Orchard Information??

[Stonewall_Greyfox]

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I'm in search of any period information/documentation on Orchards...this would include the following; Books, Letters, Journals, Artwork, Occupational Images, Images of Orchards, and Tools.

We're in the process of building a long-term interpretive program which is in dire need of documentation, and sourcing to proceed with the long-term plan.

Thanks,

Paul B.

[Kanawha Riflemen]

Re: Orchard Information??

I am not sure if this will help you or not, try the Renfrew Museum in Waynesboro, Pa. The reason I say is because I was to catalog their farming artifacts, but the grant did not come through so this project was placed on the back burner. From what I saw they house artifacts from about the 1820's to about 1900. They may be able to assist you in your research. http://www.renfrewmuseum.org/index.php

Also try the Washington County Rural Heritage Museum. I have not visited the place, but I hear their resources are very good. http://www.ruralheritagemuseum.org/resources.htm

And try the Carroll County Farm Museum near Westminster, Maryland, operated by the Carroll County Historical Society. http://www.carrollcountyfarmmuseum.org/

Orchards in this part of Maryland and Pennsylvania are still as important today as they were during the Civil War. Even the battlefield I run for our community at Monterey Pass, we have several accounts of the orchards in the area that still exist today, so I am sure Renfrew would have some of the tools used in harvesting.

I hope the links I gave you help.

Sincerely,
John A. Miller
______________________________

“I was near the orchard fence, I "dismounted" over the fence and did some good running from that to the Pine Swamp, about one-fourth of a mile. They shot four times at me, but missed me. I heard the balls whistle over my head, as it was down hill and they shot over me." Charles Buhrman, citizen guide Monterey Pass July 4-5, 1863.

[kaelin]

Re: Orchard Information??

I would suggest a couple of books...

"Ten acres enough" written by Edmond Morris-1864

"Tarpley Wick"- cant remember the author??

"North Carolina Yeoman" the diary of Basil Armstrong Thomasson


Hope this helps out and best of luck!

[J. Donaldson]

Re: Orchard Information??

I realize you said that you're looking for "any" information, but is there a specific geographic area of particular interest?

[Stonewall_Greyfox]

Re: Orchard Information??

I realize you said that you're looking for "any" information, but is there a specific geographic area of particular interest?

To answer; Yes, and No.

Some Pards and I have undertaken a recent project in Orchard Restoration...long-term we plan to develope a well thought/well presented impression centering Orchard Care and Maintenance in the 19th century.

As most of us, are very green in this area of study, we're hungry to get our hands on ANY information we can with regards to this subject.

Specifically, we'll be looking to tailor this to the Virginia Piedmont and Shenandoah Valley...but as for now, any information (books, letters, records, tools, care, maintenance, artwork & images from the 19th century) relating to the Art and Science of Pomology, and other Fruits would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks,

Paul B.

[celtfiddler]

Re: Orchard Information??

A few possible sources:

http://www.nal.usda.gov/

National Agricultural Library, Beltsville MD

http://www.monticello.org/chp/index.html

Might be worth a shot checking with the Thomas Jefferson Center for Historic Plants

http://www.monticello.org/research/index.html

With Jefferson's interest in plants, I'd also check the Library holdings at Monticello

http://www.mountvernon.org/learn/collections/index.cfm/

I'd also get in touch with the staff at Mount Vernon

A quick google search of historic orchards virginia yielded this:

http://www.craborchardmuseum.com/

http://www.vintagevirginiaapples.com/

They have some good back round information on the varieties they grow.

[LindaTrent]

I'm in search of any period information/documentation on Orchards...this would include the following; Books, Letters, Journals, Artwork, Occupational Images, Images of Orchards, and Tools.Paul B.

The Fruit Garden: A Treatise Intended to Explain and Illustrate the ...
by Patrick Barry - Gardening - 1857 - 398 pages

The Fruit Manual: Containing the Descriptions and Synonymes of the Fruits ...
by Robert Hogg - Fruit-culture - 1860 - 280 pages

The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America: Or, The Culture, Propagation, and ... - Page xviii
by Andrew Jackson Downing - Fruit-culture - 1859 - 760 pages

Hooper's Western Fruit Book: A Compendious Collection of Facts, from the ...
by Edward James Hooper - Fruit-culture - 1857 - 333 pages

Elliott's Fruit Book: Or, The American Fruit-grower's Guide in Orchard and ...by Franklin Reuben Elliott - Fruit-culture - 1858 - 503 pages

You may also wish to contact your state archives and see if they have any seed catalogs from the era. Seedsmen also sold orchard trees and equipment.

Also some state archives, may have copies of the Agricultural Reports going back well before the CW, as well as the US Patent Office (Agricultural) Reports. Both the state and Federal reports talk a lot about caring for gardens and orchards, pests, new varieties, building hot houses, etc.

There's a ton of stuff out there. Good luck!

Linda.

[Carolann Schmitt]

Re: Orchard Information??

The Colleges of Agriculture at state land-grant universities may be able to assist with your project with sources from their libraries and archives. If you are looking at the Virginia Piedmont and Shenandoah Valley, contact Viriginia Tech; in Pennsylvania, Penn State; in New York, Cornell University (the College of Agriculture is on the land-grant 'side' of the University), etc.

[J. Donaldson]

Re: Orchard Information??

Speaking of Cornell, you might browse their Core Historical Literature of Agriculture resource on the web. It contains not only scanned primary materials, but a wealth of academic research on the broad field of agricultural itself.

http://chla.library.cornell.edu/


My only comment about Five Acres Enough is that while there is information about orchard culture in Morris's work, his intensive intercropping of the ground is, in my opinion, atypical of orchard cultivation in the period save for market gardeners on the urban fringe. Even then, Morris was a businessman-turned-farmer, and probably pursued a more intensive program than his neighbors. It's been a while since I've read the book, but that's how I remember it.