Iruit Cultuu in Mtstcni f^to |arL 



-jjgllll|3^RUIT is rapidly becoming one of the staple productions of 

 Western New York. Both climate and soil have proved 

 highly favorable to its cultivation. Apples, Pears, Peaches, 

 Plums, Quinces, and all the small fruits, are produced in 

 the highest perfection, and, if we except Peaches, which 

 of late have been somewhat uncertain, the crops veiy sel- 

 dom fail. Beside, there exists the most ample facilities for 

 marketing that could possibly be desired. The face of the 

 country is divided and subdivided in all directions with 

 1^^ railroads and canals, between the lakes and the great cities 

 '^■^ on the sea-board. This consideration is one of no tritling 

 importance, because the abundance of our crops or the excellence of our fruits would 

 avail but little, for commerce, without adequate means of conveying them to market. 

 On this account, large orchards were formerly confined to the neighborhood of towns 

 and villages offering a local market. Now local markets are held to be of very little 

 account by extensive growers. The most extensive orchardists in the vicinity of 

 Rochester seldom dispose of any considerable portion of their fruits in that citj^, the 

 local demand being supplied by those who have but small quantities to spare over and 

 above the wants of their families. 



Another reason why fruit-culture is extending rapidly in Western New York, is that 

 the Wheat crop — the great farm staple of this region — has for some years past been 

 diminishing in value, on account of the extensive ravages of the Weevil. Hundreds, yes, 

 thousands of acres of land in the valley of the Genesee, which has heretofore yielded the 

 far-famed Genesee Wheat, the finest in the world, will this year be cropped with Hj/e. 



To these causes we must add the rivalry of the Western States in grain-growing, 

 now that railroads" have brought them into such close jjroximity. The difterence at 

 this day in the price of a bushel of wheat between Buffalo and the upper lake ports, is 

 greatly reduced from its former standard ; and this reduction is all in favor of the 

 western fsirmer. This very fact is attracting a large number of our most enterprising 

 New York cultivators to the cheap, unexhausted lands of the new States ; and thus our 

 agricultural population is actually diminishing. 



On all these accounts, the necessity of making some change has become obvious to 

 many of the New York agriculturists, and what can better answer their purpose than 

 fruit-culture ? We answer, nothing, and for the reasons we have already given, to wit, 

 the fitness of their soil and climate, and their highly eligible position. All that is 

 necessary to complete success, is the exercise of energy and perseverance, combined 

 with skillful and judicious management. We oftered some hints in our last number, 

 which we think may be profitably read in this connection. 



Famous as tlie "Genesee country" is for its fruit production, yet in this very count 

 much has yet to be learned, not only respecting the culture of fruits, but their gath 



May 1, 1855. 



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