361 



sess the very best collections of more favored climes, 

 but out of a few liundred seedlings we manage to 

 collect enough to make a tolerable display, and we 

 secure a race of plants that are acclimatized. 



DaMias cannot come up to the standard of excel- 

 lence of the English or Northern grown flowers. 

 The plants commence to bloom early in May, and 

 unless we retard their blooming until September, 

 we do not get fine flowers after the first few weeks. 

 Seedlings.originated here are also more hardy and 

 will succeed better than imported varieties. It is 

 like with fruits : those originating in the country 

 are preferable to those of foreign birth. 



JOTTIMGS TROm LOUDON CO., VA. 

 BY J. G. R. K. 



Dear Monthly :—K short drive recently through 

 a portion of what is called the Loudon or Catoc- 

 ton Yalley, impressed me forcibly with the unsur- 

 passed beauty and natural advantages of this favored 

 spot. The Yalley is gently waving and dotted 

 beautifully with woodland, on the left, going south- 

 ward, runs the Catocton Mountain,on the right the 

 Blue Ridge, about 10 miles between. Limpid 

 streams of water meander through every portion of 

 it, and every few miles affording excellent water 

 power. 'Tis very seldom that wells have to be 

 sunk to obtain water. The soil is generally fertile 

 and susceptible of the highest improvement. The 

 crops here never entirely fail from drought, the soil 

 being of a retentive clayey loam generally. 



The effects of the war are still felt and seen con- 

 siderably, but it is astonishing with what rapidity 

 the country is being resuscitated. K.s I drove along, 

 the luxuriant cornfields were like seas of green. 

 The thickly nestled stack-yards bespoke the trea- 

 sures emboweled in the soil. The orchards though 

 meagre in extent were loaded with the richest gold 

 and crimson. The richness of the scene awakened 

 feelings of deepest gratitude to the gber of ^ all 

 good. 



I do not see why our people do not grow more 

 fruit ; much of our soil, particularly the Mountain 

 slopes are famous for fine fruit. The Loudon and 

 Hamshire Hailroad is being rebuilt, and will soon 

 penetrate our Yalley. Already the demand from 

 the cities on the tide water is being felt here for 

 fruit. I feel sure that the skill and enterprise of 

 northern fruit-growers would tell here to the best 

 advantage. One orchard on the road-side presented 

 a grand sight, the trees were principally Wine Sops 

 and were so full of apples that at a short distance 

 they seemed stachs of red. The fruit was very per- 

 fect and healthy. This variety is well adapted to 



this locality. In another orchard the Loudon Pip- 

 pin predominated, and though not so showy at a dis- 

 tance, was truly magnificent. This variety is getting 

 a big name here at home, and is " highly honored 

 in its own country. Mr. Downing describes it favor- 

 ably, but does not do it full justice. 



The shy bearing character while young prejudices 

 some against it; but when in full bearing it more than 

 makes amends. The habit of the tree is peculiar ; 

 though rampant in growth the head never gets 

 crowded and needs no thinning. Almost every ap- 

 ple has full room and light. 



I should like to hear from any one who may have 

 it growing northward. If it were a httle later ma- 

 turing, it would be the king of apples here. If 

 Loudon County never produces another new varie- 

 ty, she deserves a full meed of praise for this. 



I called on our mutual friend, 0. Taylor, at his 

 " Evergreen home," and found him as busy as any 

 good horticulturist should be, canning peaches, 

 with his large agricultural boiler steaming up with 

 the first batch. My attention was soon attracted 

 to the process of peeling the fruit : there was a real 

 bona-fide peach parer, doing the work as nicely and 

 expeditiously as any apple parer ever operated on 

 an apple. A happy idea thought I, and guessed 

 our friend's cranium was its parent. It is a most 

 capital thing and will be hailed by all fruit-growers 

 with delight. The construction of the machine is 

 very simple, but was entirely new to me, and I sup- 

 pose will be to all, as I have never heard of anything 

 of the kind out,*though I have felt the need of it. 



I do not feel at liberty to describe it, as he writes 

 me he has applied for a patent, which it surely de- 

 serves. He adds that it continued to perform 

 throughout the whole job of peehng admirably, and 

 he peeled wagon loads. 



I had the pleasure, too, of seeing in his grounds 

 the Keyes' Tomato, but was not impressed very 

 favorably wjth it. The fruit was running very 

 small at the time (17th of Sept.). I also saw it in 

 another locality a few days previous, where it was 

 considered very inferior, and no earlier than any other 

 varieties. 



The Eureka strikes my fancy as superior to any- 

 thing out ; not having tested it fairly as to earliness, 

 I am yet undecided in that respect, but it behaved 

 well throu2:hout the season. Its stocky, dwarfish 

 habit of vine or bush is a great recommendation. I 

 should be glad for the history of the variety. I 

 shall grow it largely next season. 



[The Eureka was, we b;iUeve, raised by Jonathan 

 Periam, an intelligent market gardener of Chicago, 

 and very well known to the readers of the Prairie 

 Farmer .—E^D.} 



