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440 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