PREFACE. 



One of the most prominent authors on American Horticul- 

 ture, says in the preface to his excellent work on "Fruit and 

 Fruit Trees," "A man born in one of the largest gardens, 

 and upon the banks of one of the noblest rivers of America, 

 ought to have a natural right to talk about Fruit Trees." Our 

 Grand Sire, Adam, also first saw the light near a garden— 

 cultivated fruit there. That same garden was the source of a 

 "noble river." The author of this work was not born in a 

 garden or on the banks of a noble river; but on the 

 breezy summit of a red-land mountain in Piedmont, Vir- 

 ginia—not so high, perhaps as that mentioned in Holy 

 Writ, where all the kingdoms of the earth were shown 

 in one view, but high enough for salubrious atmosphere, and 

 for the pure air to play among the green foliage and white 

 blossoms of the waving orchards in Spring, and the bending 

 trees laden with red, striped, and golden burdens of tender, lus- 

 cious apples in Summer and Fall ; that might vie with the 

 allegorical apples of Paradise— that flouted their tempting 

 beauty and sweetness amid the groves in the garden of Eden. 



The Peach too, the melting, juicy, nectared Peach, in all 

 its perfection, grow here in the bright sun and ambient air. 

 No borer ever, in those days, presumed to work destruction 

 to its roots, or winged insects sting the soft blushing cheek of 

 its downy fruit, that hung in delicious clusters, wooing the 

 hand to reach forth and take. 



Reared amid these surroundings, the author, in the re- 

 collection' regrets the lethargy that at present pervades the 

 South in regard to fruit culture, and the degeneracy of fruits; 

 and like the celebrated author just referred to, thinks he has 

 a right to talk, and investigate the causes of both, to discuss 

 freely all other 2^oints appertaining to successful, remunera- 

 tive fruit-culture. He also hopes, from his practical know- 



