294 [Assembly 



The western half of this county is included within the branches of 

 the Blue Ridge range of mountains, which is a continuation of the 

 Highlands of New- York. In geological position, it lies between the 

 granite and lower secondary formations, including gneiss, the several 

 varieties of the slates and their combinations, interspersed with horn- 

 blende and quartz, and on the mountain ranges, epidote with clorite 

 slate. The whole forming a silicio-argillaceous soil, well adapted to 

 the cultivation of grain, grass crops, and fruit trees. 



But little attention has hitherto been paid to the cultivation of the 

 latter here, as no market exists of much value for fresh fruit. More 

 attention is now being paid to their cultivation than formerly, as many 

 are beginning to find out that they might as well have good fruit as 

 the indifferent kinds they are accustomed to. Of the varieties 

 reported last year, we have the Early Harvest, Large Yellow Bough, 

 F^ll Pippin, Yellow Belle-Fleur and Newtown Pippin ; all good in 

 their season, but ripening here earlier than farther north, and this 

 season more so than usual, owing to the very dry summer. The 

 Belle-Fleur Apple is now ripe and falling from the trees. Of fruits 

 discussed in Convention, the Smoke-house is here considered good. 

 We have some varieties here not generally known at the north, five 

 of which are described in the Farmer's Encyclopedia of Agriculture, 

 by Professor Johnson, Philadelphia edition, 1844, article Malus, sec- 

 tion Southern Apples, viz : Prior's Red and Rawle's Janet ; the 

 latter known here as the Rock-Renmor or Hereford's Streak, and is, 

 probably, identical or similar to Downing's Borsdorffer. 



■ The great desideratum here is, to procure varieties that are good 

 keeping apples ; many of those from the north, particularly New Eng- 

 land, so far as our experience yet goes, will not here be late keeping 

 varieties. They ripen too early to keep well. We had proba- 

 bly better look more to the south for winter fruit. There are some 

 varieties in this county that bid fair to be valuable as long keepers 

 with us, that originated south of James river in Virginia. I propose, 

 at some future time, to bring them to the notice of the Convention, a« 

 well as some other varieties in cultivation, but am not prepared at 

 present. 



Peaches succeed well here. It is no uncommon thing to see trees 30 



or 40 years old. The yellows occasionally are seen, and where no 

 efforts are made to extirpate those that are affected, the disease has in 

 some places destroyed many trees ; but where pains have been taken 



