114 BUI.I.ETIN 153- 



I. America is a Land of Fruits. 



The fruit-growing interest}? of the United States are very large 

 and are rapidly expanding. Of some fruits we are already 

 raising more than we consume, and we therefore find a mar- 

 ket abroad ; and if we are to compete in foreign markets, we 

 should know something of the conditions under w^hich the 

 fruits of our competitors are growm. In other words, it is impor- 

 tant that we understand why America is aland of fruits. 



1. America is a land of fruits because, for one thing, its 

 agriculture is so recent and so little bound by tradition, that the 

 farmer feels himself free to discard old and unprofitable enter- 

 prises for new and relatively profitable ones. 



In the unrest w'hich has come from agricultural depression, 

 the newer and less-worked business of fruit-growing asserts 

 itself over the old-time agriculture. It does not follow^ how- 

 ever, that fruit-growing will continue to be the more lucrative 

 business. In fact, it is possible that it may come to be over- 

 crowTled. But its rise has relieved the over-worked old-line 

 farming, and, as a whole, has been a blessing both to those 

 w^ho went into it and to those w^ho remained out of it ; and it has 

 exerted a most important secondary influence in diffusing new 

 knowledge and thereby in educating the people. 



2. Again, North America is the leading fruit-growing country 

 of the world because large areas are available for the business. 



Fruits are grown on a large base, and in wholesale 

 quantities. This means that they are grown cheapl}^ and that 

 the product is of sufficient quantity and uniformity to attract the 

 attention of the market. This is illustrated in a smaller way 

 by comparing the two sides of the continent : Californian fruit 

 is often able to drive the eastern fruits from their own markets 

 because it is in larger and more uniform supply and thereby 

 controls the market. It is the large base upon which American 

 fruit-growang is established which enables it to enter European 

 markets. 



3. Political and social conditions are essentially uniform in all 

 parts of the country, allowing of a free interchange and com- 

 parison of ideals and methods. 



