FRUITS OF KENTUCKY. 



before moisture was much wanted. The winter was not severe — twenty or thirty 

 degrees of frost were not day after day bringing the moisture to the surface of 

 the branches by expansion, and on the south side the sun drying it off as fast as 

 it froze out — they had nothing of all this to endure, and they succeeded.^ You 

 don't catch my friend planting hemlocks and junipers at any other time than the 

 fall or winter after this. And so it goes, the world outside all the while exclaim- 

 ing : " How the doctors disagree." 



The subject is capable of much further elucidation. What I have said will, 

 however, be sufficient to show that to know when best to plant trees, will require 

 us to study more than we have done, how to promote or check evaporation. 



FRIJITS OF KENTUCKY 



BY DILATRIO, NEAR ELKTON, KENTUCKY, 



It has been with feelings of astonishment, mortification, and disappointment, 

 that I have searched the Horticultural periodicals of our country for at least an 

 occasional hint of the progress of that science in Kentucky. Almost every 

 other State in the Union has its watchman on the walls, ready to proclaim the 

 welcome tidings of Horticultural advancement in his particular locality, ex- 

 cept Kentucky. I have waited with becoming patience for some one competent 

 to the work, to come forward and perform this pleasant task for Western Ken- 

 tucky, but have waited in vain. Why is this ? In point of energy, industry, and 

 intelligence of our citizens ; mildness of climate and general adaptation of soil 

 and climate to the production of all the fine fruits and flowers of a temperate 

 climate, Kentucky is behind no other State, perhaps, in the Union. 



It is but little more than half a century since the savage Indian held entire 

 possession of this vast valley, and as is customary in the settlement of new 

 countries, the first care of the settlers was to secure the necessaries of life, and 

 after this the comforts, conveniences, and luxuries. These having been secured to 

 some extent, our progress in "rural taste" is astonishing. Ornamental trees, 

 shrubs, flowering plants, in short every plant adapted to this latitude having the 

 reputation of beautiful, or even pretty, is eagerly sought, and quite a number of 

 our citizens are also cultivating the finest species of gi'eenhouse plants. 



Our improvement in fruits and fruit culture has been no less rapid. The first 

 apple-trees planted were seedlings, brought by the emigrants from Yirginia, 

 Carolina, &c., and nine-tenths of them could only be tolerated where there was no 

 better fruit. Many of these trees are yet in a healthy productive condition, and 

 seem to bid fair to remain so for half a century to come. But now how changed 

 the scene. Fine young orchards of apple, peaches, pear, and plum trees, of the 

 best varieties to be had in the country, are almost everywhere to be seen in this 

 section of country. 



Tens of thousands of apple-trees of the finest varieties that can be obtained, 

 in this or any of the adjacent States, are put out every year, and the demand 

 still on the increase. Most of the new varieties of high reputation in the older 

 States have found their way here. Our climate and soil are wonderfully adapted 

 to the growth of the apple, and it is believed that no State in the Union pro- 

 duces them in higher perfection than Kentucky. 



With few exceptions, the varieties of the Northern States succeed well here, the 

 principal difference being in the time of ripening. Most of the winter apples of 

 Massachusetts, New York, &c., ripen here in the autumn. The Rhode I " 



