40 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



branch of rural economy, the following short extracts may be 

 given. 



An intelligent farmer of Franklin County, writes as follows : — 

 " The cultivation of fruit is prospectively most important to 

 the farmer's interest, and the farmers are just beginning to 

 learn it j there is no other way by which land can be made so 

 profitable as by raising fruit, and our land is well adapted to 

 the cultivation." 



The same may be said of some parts of the county of Wor- 

 cester, where " fruit of all kinds has, within the. last fifteen 

 years, received great attention, and been attended with most 

 beneficial results, yielding to the farmer the most net profit of 

 any thing that he could cultivate. Choice apples are raised in 

 great abundance — except this year, the new edition of worms 

 has produced almost an entire failure." 



Another* from the same county, writes : — " Great attention 

 has been paid to the cultivation of fruit, particularly the 

 apple, within the last few years. The soil is peculiarly 

 adapted to fruit of all kinds, it being a deep yellow loam, 

 and the surface grealty diversified. Peaches are gen- 

 earlly, and in some instances, extensively cultivated. Pear 

 culture is receiving very much attention, and quinces are 

 raised, more or less, by every body. With many farmers 

 the profits of the farm have doubled within the last ten 

 years." 



In the county of Middlesex, also, the farmers are paying 

 greatly increased attention to this subject, and find it profitable 

 to do so. A correspondent writes as follows : — " Consider- 

 able attention is given to the cultivation of fruit. There 

 arc some valuable old orchards, producing the Baldwin and 

 Hunt Russet in abundance. Great numbers of young apple 

 trees have been set within the last six years, and are receiving 

 excellent care by careful pruning and the (instant cultivation 

 of the ground. Garden fruits, such as peaches, pears, plums, 

 currants, gooseberries, blackberries and raspberries, have also 

 recently received a degree of attention unknown here, until 

 within a few years. There is no doubt among our cultivators 

 but that these fruits materially increase the profits of the 

 farm." 



