494 



FRUIT CULTURE AT THE SOUTH. 



will give 100 dollars for them ; that is, 

 for a tree of each sort ripening at said 

 time. 



I am a native of the south. I love it too 

 well to detract from her one iota. I have 

 been conversant with fruits the most of my 

 life. My father was very fond of such 

 things, and had a good orchard (for a poor 

 man) 30 and odd years ago ; and if there 

 be a single peach to excel Early Tillotson, 

 or Early York (true,) or Crawford's Early, 

 and some others, that are natives, I never 

 saw them. We need peaches ripening in 

 September and October, and we must strive 

 to grow them, or to collect them. I am 

 aware that there are many who decry even 

 these fruits. I can only say, they are 

 grown on this place and on many others in 

 this state. I also know, that pruning and 

 cultivation may make some difference, and 

 that indigenous may possibly do better under 

 the cow and horse pruning operation, and 

 when planted on poor land, there to live or 

 die. 



Now as to apples, I dare not call names ; 

 for my trees have been purchased from so 

 many sources, and no certainty as to names, 

 that I might call the name of " Summer 

 Queen," and it would be " Early Harvest." 

 Enough, however, be it to say, we can 

 grow apples now known in New-York from 

 June 15th or 20th until, say 1st of Nov. ; 

 and then can keep some of them until Janu- 

 ary at least. I say this much, because I 

 have had as good apples, of their kind, as 

 can be shown in New-York for summer 

 and fall. We then need winter apples. 



As to pears, so few have yet fruited in 

 this state that I cannot say much of them. 

 I have heard several friends, who were 

 northerners born, declare that our summer 

 pears were better than the same at the 

 north. And from the Bartlett, Duchess 

 d'Angouleme, and a few others that I have 



seen, I can only say they are good enough 

 for me. 



I have grown and fruited at least 1500 

 seedling peach trees, out of which I have 

 selected two varieties. This is enough to re- 

 commend us of the south to grow seedling 

 peaches. The Elmira, ripening a few days 

 earlier than Early Tillotson, is a very beau- 

 tiful clingstone peach, will measure 8 inches 

 in circumference. It is good ; but nothing 

 like the delicacy of the Early Tillotson. It 

 is so large and beautiful that everybody ad- 

 mires it ; and it is good. 



Skinner's Superb, ripening August 1, or 

 about that date, is a 9 to 10 inch, freestone, 

 yellow peach; and, with the exception of 

 Magruder, a seedling of Madison co., Miss., 

 also yellow, and ripening in June. It is 

 the only seedling I ever saw that would 

 compare with Crawford's, Poll's, Buist's, 

 and other No. 1 yellow peaches of the 

 north. 



I have seen quite as many peaches in 

 the south as most persons. I have travelled 

 about a good deal, and did for a time make 

 physic my business, and had some oppor- 

 tunity to see other folks' orchards. 



I have now about 2000 or 2500 peach 

 trees, that ought to bear this year ; and if 

 out of 150 varieties there is a tree that 

 should be " cut down and cast into the fire," 

 it is some of our very choice natives, that 

 were recommended to me by good judges. 

 If I live ten years, I hope — not " solitary 

 and alone" in this cause — to do much in 

 aid of developing our resources, and I trust 

 that my friend from Pomaria may do more; 

 but he cannot, if he discards all foreign 

 fruits. I will take some 20 to 40 varieties 

 and dare the world to beat them now. 

 Judging fruit is a matter that requires edu- 

 cation as much as any other one thing. 

 And I have no more idea of relying upon 

 the judgment of even one in a hundred, 



