Sullivan County Farming. 189 



sidered, it is only a secondary consideration, but consists chiefly 

 in contentment and accompanying happiness, the offspring of a 

 legitimate calling faithfully followed. 



The naturally poorest land when in its virgin state is always 

 ^ood for a while, but must eventually succumb to over-cropping, 

 unless liberally rewarded by stimulants in return for the tax 

 imposed upon it. How far this can be done, is a question en- 

 tirely dependent upon the amount of capital the owner is able 

 to invest in that direction, and must be left with him to determine. 

 It seems to be the general opinion of those who have tested 

 it that small fruit culture may be very profitably engaged! in by 

 anyone having the requisite quantity of land under a good state 

 of cultivation. When once properly started, small fruits do not 

 require any extraordinary amount of labor to keep them in a 

 l)roper state of cultivation. Strawberries, although a delicious 

 fruit and always saleable iu season, require too much attention 

 to make them profitable, unless they can be put in the market 

 very early in the season, which cannot be successfully done in 

 our latitude. The most reliable and best payers are raspberries, 

 currants, blackberries and gooseberries. The last two require 

 the least attention annually to secure a crop. So far these two 

 have received but little attention in this section, but as their 

 nutritive qualities are becoming better understood, they are fast 

 coming into public favor. 



Darwin, in his theory of environment and evolution, tells us 

 that the fittest always survives, I accept no such view, for I 

 have in my own limited sphere observed facts which contradict 

 such an assertion. If he had said the strongest, he would, in 

 most instances, have come nearer the truth. This is observable 

 in the animal kingdom, the more powerful and ferocious preying 

 on the more docile and domestic species. 



Turning our eyes to the vegetable kingdom, we are met with 

 the same condition of things, with but this difference — if we 

 would preserve the fittest, that is the most essential — we must 

 assist nature in developing her resources, promote their growth. 

 Unquestionably all the varied and beantifnl flowers which adorn 



