History of Delaware County and Ohio, Part 46

Author: O. L. Baskin & Co; Perrin, William Henry, d. 1892?
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Chicago, O.L. Baskin & Co.
Number of Pages: 818

USA > Ohio > Delaware County > History of Delaware County and Ohio > Part 46

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" The first public garden of much importance was established in the corporate limits of Delaware, by the late Judge Hosea Williams, somewhere about the year 1854-55, and continued until the time of his decease, in 1876, largely to supply the citizens of Delaware with herries and small fruits as well as with vegetables. Since the decease of Judge Williams, this garden has been discontinued, but several others have since been established in the vicinity of the city, and the markets are toler- ably well supplied with fruits and vegetables in their season, though a large amount, especially of early vegetable products, are annually imported from a distance.

"The writer of this article established a grape and small-fruit nursery with greenhouses, in Dela- ware, in the year 1857, and during the period of the excitement incident to the discovery and intro- duction of the Delaware grape before mentioned. From this nursery a large number of Delaware

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vines, and all other varieties of value, including some seventy different varieties, have been sent, not only throughout the United States, but to nearly every quarter of the civilized world. Small- fruit plants of all kinds, as well as greenhouse and bedding and flowering plants, are still produced at this establishment, as well as grapevines, not only for the accommodation of the citizens of Delaware and the county, but for shipment to all parts of the country."

There is no regularly organized horticultural so- ciety in Delaware County, nor has there ever been one to amount to anything. Something like a quarter of a century ago, such a society was organ- ized, but its organization and election of officers constituted the larger part of the proceedings dur- ing its momentary existence. The Gazette of June 9, 1854, contains a notice of the organization of the Delaware County Horticultural Society, and its first election of officers. The officers elected were as follows, viz .: A. Thomson, President; H. Williams and T. W. Powell, Vice Presidents ; John F. Latimer, Treasurer ; and H. Van Horn, Secre- tary. On motion, G. W. Campbell, C. Hills and A. Thomson were appointed a committee to draft a constitution and by-laws. Two or three unimportant meetings were held after the election of officers, at one of which the by-laws were adopted. By degrees, however, the Society went down, and finally died out altogether, and we believe no efforts have since been made to re-organize it.

The following, from an able article by M. B. Bateham, Secretary of the State Horticultural Society, will be found of considerable value to all who are interested in horticulture: "It appears from the Assessors' returns that the number of acres of orchards in the State in 1877 was 418,- 289. In 1873, the number of acres was 385,829, thus showing an increase of 17,426 acres in the four years. Without claiming that the returns are strictly correct, and they show rather too much variability, it is certain that a good deal of orchard planting-apples, pears, peaches and plums-has been going on of late years in various parts of the State. On the other hand, there have been many of the older class of apple orchards cut down as no longer profitable, and many peach orchards have been destroyed by severe winters and other causes; so that the amount of orchard planting done each year is much greater than appears from the increase of the aggregate acreage. *

"The apple crop of 1877, as stated in the report, was a very light one in most parts of the State, though not so nearly a failure as the north- ern residents supposed, for it was found that in the extreme southern border a number of coun- ties were favored with nearly half a crop, viz., Washington, Athens, Meigs, Scioto and several others. The fruit from this district is mostly shipped by the river to Southern cities, and does not contribute largely to the supply of our own markets. The aggregate crop of the State for 1877, is reported as 6,248,677 bushels, but it is believed that the number is somewhat overstated in several of the northern counties. The crop of the previous year (1876) was reported as 29,641,- 200 bushels, and, as much of the fruit was never gathered or reported, the crop may be set down as 30,000,000 bushels; while that of the previous 'odd year' (1875), was only 1,530,049. These figures show how generally the orchards of the State have fallen into the unfortunate habit of bearing full crops every alternate year, with scant ones or failures between. This can be more dis- tinctly seen by taking the returns for three years, of a group of counties in any district of the State.

" The apple crop of 1878 was again, of course, an abundant one, and, the same being true of most other States, the markets were all glutted, and the prices for fruit so low as to hardly pay for gather- ing, shipping and marketing ; so that, as in 1876, much of the crop was left ungathered in the orchards, and no profits resulted. The trees, too, are weakened by bearing an excessive crop, so that they require all the next season for recuperation, and hence little or no fruit is then to be expected excepting from the young orchards.

" The question is often asked, whether anything can be done to prevent or lessen this alternating habit of apple orchards. Some time was spent in discussion on this topic at the late annual meeting of our State Horticultural Society, and the practi- cal conclusion was that it can be measurably pre- vented by thinning off the fruit severely when trees of only moderate size are setting a full crop, and, at the same time, giving such culture, with manuring, if needed, as to keep the trees in a growing condition. Another suggestion is, that, as a large portion of the orchards are old, and the trees too much stunted to admit of their being recuperated or made profitable, young orchards should be planted in their stead, and the old ones cut away. In planting new orchards, care should

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be taken to select good deep soil, and prepare it thoroughly, also to choose the best varieties of apples for the location, and the purpose for which the fruit is designed. Much useful information on these points may be found in the annual reports of the State Horticultural Society, which are pub- lished each year as an appendix of the State Agricultural Report.

" The peach crop has not been good throughout the State since 1874, wben it amounted to 2,235,- 574 bushels. Most of the trees were injured by overbearing that season, and, as a consequence, many of them were killed the following winter. The next year, 1875, the crop was a complete fail- ure in most parts of the State, and the aggregate was only 36,583 bushels. The crop of 1876 was very little better-47,298 bushels-and that of the past year, 1877-483,086 bushels. The sections where this fruit has done the best the past few years are on the hill lands bordering the Ohio River, of a few southern and eastern counties, and in the northern parts of the State. Along the lake shore, and in the vicinity of the islands, the crop was quite profitable the past season, and fair the year previous, so that many additional orchards are being planted.

" Pear culture has not become a success in Ohio, though much planting has been done, and persist- ent efforts put forth by intelligent horticulturists. Some of these men have attained a fair measure of success for a time, but sooner or later the trees have generally succumbed to the dreaded blight, a disease that has long vexed and puzzled the horticultural world. Many of the trees supposed to have died from blight have really been killed by the win- ters, along with overbearing or starvation or from heing planted on unsuitable soil. These matters are now better understood than formerly by those who take pains to investigate them, and there is reason for the belief that a larger measure of suc- cess will hereafter attend the cultivation of this very desirable fruit.

" Plums, especially damsons, are quite extensively grown in several of the southwestern counties of the State. Much planting has also been done, of late, in that section and elsewhere, of the finer plums as well as damsons ; so that if the orchards are at all successful this fruit will, in a few years, be of considerable commercial importance, and deserve to be included in the statistics of orchards. The main difficulty in plum-growing is, not as usually supposed, the ravages of the curculio-for that can easily be prevented-but the liability of

the trees to winter-killing, and this seems to be more a consequence of the premature shedding of the leaves in summer than the severity of the winter.

"Cherries, of the sweet or heart class, are but little grown for the markets in this State, owing to the very perishable nature of the fruit, and its liability to rot on the trees when ripening, also the depredations of birds. But in the southwestern quarter, around Cincinnati especially, large orchards exist, of the Morello variety, called Early May, which are very productive and profitable, the fruit being shipped long distances and selling well. Small orchards of the kind are found in the north, and are also successful.

" Grape growing has been less successful than formerly, for two or three years past, in consequence of the increasing prevalence of the rot, besides some damage by the winter and spring frosts. The cause of the disease of the fruit, called rot, is as much of a mystery as that of the pear blight. It seems to be mainly the effect of atmospheric influ- ences, and hence not easy to prevent or control, though it can be partly avoided by judicious selection of soil and location.

" There has been a marked increase of the amounts of strawberries and raspberries grown and marketed in this State the past three or four years. The people of our towns and cities seem to be increasing their taste for these summer fruits, and using them more freely as a part of their daily food. The crop of these fruits was quite good the present year (1878), and the prices at which they were sold were lower than usual, which fact, doubtless, contributed largely to the increase of con- sumption. Raspberries, coming immediately after strawberries, are also increasing in demand and use, and the sales are very heavy, especially of the blackcap varieties, as these bear distant transporta- tion better than the reds, and can be more cheaply grown ; but some growers, located near city mar- kets, find more profit in the reds, as they bring higher prices.

" Currants are in demand next after raspberries, or along with them. The domestic supply of this fruit has been materially lessened by the ravages of the currant worm, and those who take the pains to fight off these insects, and also to give good cult- ure to the bushes, find the crop as profitable as the other small fruits, and it serves to prolong the season of selling."

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HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.

The following statistics are from the annual report of the Secretary of State :

Orchards, number of acres. 4,962

Apples, number of bushels. 11,102

Pears, number of bushels. 148

Peaches, number of bushels.

Grapes, number of pounds 3,185

As the cultivation of forest trees is, of late years, becoming a matter of considerable interest, we give a few extracts in this connection from an able article written by M. C. Read, Esq., and which will be found of some importance to those interested in the subject. Mr. Read says: "Observ- ers are not fully agreed as to the extent of the climatic influences resulting from the destruction of the Ohio forests. Whether the amount of the annual rainfall is diminished or not, it is probable that the number of rainy days is diminished, and that the rainfall is not as equally distributed as formerly. It is certain that very many springs and streams that were formerly perennial now fail en- tirely in protracted droughts. Old mill-sites are abundant on the banks of streams which are now very insignificant, and would furnish no valuable water-power. On farms that were once regarded as well watered, wells are sunk to obtain water for the domestic animals, or mere excavations made to catch and retain the surface water, in stagnant pools, thus securing an uncertain and a very un- wholesome supply. Some of the causes which have produced these results are easily recognized. The forests retained the rainfall, checked the sur- face flow of the water, and the net-work of roots carried it downward, so that the earth became saturated to a great depth. After the forests were removed, the surface flow was uninterrupted, the wash of material into the lakes and swamps was greatly increased, their- dimensions rapidly dimin- ished, and partly by these causes and partly by artificial surface drainage, many of these swamps and lakelets have been wholly obliterated. The surface along the whole of the table-land which separates the waters of the lake from the Ohio River was originally diversified by a multitude of lakes, swampsand hollows, not the result of surface erosion, but of the agencies which deposited the drift. These constituted so many reservoirs to retain the surface water, carry it deeply into the earth, and feed the springs on each side of the divide, and thus made the streams perennial. Surface channels of drainage now take the place of the subterranean channels which fed the springs. As the roots of the trees have disappeared in the cleared fields, and

the cavities which, for a time, marked their places, have become obliterated, a large percentage of the rainfall flows rapidly off into the streams, swelling them into larger dimensions than they ever for- merly attained, but at the expense of the springs which fed them in the intervals of drought. Wherever irrigation is carried out on a large scale, as it was in some parts of India before the English occupation, it must bedone by constructing just such reservoirs to hold in reserve the superfluous rainfall.

"The increased rapidity of surface evaporation is one important element in the climatic influences resulting from the destruction of the forests. Every farmer understands the marked effect of a slight mulching of the surface in retaining the moisture in the soil, and careful experiments re- ported by Franklin B. Hough, of Lowville, N. Y., in his report to the United States Commissioner of Agriculture, 'upon Forestry,' shows that the total surface evaporation, from April 1 to September 3, from a square foot of saturated earth, was-

In the open fields .. .2,174.60 cubic inches. In woods, without litter 847.03

In woods, with litter. 333.04 66

" The first would be equal to a rainfall of 15.10 inches, and the last to that of 2.31 inches. The writer of the report reaches the following general conclusions from the experiments and observations collected by him : 1. The forests alone, without litter, diminish the evaporation of water in the soil, as compared with the open fields (in the mean of two years observed), 62 per cent. 2. The litter covering in the forest diminishes the evaporation still further 22 per cent. 3. Forests and litter together reduce evaporation 84 per cent. 4. In litter-covered forests the evaporation is 60 per cent less than in uncovered forest soil (page 246).

" It is evident from all these facts, that in the summer months very little of rain except that which falls upon a wood-covered surface, can reach the sources of the springs, and that they must gradually fail as the forests are destroyed. It is probable that the full climatic effects of the re- moval of our forests are not yet seen, and that the evils will steadily increase if their destruction is continued. It is certain that the State is already dependent upon extra-territorial regions for its supply of lumber, and that very many farmers cannot obtain from their own land the timber needed for fences and other farming purposes.

"The map showing the distribution of wood lands, according to the statistics of the last census,

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HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.

assigns to the greater part of Ohio from 120 to 240 acres of wood land to the square inile, or from

three to six sixteenths of the surface. * * The partial removal of the timber has left open- ings, spontaneously occupied by native grasses, which the farmers, through a false economy, have sought to save by making the wood lands a part of their pastures. The cattle, hogs and sheep, roaming through these detached forests, are effect- ually preventing the growth of any new trees, and it is just here that the first efforts at forest culture in Ohio should be made-an effort to save the forests that remain. All seedlings, as fast as they spring up, are destroyed by domestic animals, the young trees are broken down or injured ; the undergrowth of small shrubs is destroyed, which formerly pro- tected the surface, held the fallen leaves in position, and retarded the surface flow of the water; and, unless the practice of making the forests ranges for domestic animals is abandoned, their early destruc- tion is inevitable. If a farm is overstocked, and the pastures begin to fail, it is better husbandry to turn the cattle into the standing corn, than into the forest reserves. The corn-field can be restored in a single season, but when the forest is destroyed, a hundred years are required for its full restora- tion, and a proper percentage of forests is essen- tial to the best returns from the arable and pasture lands. The lowest amount required to secure the best agricultural results from the rest, is estimated by Marsh at 25 per cent.

" The second source of our future supply of timber should be the rock-covered hills, which are fitted only for the growth of the forests. Many of these, especially in the eastern part of the State, are in sandstone formations, adapted to the growth of the chestnut, where it springs up spon- taneously, and would soon occupy the whole sur- face, if fostered and protected. The renewal of the forests on these hills can be greatly hastened by the planting of young trees in all open places, and by encouraging a dense growth of brambles, or such other shrubs as will spring up spontane- ously, to protect the slopes from washing, and secure a moist surface. To secure the introduc- tion of new trees, the seeds may be planted, as soon as ripe, in the places where they are to grow, or they may be planted in nurseries and cultivated for one, two or three years, and then transferred to the hills. As the nuts are liable to be de- stroyed by ground-squirrels and other rodents, and as most of our nut-bearing trees have long taproots which are sure to be injured in trans-

planting, the better way will be to pack the nuts, as soon as gathered, in sand or garden soil, where they will be exposed to the frosts of winter, and, in the spring, planting them in the places where the trees are to grow, or else planting them out after one year's growth in the nursery. On these rock-covered hills, the chestnut finds a congenial soil, makes a rapid growth, and, being renewed from the stump when cut, can be easily main- tained in a permanent forest. When thus grown, it is one of the most valuable trees for fence- posts and railroad ties, and, in a long series of years, can be made to yield a crop from these unproductive, rocky hills, of equal value to that obtained from ordinary arable land, while hills thus covered will be sure to furnish perennial springs at their bases, which would disappear if the hills were cleared ..

" The systematic planting of new forests re -! * * * * quires a careful study of the habits of the differ- ent forest trees, the conditions of forest growth, and a wise and provident regard for the wants of the distant future, which few are inclined to ex- hibit. * * * Some of the most obvious con- ditions of forest growth are a congenial soil and a humid condition, both of the soil and of the air, during the season of most rapid growth. In the native forests, natural selection secures the occu- pancy of the territory to the species to which the soil and the environment are the most congenial, while continued occupancy of the soil by one spe- cies or family often renders it less and less fitted for their use, and better fitted for others that are waiting to take possession ; so that a marked tend- ency to rotation, a crowding-out of the old occu- pants and the introduction of new ones, is ob- served in all forests. In mixed forests, these changes are gradual ; in forests composed of one species or family, the change is often abrupt and complete. In artificial forest culture, these tend- encies should be carefully observed and their indications followed. The species that are tending to crowd out the old occupants will be likely to succeed the best when artificially planted. * * * * >

" Forests should be planted for all uses to which our native trees, or those readily acclimated, are adapted, but the surest returns will be obtained by consulting the most obvious wants, and those which can be provided for in the shortest time. The largest permanent demand for timber of mod- erate size will be for railroad ties, and for fence posts and fencing. Fifteen millions of dollars are

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required each year for the ties for the railroads already constructed in the United States and Terri- tories, and the cost of fencing material for the whole country must be vastly in excess of this.

"The Erie Railroad Company classifies timber for ties as follows: First class-Second growth chestnut, white oak, burr oak, rock oak, black locust, and mulberry. Second class-Butternut, cherry, red cedar, white cedar, yellow cedar, South- ern cypress, black elm, rock maple, black oak, pitch pine, and black walnut. : Third class-Black birch, first growth; chestnut, Northern cypress, red elm, white hemlock, soft maple, red oak, tamarack, - and yellow pine. If the catalpa was added in first class, the list and classification might be considered as substantially correct, and where trees are planted with the main design of growing railroad ties and fencing posts, trees may well be selected substan- tially in the order above named, according as they are adapted to the locality, and the grounds to be planted.

" An equally early return may be obtained from trees planted for the purpose of producing tough timber for wagon-making, ax-helves, and other wooden ·handles, and all uses for which small pieces of strong timber are required. For these uses, hickory and white ash are best adapted, and, while generally it will probably be advisable to plant a mixed forest, a plantation exclusively of hickory can hardly fail to yield a profitable return. By selecting the most edible nuts of the shag-bark variety, planting thickly, with rows not more than four feet apart, and with the trees not more than two feet apart in the row, in a very few years the harvest may begin by cutting hoop-poles, which will be removed from the stump, and produce a continuous yield, the larger thinnings making the very best of firewood, and by the time the planta- tion commences to yield timber for the purposes indicated above, the crop of nuts will be no insig- nificant part of the returns. * *

* * *

" But there are other uses for artificially grown timber, in which the profits may be made much larger -- the growing of ornamental woods for cab- inet work and the inside finish of houses; and for this purpose there may be selected the black wal- nut, the butternut, the white ash, the chestnut, the soft maple, the catalpa for the southern half of the State, and probably some others. The arboricul- turist who will be the first to gather a harvest of well-grown trees for these uses, will find that he has received a return for his labor, in money, to an

amount which could not be equaled by any ordi- nary farm crops. The demand for such lumber, to cut into veneers, would for years exhaust the sup- ply, and prices would remain high until the market was fully stocked.

" The sugar maple is not enumerated in the list of trees given above, but the maple sugar and syrup of the future will depend upon ' sugar orchards,' artificially planted, or upon the careful protection of the seedlings in the present forest reserves. The old trees are fast dying out, and, in rare instances only, are the young trees so cared for as to render them secure. There can be but little doubt that ten or more acres of these trees, well established on a farm of ordinary size, even of a few years' growth, would add more to the salable value of the farm than the cost of planting and caring for the plantation.

" The thick planting of trees and encouraging the growth of the 'underbrush' in the forest reserves, which is now largely destroyed, will have another beneficial result in increasing the number of our small insect-eating song-birds. Within a comparatively few years, their number has been greatly diminished, and largely because of the destruction of the thickets and shrubs, which are their favorite nesting-places. Let these be per- mitted to grow in the forests, and they will again be vocal with the songs of the birds. They are also one of the natural checks to the undue increase of destructive insects, and we cannot, without great risk, dispense with their aid.

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History of Delaware County and Ohio, Part 46

Author: O. L. Baskin & Co; Perrin, William Henry, d. 1892? Publication date: 1880 Publisher: Chicago, O.L. Baskin & Co. Number of Pages: 818

Author: O. L. Baskin & Co; Perrin, William Henry, d. 1892?
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Chicago, O.L. Baskin & Co.
Number of Pages: 818