66(5 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



east and west come reports of extensive orchard plantations; and 

 not from this country alone, (be same is true of nearly all the British 

 colonics. 



Fruit growing has passed out of the amateur stage, it is now a com- 

 mercial proposition of large proportions. 



Owing to the extensive home market afforded by our numerous 

 mining and manufacturing towns, and excellent railroad facilities 

 for reaching them, we in Pennsylvania have heretofore cared very 

 little about the general market. Our fruit is practically unknown 

 outside the borders of our State, although, according to the last cen- 

 sus, we grow 24,000,000 bushels of apples, 300,000 bushels of peaches, 

 and 434,000 bushels of pears annually, besides plums, grapes and 

 small fruits in great abundance. Our own people consume this im- 

 mense crop, and in addition many train loads of fruit are shipped in 

 from New Jersey, Delaware, New York and Michigan. But we too 

 are beginning to plant largely. The greatest activity is shown in 

 this South Mountain district. I expect in the near future to see 

 these hills covered with flourishing fruit trees, forming one large 

 apple and peach orchard, extending from the Susquehanna at Har- 

 risburg to the Maryland line, so that notwithstanding our excellent 

 home market in a very short time large quantities of our fruits will 

 be placed on the general market. We will then have to meet the 

 competition of the whole fruit growing world. There are a few 

 points we should bear in mind just at this time: 



I. It is of the utmost importance that we plant our trees in the 

 right place; that is, in deep, well drained soil, so that they may have 

 a chance to do their best. 



II. We should localize and centralize the different varieties, each 

 where it has been known to develop its maximum quality. 



Prof. Craig illustrates this point by refering to the quality of 

 Gravenstein apples grow r n in the Anapolis Valley of Nova Scotia: 

 "The quality of the fruit, coupled with its vigor and productiveness, 

 has probably done more to advertise the fruit-growing regions of 

 Nova Scotia in the European world than any other factor. So also 

 the Fameuse apple and its allies in the upper valley of the St. Law- 

 rence. The Northern Spy in Western New York, near Lake On- 

 tario," and I think we may also add the York Imperial in the South 

 Mountain region of Pennsylvania. 



In the Western and Southern states large corporations have been 

 organized and heavily capitalized for the purpose of growing fruit. 

 I believe, however, that in Pennsylvania fruit will be supplied not 

 by the large corporations so much as by individual growers. Per- 

 sonally I have always been an advocate of the little farm w r ell tilled. 

 The percentage of profit is greater and the quality of the product 

 usually better. But in order to compete in the general market with 

 organized capital, these individual growers should co-operate in 

 marketing their fruit; an organization should be effected in each 

 fruit district. The prospective growers should carefully consider 

 the proper locations for the various orchards. Then they should de- 

 cide upon the varieties to be planted, and the whole district should 

 confine itself to two or three, certainly not more than four varieties, 

 that succeed perfectly in that place. They should then enter upon a 

 careful systematic study of the markets at home and abroad, with 



