IJorfirultural, 
A WOMAN’S ACRE. 
BY MBS. ANNIE h. JACK. 
No. 12. 
PROFIT AND PLEASURE. 
Thebe is no pleasanter combination of words 
than those at the head of this article, if one can 
enjoy the results of his labors in sunshine with 
“siller” to boot. Rut before Petek 
Henderson had published “ Garden¬ 
ing for Pleasure," I had discovered 
that our specialty in Horticulture was 
fruit growing. The young orchard, 
which the “guidmon” had planted a 
year before our marriage, had flour¬ 
ished in spite of every drawback. Al¬ 
though Sometimes injured by mice, or 
broken by the weight of ice on the 
branches ; often infested by iusects or 
blighted by some unknown influence ; 
now condemned by wiseacres who pro¬ 
phesied a failure; and again surpris- A 
ing us by a bountiful crop when un- Bit 
looked for,—the apple trees grow, and Sffs 
fulfilled their promise of blossom and 
fruit. But the adage that “ No man ■//•? 
can serve two masters," was never bet- Wb? 
ter exemplified than in our ease, for, 
while we gathered windfalls and pack- Wm 
ed the early apples, the September yj$M / 
days glided on, and I found that my 
“acre" must suffer or be turned to ’ 
other uses. But after the seoond year 
our cuttings of currants, grapes and 
other small fruits were in demand, and 
by a little judicious advertiaiug we C'._ 
found purchasers for our surplus stock. -—-= == 
At the same time our small fruit gar-- 
den was sot out to the extent of five 
acres, and bid fair to be of great value. 
Our guide book in cultivating vinos was “ Ful¬ 
ler’s Grape Cultunst," which is useful to any 
one with only a single vine, or to those who 
grow plants and fruit for market. Having ex¬ 
perimented with several famous sorts, we, of 
course, settled upon the Concord as the grape 
for the million, as regards profit, while the flavor 
of the Eumelan suited our taste as regards pleas¬ 
ure. The Concord, in our soil, grows remark¬ 
ably fine, the bunches shouldered and large, the 
leaves of immense size, and the viue of rampant 
growth, while our own vines, transplanted to 
another locality, do not boar half so flue a fruit 
for size or quality. So superior indeed are the 
bunches, in a favorable season, that city fruit 
dealers have refused to believe they were grown 
in Canadu ; but we know well that liberal ma¬ 
nuring and a suitable soil have combined with 
the warm sunshine in our pleasaut valley to ren¬ 
der our grapes so luscious and tempting. 
In the center of each ridge, on the sunny slope 
of our hillside garden, we planted year-old Con¬ 
cords that still continue to thrive and revel in 
the summer air, and ripen iu the mellow Septem¬ 
ber sunshine. These grapeB may be thick-skin¬ 
ned, or lacking in some of the sweetness of the 
finer sorts, but they have never yet disappointed 
us iu perfecting a heavy crop, for while other 
varieties havo winter-killed or mildewed, or at 
best only perfected straggling and uncertain 
bunches, the Concord is laden with purple clus¬ 
ters that are the surprise and envy of a'l. We 
support each vine with two stakes of cedar, 
about six feet high. These are driven securely 
into the ground and the vine, spread out on 
either side, is tied, as it grows, to its needed sup¬ 
port with a few lengths of soft bark. The un- 
peeled cedar is soon covered by the green leaves, 
and experience proves this plan preferable to a 
trellis. 
A simple and inexpensive fence of my own de¬ 
vising may be mentioned in tins connection. 
From the end of my front gallery has extended, 
for many years, a piece of ancient fence that 
was an eye-sore to me. But I dreaded any inno¬ 
vation that might have a look of newness about 
the old homestead, and learning a lesson from 
the grape vines, I set about improvising a rustic 
fence that would be simple of construction, and 
require but little time or expense. In line with 
the old fence was a row of trees—an apple and 
some balsams—that bad, for years, suffered 
from crowding. Between each tree was set a 
picket of cedar in the rough bark, and all of 
them five feet in hight. To these, and to the 
trees, were fastened by small staples five strands 
of No. 9 galvanized wire, at equal distances apart. 
It so happeued that a wild grape vine had grown 
up unmolested, and Bpread its twining branches 
up to the very top of the apple tree. This was 
carefully taken down, and trained to run along 
the topmost wire on either hand, while Concord 
grape vines were set in any open space. The 
consequence is, that our rustic fence is one of 
green and living beauty in summer-time, and iu 
winter the close and rugged gnarled hr inches of 
the wild vine are very ornamental. Although it 
might not serve in a position exposed to the at¬ 
tacks of unruly cattle, no animal has attempted 
to cross it; and I mention it here as one of the 
Bimple, inexpensive pleasures of gardening that 
are of easy access to all. 
For the profits I have found that an acre of 
ground, within easy access to market, can easily 
be made to return an average of SI00 to $150 a 
year, if worked by the aid of one's family, with 
occasional help, and a careful arrangement for 
the employment of the cultivator on all possible 
occasions, But while we found the culture of 
vegetables pleasantly profitable, there was a 
yields of berries, and the large size of the fruit, 
could but examine the soil and see the care be¬ 
stowed upon the plants, their doubts would be 
dispelled. We have known strawberry growers, 
near this city, to have the soil for strawberry 
plantations spaded two feet deep, and to apply 
one hundred two-horse wagon loads of good 
stable manure per acre, before a plant was put 
out. Then, during the first season the soil be¬ 
tween the rows was stirred at least every two 
weeks, and iu the fall the entire ground and 
plants were carefully covered with hog hay, 
which protected them in winter, and this mulch 
MAY 2S 
PERRY’S N PC W YORK HAY TEDDER. 
charm about fruit growing that could not be 
resisted, and I have long since proved that an 
acre of orchard will yield a profit of $150 in 
apples and the same amount in small fruit plant¬ 
ed between the rows, with this in favor of the 
fruit—that a w’eek of summer weather will, with 
half a dozeu willing helpers, gather the early 
fruit, and the same length of time in autumn 
packs the apples for market. The ground among 
small fruits is more easily kept clean, and in our 
market there is no difficulty in disposing of the 
crop at remunerative prices. 
When 1 first sont down my gooseberries and 
currants to market, I was amused by the air of 
lofty disdain assumed by a near neighbor, who 
suddenly discovered my occupation. “ Are you 
really selling currants ?" she asked, and added, 
“I wouldn’t think of selling them. We use or 
give away ours." Yet the same woman sells all 
the oggH while they are scarce, and prides her¬ 
self on the number of butter linnets she sends 
to market. But currants!—never ! gooseber¬ 
ries !—ridiculous! As a proof of the ohango iu 
public opiniou, I may state that small-fruit cul¬ 
ture has become more extended and better under¬ 
stood during the last six years, and the same 
neighbor is not ashamed to sell a gallon of the 
fruits she then pretended to despise. 
A circumstance greatly in favor of the fruit is 
that not everywhere cau be found such a faith¬ 
ful worker as Fkeicitk, to hoe and weed small 
root crops; but when the strawberries ripen, or 
the currants turn crimson, when the pears or 
apples hang temptingly upon the trees, there are 
dozens of dark-eyed girls or strong-handed mat¬ 
rons who besiege the bouse, haunting one at 
every turn with appealing glance and plain¬ 
tive voice, as they question sweetly, “ Avez vous 
d' ouvrage pour moi ?” What if a Iuscioub berry 
does match the ripe, rod lips, or the rosiest apple 
finds its way to the rosy mouth, they work faith¬ 
fully and cheerfully in this pleasant occupation, 
and you know “ Thou slialt not muzzle the ox 
that troadeth out the corn." The children and 
the birds delight in fruit, and are nothing loth 
to gather it, and I shall never wonder more that 
Mother Eve left all other gardening duties to 
pluck with her own hand the tempting fruit. 
STRAWBERRY CULTURE. 
Strawbekbies have been brought to such per¬ 
fection, during the past twenty years, that large 
size and large crops no longer cause any aston¬ 
ishment. But there are two things requisite for 
producing what would be considered a good crop, 
nowadays, and they are a good and prolific vari¬ 
ety to begin with, and high culture. There was 
a time when some good strawberry culturists 
recommended planting upon only a moderately 
rich soil, because over-stimulation with manure 
resulted in a vigorous growth of plants, followed 
by only a moderate quantity of fruit; but this 
difficulty is no longer experienced, for the newer 
sorts yield jnst in proportion to the amount of 
stimulants applied to the soil in which they are 
growing. If some of our readers, who may have 
doubted the wonderful stories told of enormous 
was left on tbe following season, not only to 
keep tbe berries clean, but also to keep the soil 
moist underneath. Slaughter-house manure of 
the rankest kind is also used for this purpose, 
and tbe growth of vine which follows and tbe 
size of fruit would certainly astonish any man 
who was not in the secret as to how the thing 
was done. 
Thid is the way in which new sorts are treated 
by professionals who expect to make a show of 
their pets at exhibitions or elsewhere ; and one 
might as well expect to get fat and largo cattle, 
by feeding oat straw alone, as to expect large 
strawberries and in large quantities, if they are 
planted upon poor soils aud then left to take 
care of themselves. 
If very large strawberries are desired, then 
choose such varieties as Monarch of the West, 
Seth Boyden, Great American, or even the old 
Triompho de Gand, and feed and care for them 
well, and what is desired can be obtained, with¬ 
out a shadow of doubt. But these sorts never 
did grow large or yield any considerable crop ou 
poor soils, or where tbe plauts are all crowded 
together, but they must be grown in single rows 
or lulls, iu order to show their best, 
In quality they are not eqnal to the smaller or 
medium-size sorts, although it is often said, and 
perhaps with truth, that there is no poor straw¬ 
berry—all being good ; yet some are really bet¬ 
ter than others. 
We shall probably never obtain a sweeter or 
higher-flavored berry thau tho Ladies' Piuo, but 
it is too small and not prolific cuough to be pop¬ 
ular. Next in flavor comos tho old Boston Pine 
and Brooklyn Scarlet—varieties which have never 
been excelled for delicate and luscious flavor, but 
the newei’ and larger sorts have swept those aside 
except with amateurs, like ourselves, who occa¬ 
sionally like a dish of strawberries that fill the 
bill for sweetness without artificial additions. 
Wilson's Albany ranks high for productiveness, 
but is rather too acid for general use, and it is 
surpassed, iu flavor aud color, by several other 
sorts which are fully as large, and will yield 
nearly or quite as many bushels per acre. Among 
the many we have tried of what may be termed 
the medium sorts—that is, varieties which will 
give berries measuring three to five iuohes iu 
circumference—we have seen none to excel the 
Charles Downing. It is hardy, prolific and yields 
an enormous crop, even in moderately rich soil, 
and under what is termed the the matted or bed 
system ; still it makes a better show when culti¬ 
vated in single rows. The flavor of this variety 
comes nearer to that of the wild scarlet berry 
than that of any sort we have over cultivated. 
But the poiut we wish to make is this ; Give 
rich culture if you desire big fruit and plenty of 
it, aud do not be afraid of over-doing it. 
-- 
BLACKBERRIES A PROFITABLE CROP FOR 
G EORGIA . 
Under this heading the Chronicle aud Con¬ 
stitutionalist has the following on the subject: 
Last year a portion of North Carolina, and 
particularly about Salem, did a thriving business 
by shipping dried blackberries to Chicago, a firm 
in that city having offered fifteen cents per 
pound for them, in any quantity. It cost one 
cent per pound to carry these berries from Salem 
to Chicago, and hence the Salem merchants 
could afford to pay the country' people from 
seven to twelve cents a pound for them. The 
little town of Salem, with scarcely over 2,000 in¬ 
habitants, shipped, during three years, over 
three millions of pounds of dried blackberries, 
for which it received $450,000. or nearly half a 
million dollars, equal to nine thousand bales of 
cotton at ten cents per pound. 
The crop is, of course, abundant— 
almost infinite. The old fields literally 
/a jj swarm with the busy pickers during 
the season. Frequently whole fami- 
lies turn out at early dawn and pick 
yA blackberries till dark. A bushel of 
Ei I y berries will yield twelve pounds of 
V ! J dried fruit. At fifteen cents per pound, 
—V. "D this will make tbe fruit worth $1.80 
V/jft/ a bushel. It is estimated that it costs 
two cents per pound to dry the fruit. 
It is dried in the simplest manner, 
being simply spreadjout on hoards and 
left in tbe sun. The smallest child 
in the family can watch tbe berries as 
they are drying, and carry them 
through the whole process. Deduct 
for gross cost one cent per pound, same 
for freights, two cents for drying, and 
say two cents for the merchant's prof- 
l its, and wo have the net revenue of a 
I bushel of berries to the picker, and 
J_ fixod at $1.20. A child can easily pick 
/ a bushel a day. A laborer with five 
- or six children, or a widow with a lot 
of bairns, will find it a perfect God¬ 
send to have them each bringing in a 
revenue of $1.20 a day. 
Tbe merchants in Salem had unlim¬ 
ited orders for tho berries, aud could 
have sold ten times tbe quantity they 
were able to procure. The berries are 
used for pies, for eating, and for distilling pur¬ 
poses. They are exported regularly to Europe, 
and especially to Germany, whore they are con¬ 
sidered a great luxury. 
This trade gave employment to a large num¬ 
ber of people in North Carolina during the sea- 
boti last year. Men, women, and children sup¬ 
port thuinselves by it. 
The section about, Augusta is famous for its 
blackberries, aud we see no reason why the trade 
could not be made as profitable there as in North 
Carolina. 
Industrial Implements. 
PERRY’S NEW YORK HAY TEDDER. 
__ 
The illustration given thii week of the well 
known New York Hay Tedder, doubtless appears 
as a familiar object to many of our readers, as 
it has been the subject of favorable mention in 
these columns in previous years, but if the im¬ 
plement i6 not new, tbe recent improvements in 
the model and mechanism subject It to criticism. 
Mr. Giro E. C. Gukijch has supplemented the 
efforts of Mr. Stuart Perry iu this direction, 
and the result is that the machines made this 
season are a long step iu advance of the old 
tedder. 
For one thing it has a through axle 1)4 inches 
iu diameter, strengthened by a wood backing, 
which keeps the gears aud other mechanisms al¬ 
ways true. Those having had experience, will 
appreciate the value of this point. 
Its reel is ample and strong, having two light 
tine shafts of tubular iron, supplied with 32 coiled 
spring tines, only inches apart, fastened by 
bolts that pass directly through tho tines, each 
bolt bolding two tioes. Each tine shaft is rocked, 
but not while the tines are entering or raising 
tho grass, but at the proper time, by a short 
crank arm rigidly attached to one of its ends. 
Two strong crank pins form the bearings of two 
small rollers, which control the rocking move¬ 
ments Of the tine shafts by running in a camway 
peculiarly shaped and placed. The special mech¬ 
anism for operating the reel and tines, includes 
but teu bearings. 
The reel is readily and accurately adjusted to 
the ground surface by a lever handled by the 
operator iu his seat, and when once adjusted re¬ 
quires no watching or raising in ordinary rough 
places, or dead furrows. If an unusual obstruc¬ 
tion should be met, tho reel can be raised high 
enough to pass over it without stopping the ma¬ 
chine, so great is its range of adjustment. 
We know of no other rotary tedder that with 
its reel between the ground wheels atill teds the 
grass directly back of them, leaving it light and 
flecky there as elsewhere. It is able to do this, 
because its ground wheels, being four feet two 
inches iu diameter, can carry driving gears three 
feet ten inches in diameter, and these admit the 
reel to be placed so far in the rear, that its end 
tines, which are only about four inches off from 
