THE GENESEE FARMER. 



257 



THE IMPORTANCE OF FRUIT CULTURE. 



The New York World calls attention to the sanitary 

 feet of a plentiful supply of fruit in large cities, and 

 ids : " To such an extent is the apple now made mer- 

 lantable for foreign exportation as well as for consump- 

 on on our eastern sea-board; that four or five agencies 

 r Boston and New York merchants bought about half a 

 illion of dollars worth of the last crop, in three of the 

 3st apple-growing counties of this State — Monroe, 

 r ayne and Orleans. 



This, to be sure, is far beyond the usual extent of this 

 ade within such brief limits ; but there are several 

 her counties scarcely inferior to those above named, in 

 bich the traffic is large and growing — though it would 

 i difficult to find any superior locality for this kind of 

 ■oduct, or, we might add, for fruit culture generally — 

 e soil and temperature being suitable, and the farmers 

 id dealers finding reciprocal interest in promoting the 

 crease and distribution of the crops. 

 Here is example and stimulant for persons who desire 

 ral pursuits— as fruit culture is freed from sundry diffi- 

 ilties (real or supposed) which prevent many from 'em- 

 .rkiug in ordinary farming. 



The peach, the pear, and other fruits, find ready sale 

 w within reasonable railroad distance of our eastern 

 ;ies. "Western New York is becoming, if it is not al- 

 ady, one of the greatest localities in the world for fruit 

 all kinds consistent with the temperature. The facili- 

 is of railroad transit to the seaboard euable that region 

 supply readily all the cities between "Washington and 

 lebec. Boston and New York, however, are the chief 

 ints of the trade. The prices realized for some of the 

 e fruits, such as the choice pears, are almost fabulous." 

 There are many other sections, both in the United 

 ates anc Canada West, where apples can be raised with 

 ual if uot greater profit, than in Western New York — 

 ajhly favored by soil and situation though it be. Ever}' 

 :tion should raise at least enough for its own con 

 mption. 



substance whatever. As the vines which bear this fruit 

 require great moisture to bring the fruit to its proper 

 size, the soil and solution in which they are placed must 

 not be too dry. 



Propagation. — The usual time for transplanting straw- 

 berry plants is August. That time is chosen because they 

 have done bearing, a#d have made offsets, if the season 

 has been favorable, of strong plants, set from their run- 

 ners. Plantations made at this season will bear some 

 fruit the next summer. But if you can get good, vigor- 

 ous plants in May of the preceding season, I prefer to 

 plant them, as it saves a year nearly, the plants being 

 ready to bear abundantly the next year. 



Why could not wild flowers be Jransplanted in the 

 same way? c. s. e. 



A FRUIT GARDEN FOR THE FAMILY. 



CULTIVATION OF THE STRAWBERRY. 



Eds. Genesee Farmer : — I now send you a few remarks 

 ten from "Saxton's Rural Hasd-Book," page 106: 

 Culture op the Wood Strawberry. — This variety is 

 • before any other in point of flavor, and if transplanted 

 ;o gardens, may for two or three years answer very 

 ill, and if not too highly manured, preserve their flavor 

 d increase their size. But new plants must be obtained 

 ery two or three years, from the woods, to make new 

 intations, or they will degenerate. 

 Soil and Manure.— The soil proper for this variety, 

 well as all others, is light, warm and gravelly, and the 

 mure to be applied should be exclusively vegetable, 

 d not animal manure. The usual practice is to manure 

 i ground with rotten dung, with a view to increase the 

 ;e and quality of fruit; but, in doing this, the flavor is 

 stroyed in proportion to the richness of the soil. Be- 

 les, high manuring produces strong vines, and no fruit, 

 itten leaves, decayed wood ashes, in small quantity, 

 xed with other vegetable substances in a compact heap, 

 11 make better manure for strawberries than any animal i 



Evert family should have a fruit garden. Fruit is not 

 only a great luxury — it is essential to health. A few 

 dollars expended in setting out plants and trees will save 

 many a dollar from being paid to the family, physician. 



First — You should have a small piece of ground, say 

 from one-eighth of an acre to an acre for a fruit garden. 

 This should be deeply plowed once or twice and thor- 

 oughly harrowed. Or it may be worked with a spade in- 

 stead of the plow. Now procure from two hundred to 

 five hundred strawberry plants, and set them out in rows 

 three feet apart, and two feet apart in the row. The only 

 culture they need is to keep out the weeds, and work the 

 ground occasionally with the hoe. The following season 

 you may rely upon a crop of berries that it will do your 

 eyes good to behold. More bushels of strawberries can 

 be produced from the same ground than potatoes. 



A few dozen plants of gooseberries should be set out in 

 rows five feet apart each way. The Houghton Seedling is 

 the only variety we have found to succeed well in this 

 climate. 



t Currants must not be forgotten. They are so indis- 

 pensable to every family. In their green state, what de- 

 licious tarts [and fine pies they make in early summer 

 time, before we can obtain other fruit. When ripe, and 

 served up with sugar on the tea table, they are liked by 

 nearly every one. And what delicious jelly can be made 

 from them to eat [with roast turkey, or wild ducks, or 

 other meats. How can the good wife get along without a 

 few dozen currant bushes ? The thing is impossible, and 

 especially to get along well. The Large Red Dutch is 

 the best variety. Plant in rows about ti"e feet apart, and 

 be sure to cover all the ground in which they are planted 

 five or six inches deep with old straw, hay, littery ma- 

 nure, or something of the kind, so as to 'keep the soil 

 moist and cool. With this treatment, they will make 

 double the growth they otherwise would ; their leaves 

 will not drop in August, as they do when not mulched in 

 this climate, and they will yield ten times as much fruit. 

 Bear this in mind if you would have a large crop of cur- 

 rants. 



The luscious raspberry must also come in — for it is one 

 of the finest of fruits when in perfection. Put up in cans 

 or bottles, like strawberries and peaches, it far surpasses 

 either. The fruit is not as watery as the strawberry, and 

 is better on this account for canning purposes. We al- 

 ways lay in a good supply, and have never found any one 

 who did not relish them. 



The New Roehelle or Lawton blackberry, where land 

 can be had in abundance, and especially where wild 

 blackberries are not abundant, should be planted. It 

 will take two or three years to produce much of a crop ; 

 but then it will be found very prolific, and if the fruit is 

 left on until perfectly ripe, it is excellent, All acknowledge 

 that the blackberry is one of our most healthful berries. 

 A hundred plants will be abundant for a family. They 

 should be put in rows about eight feet apart, and six feet 

 apart in the row. It is better to mulch the plants, as is 

 also the case with all the plants we have mentioned. 

 They will grow better and be more productive,— Valley 

 farmer 



