54 



THE LANCASTER FARMER. 



[April, 



those who do not fancy the walnut. The 

 tulip poplar, tliat flue, majestic tree which 

 naturally towers to the skies and is the admi- 

 ration of all, especially when in blossom. 

 Tliey are fast growers and will repay the 

 planter. Most of our nurserymen have them 

 for sale, from ten to twenty-five dollars per 

 hundred. The larger size are the best to 

 plant, as it is so much time gained. I have 

 bought some very fine trees of Hoopes Bros, 

 and Thomas, whom I know will be pleased to 

 serve any who may call on them. If the wal- 

 nut alone is not preferred, it may be used al- 

 ternately with the poplar, wliii.-h will make a 

 novel appearance, and provide a chance for 

 observing the difference in the growth and 

 habits 01 both. There is so much to say about 

 forest trees ; but as that is not niy subject, 

 and I have already trespassed on time, 1 will 

 hasten on. 



In the vegetable kingdom, we do not have 

 so many improvements as in fruit, and there- 

 fore there is not so much to say on this sub- 

 ject. "We have many varieties of vegetables 

 of the same kind ; siill, a cabbage is a cab- 

 bage, and so a radish is a i-adish ; but there 

 are the early and the late varieties, the .strong 

 and the mild, the large and the small, tlie 

 sweet and the sharp. To take each one sep- 

 erately would be tedious, so I will only say 

 that during my experience I have found more 

 in the name than in the reality ; also, that 

 good, fresh vegetables are a luxury. Most of 

 them when brought to our markets are too 

 stale for use, especially those brought from 

 abroad. As a general thing our home gar- 

 deners (who do bring us fresh vegetable.'!) are 

 not sufficiently paid for their labor, as itcosts 

 too much to raise them ; besides being some 

 weeks later than those brought from a dis- 

 tance, and prices by that time are low. Every 

 Berks county farmer has a garden, some a 

 very large one, and all eztra vegetables they 

 sell, is so much gained ; but whether the soil 

 is adapted to gardening is seldom considered, 

 if only their vegetables grow, it matters not 

 hoii}. I do think two-thirds of our market 

 gardens are out of place. In my observation 

 I find that most per.sons will take any place 

 they can get, regardless of soil, location or 

 water, and embark in raising vegetables; con- 

 sequently, after several years' trial they fail 

 and become discouraged in- their work and 

 seek some other occupation. Were we de- 

 pendent on the market gardeners alone, we 

 would often fall short. But than.ks to those 

 farmers wh 1 always have what they call "luck, " 

 we do not fall short. I think a person wish- 

 ing to engage in the truck Ijusiness should se- 

 lect lovv ground near running vv'ater, for then 

 the sunnner drought would not afiect them so 

 much, as the night air is damp and the mist 

 from the water all help to dispel the dry at- 

 mosphere and assist vegetation. After loca- 

 tion comes the selection of seeds, which is a 

 very important part. If you want early vege- 

 tables, it would not do to buy and jilant late 

 kinds that take nearly all sinnmer to grow. I 

 have planted to try the difference of seed in 

 red beets, and have found that the early beet 

 could be taken up at the end of eight or ten 

 weeks, while the "Long Late" require five 

 months, and when the late variety were in 

 their prime, the e.arly variety were tough and 

 stringy. So with cabljage, what is intended 

 for eai-ly must be iilanted early or it is a fail- 

 ure. Many persons think a bean is a bean, as 

 far as planting is concerned, but that is a mis- 

 take ; all have their time, quality and hardi- 

 ness. Some will stand a frost, .while others 

 by their side will be killed by it. As above 

 mentioned, I think the selection of the seed 

 quite as important as the ground. To be 

 succes.'iful it is necessary to be well posted on 

 the time of planting and wliat kind to plant 

 first. I do not wish to adverti.se, but would 

 say that Mr. P. Hender.soii's book on "Gar- 

 dening for Profit," is the best I have ever 

 seen and read ; even then one must take one's 

 own soil and location into considertion, for 

 his location does not suit all ; at the same 

 time I would advise any person wishing to 

 raise vegetables for profit to get the book, as 



it is a good guide. This having been a poor 

 season and vegetables at a high price, many 

 may be teraiHed into the business, but unless 

 they are well acquainted with their soil, seed 

 and location, they will fail. At the present 

 time [ can count at least twenty-five per.sons 

 who starteil the farm and truck business when 

 I did, and all but one or two have left it for 

 want of success, simply because their soil did 

 not suit and their experience was not suffi- 

 cient to see them through. I would just ad- 

 vise any one going into the business to select 

 the proper soil, location and seed, making fre- 

 quent use of the fertilizer, working the ground 

 to its best condition befoi-e sowing the seed, 

 and I do not think he will fail. Many are 

 afraid if they use too much manure the 

 strength all goes in the tops and not in the 

 vegetable, but they are mistaken. If the 

 ground is too poor to make tops it is too poor 

 to produce vegetables. The better fed the 

 better will be the profit for its owner,and the 

 earlier they are taken to market the better 

 they will ])ay. I have sold tomatoes for five 

 cents a piece in March and April, when I 

 could not get that for a quarter peck in July 

 and August ; the same with lettuce, radishes 

 and all other vegetables. He who wishes to 

 profit by raising vegetables must be wide 

 awake to his interests, and without hot-beds 

 he will be left far in the rear of his neighbor 

 who has them. They must be made to pi-o- 

 duce from two to three crops a season or they 

 will not i)ay. I hope the advice here given 

 will be of benefit to some who are interested 

 in "Fruit and Vegetables and their Culture." 



THE BRIGHT SIDE OF HORTICUL- 

 TURE.* 



Mr. President :— You have had "Horti- 

 culture for Profit," and discussed the subject 

 in almost every form ; as well the bright, and 

 also the "Dark side of Fruit Culture.'" But 1 

 have not observed that any of your contribu- 

 tors have spoken of "Horticulture for Pleas- 

 ure." Notwithstanding the trials, disappoint- 

 ments, vexations and discouragements that 

 every season brings, there is, nevertheless, a 

 charm connected with the occupation, that 

 we all embrace for the love of it, to a greater 

 or lesser extent. 



How do plants grow, is a query that meets 

 us in the beginning, and is a problem that 

 cannot be solved. The spontaneous action of 

 the plant, the self-determined sliapes it as- 

 sumes, its vitality, are subjects for thought 

 beyond the conception of the most learned 

 botanist. Is it not a direct emanation from 

 the Supreme Will, the fountain of all life. 



Vegetation is doubtless the lower order of 

 life. It springs directly from inorganic mat- 

 ter, and is the first step in the formation of 

 plant life. To see the tender germ as it peeps 

 through the eartli, a real thing of life, and 

 Wdtch its development from day to day, has a 

 fascination for all who have an eye for the 

 beautiful. How many of us pause to think 

 of the transformations taking place, when we 

 drop tl)e little seeds in the bed, (some of them 

 so diminutive as to be almost invisible) and in 

 a few days find a living plant ready to battle 

 with the enemies of vegetable life. Its pro- 

 gress day after day is a food for thought that 

 the learned and the ^lost ignorant may em- 

 brace, aiid yet be unaijle to conceive from 

 whence the matter is brought for its develop- 

 ment. 



I propose, in the few remarks I shall make, 

 to take the "Bright Side of Horticulture. " Did 

 we always weigli the cost, and take into con- 

 sidi-ration the trials of every undertaking, 

 few would launch out into the sea of experi- 

 ments, and new plants, and new ideas, would 

 then be the exception. Our life, our joys, 

 are in part derived from horticidture. 



I believe a large proportion of those who 

 plant, do it as much for amusement, comfort, 

 and home adornment, as they do for profit. 

 One of the first requisites of a home are trees 



*Essav read before the Pennsylvania Plate Horticul- 

 tural Association, at, Harrisburg, Pa., by Calvin Cooper, 

 of Lancaster county, Pa. 



and plants to diversify the appearance, and 

 add comfort and attraction acquired in no 

 other way. How welcome is the shade of a 

 well-formed cherry tree on a hot summer's day. 

 Then, too, its fruit (if the robins have not 

 been there first) will add food as well as drink, 

 while the husbandman tarries beneath its 

 branches. 



Well do I remember the favorite tree se- 

 lected by the harvest hands at the old home- 

 stead, under which they took their noonday 

 rest. This was a fine large "Roberts Red 

 Heart" cherry, planted in front of the house, 

 with shapely top and s))readin2 branches, add- 

 ing a charm to the spot during the whole 

 summer. The planting, training and care of 

 which was all the work of a fond mother, 

 now peacefully resting in a home that knows 

 no waking. 



Then, too, the quick-growing peach, with 

 its bright, luxurious foliage, soon fills a va- 

 cant spot that well repays the trifling cost, 

 labor and lime required to make a tree. 



We will not pass the plum and apricot, for 

 here is a little nook and there a recess that 

 needs filling. Then, too, they might furnish 

 a few "Curculio" for the fowls of the yard 

 while they are in search for the early worm. 



The apple, too, has its claims, with broad 

 spreading branches inviting comfort to its 

 cooling shade as the yeoman (as well as his 

 stock) pass in their routine to and from the 

 toils of the day. All this usually is a work 

 of love, and their training to recreate during 

 the hours of leisure, affords an amusement 

 that diverts rather than tires. The cutting 

 out of a branch here and there, and shorten- 

 ing another that is likely to outgrow the rest, 

 and the observation of the habits and growth, 

 will afford food for thought, always pleasing 

 and of a tendency to quiet the nerves and 

 strengthen the body for the duties of the 

 hour. 



And should an occasional crop of cherries, 

 peaches, plums, apricots, ajiples, etc., be the 

 fruit of our labor we are doubly paid. First 

 by the attractive appearance given to the 

 home, and the pleasure derived Ijy the cool- 

 ing influence of the shade during the hot 

 summer months ; and also the deliciously fla- 

 vored fruit with its health-giving properties, 

 contribute wonderfully towards supplying the 

 household with the daily requisites to sustain 

 life. 



Mark the busy merchant with his modern 

 suburban home, how he delights in the at- 

 tractions of his handsome, well-kept grounds, 

 as he meanders from bush to plant, here and 

 there training a vine or a tree, to suit his 

 cultivated taste, and varying the systemati- 

 cally laid-out grounds, adding a charm to the 

 spot, to divert liis thoughts from the perplex- 

 ing trials of his business hours ; this surely is 

 not a work of necessity nor profit, for those 

 who know will say it is quite a drain on the 

 pur.se, according to the magnitude of the 

 grounds. Such is the fascination connected 

 with the planting and training, that the labor 

 and care is rather a vi'oik of amusement, be- 

 cause of its pleasing attractions, and its 

 power to divert rather than tire an over- 

 worked brain. 



The industrious mechanic, too, has taken 

 the infatuation, and often found during his 

 leisure hours, in beautifying his home with 

 beauteous gifts, the plants of the eartli. Who 

 but will halt and admire in passing a hand- 

 somely laid-out yard, with its gorgeous beds 

 of bloom, interspersed with choice shrubs 

 and trees, and the well-kept walks with gen- 

 tle curves leading now to a shady nook, thence 

 by a beautiful border of variegated foliage 

 plants, and not give a praise of gratitude to 

 the Giver of all good works ? 



In conclusion I cannot but aflSrra there is a 

 charm, an attraction, a fascination in the 

 work of the horticulturist, that will far over- 

 balance the labor connected therewith, and 

 supply a heartfelt recreation to all who will 

 embrace it. The comparison of the wonder- 

 ful works of nature are sufiicient of them- 

 selves to awaken thoughts of praise. Instance 

 if you will the stately oak with its spreading 



