Horticulture vs. Ruts. 141 



remark, ''my father did so. and he knew," was, with very many persons, the 

 most conckisive possible defense of the rut in which they chanced to be 

 travehng; while the eftbrt to search, by reading and thought, for a better 

 way, was sneered at as book-fanning. 



In the horticultural field, on the other hand, while ruts may be found in 

 greater numbers, they are, by consequence, less clearly defined, and hence 

 the more readily avoided, and less likely to be persistently followed. Not- 

 Avithstanding these facts, it is believed to be the besetting sin of horticultur- 

 ists, in common with others, to accept conclusions at second hand, and drop 

 into one convenient or seductive rvit after another, following them implic- 

 itly, oblivious of the known and conceded fact that eminent success is only 

 gained by taking prompt and intelligent advantage of circumstances as they 

 arise, aided by a thorough and comprehensive grasp of all the conditions of 

 the ijroblem to be solved. 



In horticulture (of which modern pomology may be considered as a 

 branch), more than in most rural pursuits, success lies, very largely, in the 

 thorough mastery of a variety of not very obvious, although essential, partic- 

 ulars, and in the ability to intelligently apply them, at the right time and in 

 the proper manner. 



The recognized existence of this fact would seem to give force to the 

 assumption that, more than most other tillers of the soil, horticulturists are 

 men who do their own thinking, and hence are the more inclined to devise 

 each his own independent system of ruts. True as this may be, they, in 

 common with others, have to do with ruts that must be followed, as well as 

 with yet others which they sometimes unconsciously, and perhaps improp- 

 erly, follow. 



To illustrate : Nature has provided for certain forms of cacti a special rut, 

 out of which they are obstinately unsuccessful. Many years since an Eng- 

 lish plant grower, an expert in his calling, received one of these then novel and 

 curious plants, to be nursed and developed into bloom. Following the ste- 

 reotyped plant grower's rut, he nursed, watered and watched over it with the 

 most solicitous care, but all in vain. It persistently refused to honor his 

 etibrts, till at last wearying with the trial, he, in disgust, cast it under the 

 stage of the green-house, where, thrown upon its side, it was abandoned ; 

 when, presto! the obstinate plant found itself in the rut marked out by na- 

 ture, and soon developed into bloom! It had, under neglect, acquired the 

 arid condition indispensable to its prosperity. 



The fuchsia is one of the most attractive of ordinary conservatory or par- 

 lor plants ; but nature has located its rut in coolness and shade, and the fol- 

 lower of ruts who, in our climate, oblivious of this peculiarity, attempts to 

 compel its adaptation to a warm, sunny exposure, will need but a short time 

 to become assured that it will not take kindly to these conditions. 



We trust that no one but the /arm-horticulturist will either plant an or- 

 chard in a field of grain, or sow grain in an.orchard, with the hope to secure 

 a double crop from the same land ; and he will surely learn that, to do so, is 



