Fruit-Growing Industries. 127 



orchards, something is fundamental!}^ wrong ; and fundamentals 

 can not be changed in a da}'. 



In the nature of the tree there is no reason why it should not 

 bear more or less continuously. On the Cornell grounds is a 

 Stark apple tree which was planted in 1890. It is in rich ground 

 and has had good care. It is as large as most trees are at twelve 

 years. It has borne five consecutive crops. In 1896 it bore two 

 barrels of first-quality graded apples ; in 1897 it had nearly as 

 many ; in 1898 it bore three barrels. 



Varieties. — There is a decided tendency in this country to limit 

 closeh' the number of varieties of any fruit when setting a 

 plantation. Some of the most successful fruit-growers would 

 limit the varieties of apples, pears or strawberries to three or 

 four. Yet, as a matter of fact, the really good varieties of any 

 fruit are usually numbered by scores, sometimes by hundreds, 

 and valuable novelties are always being introduced. Here, then, 

 is a conflict. If the advice of fruit-growers is to be followed, it 

 would seem that the introduction of novelties is unnecessary ; 

 and yet without novelties, progress in varieties is impossible. 



It is true that varieties should be few in most plantations, but 

 the reason is that most American fruit-growers are raising fruits 

 for the general or open markets ; and in these markets, uniform- 

 ity of product is almost imperative. But if it is fatal to grow 

 many varieties when the world's markets are in view, it may be 

 equally unsatisfactor}' to grow very few varieties when special or 

 personal markets are in view. 



I believe that the tendency is to go too far in the reduction of 

 varieties. We are reducing fruit-growing to a single ideal and 

 are thereb}- increasing the competition in that direction. There 

 are varieties for different uses, different soils, and different 

 geographical regions ; and a variety which .fails in every region 

 but one, may still be worth introducing. It is the commonest 

 mistake to recommend a varietv for anv reo^ion merelv because 

 it thrives in some other region. Because the Ben Davis is 

 eminently successful in the mid-continental region, is no reason 

 for supposing that it will be equally good in New York ; in fact, 

 it is a presumption against its thriving equally well in New 

 York, for a variety rarely does equally well everywhere. A 



