SECRETARY'S REPORT. 39 



in 1801, having enjoyed many years the fruits of his labors. 

 Grafted trees were now and then obtained from another State, 

 where somewhat greater attention had been paid to raising 

 them ; and a few orchards, nearly fifty years old, now bear some 

 good fruit, notwithstanding the neglect and abuse of subse- 

 quent owners. 



In the cultivation of fruit on the farms of this State, with 

 reference to profit, the few great staple varieties are mostly 

 relied on, while the choicer and more delicate kinds, which re- 

 quire much time and care to bring them to perfection, are left, 

 for the most part, to the horticulturist, who is fully able to 

 supply the limited demand for them. 



To make such fruits profitable to the farmer, he should deal 

 directly with the consumer. As things are, the producer often 

 gets less than his proportion of the price paid, while the con- 

 sumer, on the other hand, frequently pays far more than h.e ought- 

 It is the more common varieties of fruit, therefore, for which 

 there is, and always will be, a good demand, that are grown on 

 the farm. 



Fortunately, the habits and character of these varieties are 

 now pretty well known, and the farmer can judge which of them it 

 is most for his interest to grow. He knows, for instance, that 

 certain apples, as the Baldwin, produce in alternate years, and 

 then very abundantly ; so much so, indeed, that the market is 

 overstocked, and prices fall. The intelligent farmer would 

 naturally make his calculations with reference to these facts, 

 and avoid such casualties by selecting for his orchards such 

 apples as the Hubbardston Nonesuch, the Minister, or others of 

 equal value, wliich will find a ready sale when the Baldwin and 

 similar varieties are selling at the lowest prices. 



The fact that these things sometimes occur, does not prove 

 that fruit is not profitable, as is sometimes argued. If any one 

 fails to make by it, he should rather consider it as an indica- 

 tion of some want of prudence or foresight on his part, and 

 though he may not be willing to see or acknowledge it himself, 

 it will still be evident to all who look on with a full knowledge 

 of the fruit market. 

 . To show how great attention is now devoted to this pleasant 



