,
anaverageof $200.
Mr. Swigerts, of Lexington, Ky., sold 10
colts for $10,500, an average of $1)70.50; his
fillies brought $11,030, an average of $535.25.
A. J. Alexander, of Woodburn county,
Ky., sold 37colts and fillies for $38,645, Tho
colts average $1,490 and the fillies $090.
G. W. Bowen & Co., of Lexington Ky.,
sold 12 head of yearling colts and fillies for
$9,000. The colts averaged $905; the fillies
$450.
Col. Bob Strader, of Lexington, Ky., pnid
$5,000 for a three year old mare.
35 head of horses were sold in Lexington,
Ky., for $40,000 to be shipped East.
A bay filly, foaled April 14th 1881, sister
to Foxhall, was sold recently in Woodburn
county, Ky., to Col. S. D. Bruce, of New
York, for $3,800.
Good horses in Kentucky bring from $t25
to $200.
Cattle.—Dr. J. C. Douglass, of Franklin,
Ky., sold W. C. Garth, of Tronton, Ky.,
Twilight, four year old Jersey cow for $200;
Juka, three years old, for $125.
Texas broad-horn steers in Western mark
ets sell at $0.30 per 100 pounds.
Col. J. A. Duncan, of Richmond, Ky.,
sold 200 head of cattle to Cincinnati parties,
at 0%cents per pound. The lot will bring
him $21,000
30 bead of cattle was weighed in Owensboro’
Ky., and footed up 42,450 pounds, an aver
age of 1,415 pounds.
Morrison Brothers, of Clarendon, Texas,
sold 2,000 head of cattle to Alfred Rowe, for
$45,000, range delivery.
Shrrp.—8. B. Cheney of the Panhandle,
Texas, sold 3,500 head of sheep to be sent
to Callahan county, at $2 per bead and
$1.75 for lambs.
Frank Pierce, of Gallatin, Tenn., has
shipped to Louisville Ky., this season 4,200
lambs.’ The last lot averaged 74 pounds and
7 '/i cfents pet pound.
C. C. Ramsay, of Hickory Creek, Tenn.,
has a blooded Cotswold lamb, that, at 2'A
months old weighed 75 pounds and at three
months 84 pounds.
Judge Jameson, of New Berne, Va., has a
flock of spring lambs that will average 80
pounds each. One went to 103.
Wool.— 1,000,200 sheep in Kentucky lost
year averaged 5 pounds of wool each.
T.D.Cummings, of Gallatin county, Tenn.,
has two pure blood Cotswold lambs, 1 year
old that sheared 11 pounds each of wool.
25 sheep of W. A. Bailey, of Gallatin
county, Tenn., sheared an average ef nine
pounds of wool.