INTRODUCTION. 



9 



"An eminent horticulturist of Massachusetts has practi- 

 cally found that pears, by carefully selecting a rotation of 

 kinds as to their period of maturity, may be placed on the 

 table every day in the year in their naturally ripened condi- 

 tion. But this extreme success is not necessary. It is only 

 important to preserve in some form, the fruits of the summer 

 and fall, until they are succeeded by the productions of re- 

 turning spring. October finds us gathering grapes and apples 

 and pears and peaches from the branch, and May renews 

 the rotation with the strawberry crop. 



"And as far as small fruits and the preservation of all 

 kinds are concerned, we find an additional inducement to 

 their culture in the adaptation of women and children to fill 

 most of the employments involved in the pursuit. There 

 seems to me, therefore, no sufiicient reason why the small 

 cottager should not, in Virginia and in most of the Southern 

 States, as well as in France, surround himself with these 

 healthy and delightful products of our soil; and high conside- 

 rations of patriotism suggest that every inducement of pre- 

 cept and example, encouraged by the gratuitous distribution 

 of trees, vines, plants and cuttings in a small way, should be 

 held out to this class of our people, to invite them to this 

 branch of horticulture. 



"If there is anything in these considerations, they present 

 encouragement to us to devote a share of our time and atten- 

 tion and labor to the culture everywhere, and by all, of some 

 varieties of fruit, without stopping to enquire whether they 

 will pay as an article of trade, if we can economically con- 

 sume them at home. We commend this view of horticulture 

 to the earnest consideration of the people of the South and 

 other portions of our country ; and trust that while we are 

 active in seeking out and distributing information to encour- 

 age the vigneron and fruit-grower for market, we shall not 

 forget, by 'line upon line and precept upon precept,' to en- 

 force upon our people of all conditions and everywhere, to 

 plant and carefully cultivate the best fruits adapted to their 

 climate, wants and appliances.'' 



The great pleasure and profit arising from a choice coUec- 



