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the other; plow out first one way, then the oth- j
er—l mean cross-plowing. In about ten days
give another plowing and hoeing. Continue to
keep the ground loose just as long as you can do
so without injuring the vines, for in no case
should they be moved. Drive little sticks across
the vines, thus: X, to keep the wind from blow T
ing them about. By the above plan, I have
gathered over 1000 melons from half acre of
ground, some weighing over. 40 lbs.
YOUNG BACHELOR.
Wifviixboro, ft. C., Oct. 1870.
REPORT OF TUB COMMITTEE (k\ “ ORCHARDS
AJD FRUIT.”
SUBMITTED AT TILE ANNUAL MEETING OF TIIE
DARLINGTON DISTIUCT AGItICULTUItAL SOCIETY,
AUGUST IITH, 1868.
•W.-X- **•«•***
The first suggestion on the subject of plant
ing an orchard is to determine deliberately
where to lotyite it. Prefering if to lie found on
the premises, a situation protected as much as
possible from western-winds —slightly rolling,
one in a position to be enlarged from time to
time, and yet always kept well fenced so that all
kinds of stock may be excluded. After having
settled these preliminary arrangements, it would
be well next to consider whether or not the pro
prietor has the taste, the time and the means to
give his orchard the proper attention and culti
vation, before proceeding further in an under
taking that will almost certainly result in disap
pointment and failure, without a settled determin
ation to give the orchard as much attention as
any other crop planted. The land should be
thoroughly broken early in the fall, and the trees
set in equal squares of about twenty feet each
way, at any time from the last of November to
the lirvt of March.
The earlier trees can be put out after tfio leaves
are slu'd, the better, but as before stated tree# may
be transplanted successfully at any time during
winter, when the ground is not frozen. Would
be advisable perhaps for persons inexperienced in
fruit raising, to purchase a few well selected va
rieties of trees from nurserymen of character as
a foundation for the orchard. And from these
it will be easy to enlarge and extend from time
to time by grafting and budding. The peach
crop should be the leading one, because itjis the
very best fruit grown, perhaps is about as certain
SOUTHERN CULTIVATOR.
as any other fruit, is exactly suited to our soil
and climate —growing in great perfection here.
And by a judicious selection of sorts, some kinds
of peaches should be on the trees from the mid
dle of June to the middle of November —embra-
cing five months of the year. The peach is easi
ly and rapidly propagated by throwing the
“ stones” out on a bed in the garden, early in the
winter, and dashing a thin covering of dirt on
them —the process being similar to that of bed
ding sweet potatoes for “draw's.” Early in the
spring as the sprouts begin to appear, lift them
out with tlie point of a shingle or small paddle,
taking care not to detach the kernel, and set
them in row's slightly elevated or drawn up,
about two and a half feet between, and a foot
apart in the row. Manure and cultivate well,
and most of the young trees will be large enough
to bud into the ensuing summer —commencing
early in July and continuing through the budding
season of some three months. After the young
peach trees are put out in the orchard, the ground
should be cultivated in potatoes, peas, bean*,
melons, or some other crops not exhausting to
tlie soil. The trees should be shortened in every
year, by cropping off about half the previous
year’s growth from the bushes. And it is also
necessary to worm the young trees as often as the
gum shall be seen to exude through the bark }
just above the surface of the ground, by cutting
out the worm, w r hich resembles a “ sawyer.”
This comprehends about all the general direc
tions necessary, to be observed in growing
peaches. In the selection of sorts to propagate,
care should be taken to get a few of the best,
ripening all through the season, embracing free
stones and clings, delicate and hardy, red, white
and yellow. Your committee might give a list,
which would comprise a sufficient assortment’
but most of the catalogues published at the
south, are sufficiently explicit and reliable to in
dicate a proper selection.
Apples rank next to peaches —indeed some of
the members of the Society may regard them as
i entitled to tlie first rank. The propagation of
this fruit is more difficult, longer time is required
to get returns, better soil is necessary to grow
apples. The crop is hardly so certain —most cf
the trees are subject to blight, and after all, our
apples are only excellent during the summer —
the fall and winter apples being rather poor and
hard to keep. After close observation and much
reflection on the subject, your committee incline
to tike opinion, that the early varieties w ill best