474 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Oft. Doc. 



it is easj to waste energy and capital trying to make a region pro- 

 duce something for which it is not adapted, and that it pays to seek 

 out and do the adapted things. They illustrate clearly the profits 

 that may arise from basing an industry on one of the most striking 

 natural adaptations of this state — the adaptation to tree growth. 

 They show that many farms in our state, useless or of indifferent 

 success in general farming, can be made remarkably profitable in the 

 production of fruit. 



But these are not the only indications of the fact that fruit- 

 growing in Pennsylvania is a good business proposition. In 1899, 

 the last year upon which we have definite figures, Pennsylvania was 

 the third state in the Union in the total value of fruit. In apples, 

 the leading fruit of America, Pennsylvania ranked second, with over 

 24,000 bushels, nearly all of which came from home orchards. And 

 although the state was excelled by New York in total yield, yet 

 in average yield of apples, Pennsylvania excelled the latter by 

 nearly one-half bushel per tree. Pennsylvania has been called the 

 ''home of the sweet cherry," so as we should expect, in the produc- 

 tion of cherries, this state ranked first with nearly 475,000 bushels. 

 In grapes, pears and raspberries it was fourth; in currants, seventh; 

 in blackberries, eleventh; in plums and prunes, and in strawberries, 

 thirteenth; and in peach, sixteenth. These positions are all the more 

 striking when it is realized that by far the major portion of this 

 fruit was grown in home orchards receiving only "home orchard 

 care," with the consequent reduction in value which, we know too 

 well, accompanies such care. If these results can be obtained under 

 such conditions, what may be expected from properly located com- 

 merial orchards handled in a business-like way? 



But some one inquires, "is not the occupation too exacting, does 

 it make good return per unit of labor, and are not the returns 

 slow in coming in?" We answer that it is exacting; that in good 

 fruit growing certain things must be done, and done at the right 

 times; thait the only safe motto is the one followed by the pests 

 and bugs, which is "be ready," and that it requires wider informa- 

 tion, a greater keenness of observation, and more ability to adapt 

 action to immediate conditions than almost any other calling. Hence 

 the occupation should not be chosen by any one "who is afraid he 

 won't like it." But for the man possessing the above qualities, who 

 is not afraid of a contest, and is not easily shaken from his pur- 

 poses, it is an occupation that has few rivals either in financial re- 

 turns, or what is of greater importance — in promoting the develop- 

 ment of the individual. There are no keener nor better men than 

 some I have met among Pennsylvania fruit growers. There are 

 few better solutions to the problem of keeping the boys on the farm 

 than to get them interested in the production of fruit. To know a 

 fruit farm, in all its details of soils, and varieties and inhabitants 

 and to be able to manipulate them is a liberal education. 



As to the returns-per-unit-of-labor, we may say that in Erie 

 county, the grape business regularly returns from |50 to |150 per 

 acre with an outlay that we are informed is scarcely greater than 

 that involved in raising an acre of corn. In the same county last 

 year goose berries are reliably reported to have produced no less 



