408 



SELECT FRUITS FOR THE NORTH. 'T 



The first inquiry here is, what will best 

 suit our soil and climate ; second, the fla- 

 vor of the fruit, or its value for the kitchen ; 

 third, its productiveness ; fourth, the health 

 and thriftiness of the tree. 



The Jefferson Plum, among other fruits, 

 has fruited Avith me for two years past. It 

 is highly valuable on this river, proves to 

 be productive, and justifies all you say of it 

 in your work on "Fruits and Fruit Trees." 

 I think it has no superior in the plum cata- 

 logue. 



The selections made by my correspond- 

 ents would, as you are aware, be essentially 

 varied were the}' to select for other portions 

 of the United States. When other new 

 varieties shall have shown fruit, and been 

 fully proved and tried, we shall be able to 

 select a more perfect catalogue of hardy 

 trees and plants for the north ; and I trust 

 that our march of improvement will be 

 rapidly onward. Respectfully yours. 



Henry Little. 



Bangor, Maine, Jan. id, 1S48. 



CIRCULAR. 



Bangor, Dec. 20, 1847. 



If " time is money," it may be said that 

 economy in the use of time and means is 

 money. Endeavoring to practice upon this 

 principle, I have for several years been at 

 considerable pains to introduce to the peo- 

 ple, in this part of the state of Maine, the 

 choicest varieties of such fruits as facts and 

 experience have indicated to be best suited 

 to our soil and climate. Knowing that 

 much still remains to be done, I would 

 avail myself of such additional experience 

 as those engaged in cultivating fruits can 

 furnish me. My object now, is to ascertain 

 Avhat fruits are best adapted to the soil and 

 climate of Maine, New-Hampshire, Ver- 

 mont, the northern part of New-York, New- 

 Brunswick and the Canadas. Also, to in- 

 quire in what kind of soil your orchard or 



nursery is planted. Our Bangor soil is a 

 gravelly and clayey loam ; the clay often 

 preponderating. 



If you were restricted to only three ap- 

 ple trees, what varieties would you select 

 for your location ? 



If restricted to six trees, what varieties ? 



If restricted to twelve trees, what varie- 

 ties ? 



What number of sweet apple trees would 

 you plant to the hundred ? 



Pear, plum and cherry trees, and goose- 

 berry plants, the same questions through- 

 out except the last. 



Have you cultivated (unprotected) with 

 success any one or more varieties of the 

 peach, quince, grape, or other valuable fruits 

 not here enumerated, that will stand the ri- 

 gors of our climate ? If so, please name 

 them, and the varieties. 



Do 3^ou cultivate the White Dutch Cur- 

 rant, Myatt's Victoria, Downing's Colossal 

 and Wilmot's Early Red Rhubarb? If so, 

 what is your estimate of each of them ? 

 What three varieties of strawberries do you 

 consider best for our climate ? Respect- 

 fully yours. Hekry Little. 



Col. Little has sent us the replies to the 

 foregoing circular, embodying a considera- 

 ble amount of valuable information for the 

 northern fruit grower. We would very 

 cheerfully print these answers entire, did 

 they not require more space than we have 

 at our disposal for a subject which, though 

 largely important at the north, is less inte- 

 resting to our numerous readers in other 

 parts of the Union. We shall, therefore, 

 be obliged to content our readers by pre- 

 senting an epitome of the experience and 

 opinions of the gentlemen who have replied 

 to Col. Little's circular. 



One of the veteran cultivators of Maine 

 is the Hon. Ephraim Goodale, of Orring- 



