TRANSACTIONS OF THE ALTON- SOUTHEEN 



WHAT FRUITS AEE MOST PROFITABLE IN OUR LOCALITY? 

 was opened by Mr. Jackson with the following paper: 



Mr. President: I received a letter from the Secretary some 

 time ago reminding rae, among other things, that I was expected 

 to have a paper on "What Fruits are Most Profitable in This 

 Locality." 



From the statement of the question it seems implied that there 

 are some kinds of fruits profitable. If so, I hardly know what they 

 are. If the question could be determined by the quantity raised or 

 by the amount of land devoted to the purpose, I should say that the 

 strawberry would answer the question alone. It and the apple are 

 more generally grown than any other kinds of fruits. The apple 

 has strong advocates in some of the prominent members of this 

 Society, and to them I presume it is more profitable than any other 

 crop. 



But, Mr. President, there are other fruits that are not so gener- 

 ally grown as the above that are more or less profitable to the fruit- 

 growers (probably the latter) and may be classed in the following 

 order: Blackberry and raspberry, pear and plum. These all bring 

 more or less grist to the horticultural mill, but I must admit that 

 for some time past the toll has taken the greater part of the grist. 



While it is true that fruit has been unusually low, other things 

 have been low also; ask the farmer, the doctor, the mechanic, the 

 laborer; and, above all, ask the commission man. All cry hard 

 times; judging from my own experience, the fruit growers as a class 

 have done as well as others, and perhaps better. 



The above question might, and I have no doubt it was, a very 

 easy question to ask at the beginning of the year, but it is a very 

 hard one to answer now. I think it is barely possible that there are 

 some who are better able to answer this question than I am. How- 

 ever, I am expected to answer it from a professional standpoint, and 

 from personal experience I should place the strawberry first; othei'S 

 as before mentioned. I do not grow apples. 



I expect that there are members of this Society whose views and 

 experience may be directly opposed to mine; their circumstances and 

 surroundings may be different. I have answered the question pro- 

 posed according to my conviction and in good faith, and I think that 

 I am right. 



In conclusion I would say that I intend to keep on planting as 

 heretofore, increasing a little every year, hoping and expecting that 

 the other ''fellow " is going to quit, the very uncertainty of the 

 thing goading me on. I shall, however, plant more largely of the 

 kinds that others seem to be dropping; this way of proceeding will, I 

 think, to a certain extent, solve the question of "what kind of fruits 



