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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.