SOUTHERN CULT IV AT OR. 
31 
greater influence upon fruit trees which are brought 600, 
800 or 1000 miles nearer the equator. 
The article in the Eleventh volume of Southern Cultiva- 
tor, which I refer to, is headed “Acclimated Fruit Trees, 
&c.,” and signed “Plebs,” in which the writer says : — 
“After an experience with trees in the South for 20 years, 
of those brought from Baltimore and north of it, and after 
being conversant, in a limited degree, with fruits for 35 
years, I am unwilling to see my friends and neighbors pay 
two prices to any man, on a flimsy pretence of acclima- 
tion” 
As far as the honesty of Southern nurserymen is con- 
cerned, I will only say: f think them just as honest in their 
dealings as Northern nurserymen are ; they might in 
former years have asked rather high prices for their trees, 
hut those wishing to buy trees can find plenty ofnui-sery- 
men in the South, who will sell better trees, at as low 
prices, as well packed, and in far better condition when 
delivered than any Northern nurseryman can possibly do; 
but there is one thing the public must learn, viz: the man 
who has made the fruit business his study for years, read 
volumes after volumes of works devoted exclusively to 
horticulture, and edited by the most eminent writers on 
both sides of the Atlantic, and learned how to perform the 
many scientific operations upon fruit trees, who has serv- 
ed a number of years as apprentice to the nursery busi- 
ness, and can join the scientific with the practical, got 
only by experience and observation, I say, when Plan- 
ters, Lawyers or Doctors learn that they do not know as 
much about the cultivation, and management of fruit trees 
as a thorough bi'ed nurseryman, then there will 
cease to be such a difference of opinion on this important 
question. 
The days the writer of this article has lived will not 
number as many as those of Mr. Plebs’ experience, but he 
has devoted a large portion of them to the study of horti- 
culture, besides performing many a hard day’s work in 
different nurseries ; he does not presume to be perfect, for 
the more he learns the more he sees there is to learn, but 
he fancies he has learned one thing, viz: if the differ- 
ence between the climate where a certain variety offruit 
originated and the climate to which that fruit tree is taken, 
does not exercise any perceptible influence upon that tree, 
it certainly does exercise a marked influence upon the 
fruitfulness of that tree and the quality of that fruit. It is 
the fruit more than the tree which has to become adapted 
to a different climate. Every year’s experience teaches 
us that no fruit can be grown as near perfection out of the 
latitude as it can in the latitude where it originated. Mr. 
Plebs says: “he shall require the say-so of more than one, 
or one dozen who are interested.” 
Permit me to quote a few lines from Mr. P. Barry’s ad- 
dress delivered to the Fruit Growers’ Association, Burling- 
ton, Iowa. Mr. B. is well known among the Horticultur- 
al community, and is considered as good authority as we 
have in America, having been engaged in the nursery 
business for the last 19 years at Rochester, N. Y. He says: 
“My advice to you, here in the West, is to sow every 
good seed you can get. I mean the seed «of* those fruit 
which succeed best here.” 
Again in the same address he says: — “No other fact 
connected with fruit culture is more fully substantiated 
by every days experience than this, viz: To insure success- 
ful cultivation we must have varieties that are adapted to 
the peculiarities of our soil and climate. Many of your 
most valuable apples for this country prove utterly 
worthless with us, while many of our best fruits fail en- 
tirely with you. This Society and others of similar char- 
acter are collecting information on this subject of the 
highest value. The fact is well established that the fruit 
which succeeds best in particular localities are those 
which originated there, or in others slightly different. I 
believe the Baldwin, Hubbardson Nonsuch, and Porter 
apples are nowhere quite so good as in New England, 
The Newtown Pippin, Swaar, Esopus, Spitzenburg, and 
Northern Spy, are scarcely anywhere so good as in New 
York. Our Northern Apples are of little value in the 
South, and the very finest Southern Apples are utterly 
worthless in the North.” 
The above coincides with observations I have made in 
the Eastern, Northern and Western States. The Rambo 
grows nearer perfection in Pennsylvania than in Ohio, 
while the Northern Spy is a very uncertain apple in 
Vermont and New Hampshire. 
I believe the South would have been far in advance of 
the North in raising fruits, at the present day, if the in- 
habitants of the South had given the attention the import- 
ance of this question merits and demands; but it is pleas- 
ing to witness the spirit which has been awakened within 
the last four years. The reformation has commenced — 
the South is beginning to see the advantage gained in 
planting Southern raised trees. Pomological Societies have 
been formed and are still forming ; search has been made 
over some portions of the South and the labor rewarded 
by some of as choice varieties of Apples as the North have 
produced. The dawning of these good days is already 
perceptible; several bright stars are already glittering in 
the catalogues of the different Southern nurserymen. The 
South can now unfurl its banner to the breeze and show 
a large number of as choice varieties of Apples and Peach- 
es, also, a few Pears and Plums, as the North has ever pro- 
duced. 
Some might say the varieties are numerous enough. 
To those I would say, the South covers a broad area and 
will, therefore, require an extensive Catalogue to suit the 
different soils and situations. Let not the good work stop. 
I would advise the lovers of good fruit to plant every 
good fruit seed they can get, and in the fall before the leaves 
drop select every “sport” which can be very easily dis- 
tinguished by the thick velvety and glossy foliage. You 
can drive a stick by them and in winter graft them upon 
bearing trees. In two or three years you can test the 
quality of fruit. We have a seed bed containing several 
thousand seedlings in which I have selected every “sport.” 
We might not get one good variety, but we can reason- 
ably expect several. If they prove good, Messrs. Editors, 
it will afford me the greatest pleasure to send you a box 
of choice Southern Seedling Apples. If there are any at 
the present day who believes the Northern tree will grow 
as well, live as long, and bear as well as the Southern 
raised tree, I invite them to pay me a visit, and I will show 
them the Northern and Southern trees standing side by 
side. Yours respectfully, J. W. Fjslt. 
Bayou Sara, La., 1856. 
SOUTHERN VINEYAKD.S. 
Editors Souturrn Cui tivator — I am greatly pleased 
to see that Southern Pomologists are beginning to take 
more interest in the vine. If I am not greatly misinformed 
in relation to the soil and climate of South Carolina, 
North Carolina and Georgia, &c., particularly on the more 
elevated parts of those States, they ought and I trust soon 
will produce wine equal to any country and far superior 
to the best of the imported. 
There are undoubtedly many wild varieties of grapes 
yet to be discovered, or at least brought into cultivation, 
that will rival and surpass any we yet know of native 
kinds, and it is useless to cumber the grounds with the 
foreign grape, as they have been fully tested and in all 
cases found unsuitable — mildew ruins them. 
I am experimenting with raising seedlings, and am try- 
ing to procure seeds of all the natives that are promising. 
J. B. G. 
Columbia, Pa., 1856. 
