state; pomologicai, society. 179 



tute meeting and I was speaking of the advantage of thinning 

 fruits, that is thinning an apple tree, picking off the fruit. Well, 

 three or four years after I was in the state again and some one 

 came up to me, a stranger to me, and said : "I was at such a 

 place, such a time, when you were there and you were telling 

 us something about thinning fruit, and I went home and I tried 

 it on a part of one tree, and you have no idea the difference it 

 made in the looks of the fruit." "Yes, I do, that is just what I 

 was telling you." And I felt well paid by what that man said 

 to me. I thought that I had done something that had done some 

 one some good. And if you never have tried that, when you 

 have a crop of fruit, try it and you will be surprised in the differ- 

 ence it will make in the looks of your fruit. It isn't the amount 

 of fruit — it is to grow good fruit. And it isn't to set out more 

 trees, many of us, but to give better care to our trees and 

 produce better fruit on those trees. I will simply say to those 

 who are going into the fruit business, don't try to do too much, 

 but grow more on a little space, — because things are changing 

 even in the time that I can remember, and I am not so very old 

 yet, I hope — conditions have almost entirely changed and just 

 now those that don't understand the situation may be discour- 

 aged in going into the fruit business, with the insects and dis- 

 eases that we have to contend with. But let me tell you this, 

 don't get frightened. It is the best time for anybody who is 

 willing to go into fruit to go into it now, understanding that he 

 has got to grow the fruit; it won't grow itself; because those 

 who will not take care of the fruit are going to be driven out 

 of the business, and those that are willing to pay the price are 

 going to get returns for their investment. Don't be afraid of 

 the insects, the gypsy, or the brown-tail, or the San Jose scale. 

 We were never floored yet and we never will be. When the 

 San Jose scale first appeared in the eastern states, the fruit 

 growers were alarmed and didn't know but what they had got 

 to go out of the business. But as time has gone on they have 

 found that they can control the scale. If you don't do it, you 

 are poor and for that reason ; these careless growers are going 

 soon to be out of the business, and your markets are going to 

 be more clear of this refuse, cheap fruit ; you are going to have 

 the markets to yourself. Fruit growing is to become a specialty. 

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