198 State Horticultural Society. 



their water-holding capacity. In the same locality there will occur wide 

 variations in the character of the soil. On a gravel or shale formation 

 fruits for early maturity should be planted. On some of the sandy loams 

 with a clay subsoil four and five tons of grapes are sometimes produced 

 per acre, but of very poor flavor, the vines growing too hearty a foliage, 

 while upon some types of clay or gravel loam less tons per acre are pro- 

 duced, but of higher flavor. A difference of one hundred per cent in 

 flavor may be met in the Niagara and Concord grapes grown upon 

 suitable or unsuitable soil, and the demand of the future will be for the 

 fruit that is possessed of the highest flavor. This will apply to apples, 

 to peaches and to other kinds of fruits. 



How is the consumer to know or to find out about the better-flavored 

 fruits which he desires to purchase, yet does not know them by name? 

 The producer can do much to aid the consumer by labeling his package 

 w^ith a description of each variety, giving its qualities, as for cooking, 

 whether acid, sub-acid, or sweet, for dessert or fine table use, as possessed 

 of exceedingly fine flavor, and such information as will help the retailer 

 and the consumer to know something definite about the fruit that is sent 

 into the market. 



The breakfast-food manufacturers understand the value of giving 

 consumers the fullest information upon the value and merits of their 

 products, and they have in a dozen years increased their sale and consump- 

 tion of these foods more than a thousand per cent by their method of 

 giving information to consumers, yet many foolish fruit growers make 

 the assertion that they cannot afford to educate the public to use a fine 

 variety of fruit. The finest flavor will usually be found to accompany 

 the highest color, and this fact is now becoming so well understood in 

 the market that color is a very important factor in determining the value 

 of fruit. 



Another very important factor in the production of fruit of high 

 color and of fine flavor is that of elevation. Low-lying land should be 

 avoided in orchard planting, as excessive moisture and poor air circulation 

 will be met with in such locations, while fungous diseases and insects 

 thrive more readily in such sheltered places. The clays and clay loams 

 retain moisture in a far greater degree than do the sandy or gravelly 

 soils. 



Moisture is an important factor in the best development and produc- 

 tion of a plant, and it needs to be ever present in the soil in sufficient 

 quantity to maintain steady growth of plant and perfect development 

 of flower and fruit. Some of the advantages of tillage are the conser- 

 vation of moisture and the destruction of all plants not desired. While 



