22 SUCCESS WITH SMALL FRUITS. 



Mr. Charles Downing, whose opinions on all horticultural 

 questions are so justly valued, remarked to me that no other 

 fruit was so affected by varying soils and climates as the 

 strawberry. I have come to the conclusion that soil, local- 

 ity, and climate make such vast differences that unless these 

 variations are carefully studied and indicated, books will 

 mislead more people than they help. A man may write a 

 treatise admirably adapted to his own farm ; but if one liv- 

 ing a thousand, a hundred, or even one mile away, followed 

 the same method, he might almost utterly fail. While 

 certain general and foundation principles apply to the culti- 

 vation of each genus of fruit, important modifications and, in 

 some instances, almost radical changes of method must be 

 made in view of the varied conditions in which it is grown. 



It is even more important to know what varieties are best 

 adapted to different localities and soils. While no expe- 

 rienced and candid authority will speak confidently and 

 precisely on this point, much very useful information and 

 suggestion may be given by one who, instead of theorizing, 

 observes, questions, and records facts as they are. The most 

 profitable strawberry of the far South will produce scarcely 

 any fruit in the North, although the plant grows well ; and 

 some of our best raspberries cannot even exist in a hot cli- 

 mate or upon very light soils. In the preparation of this 

 book it has been my aim to study these conditions, that I 

 might give advice useful in Florida and Canada, New York 

 and California, as well as at Cornwall. I have maintained 

 an extensive correspondence with practical fruit growers in 

 all sections, and have read with care contributions to the 

 horticultural press from widely separated localities. Not 

 content with this, I have visited in person the great fruit- 

 growing centres of New Jersey, Norfolk and Richmond, 

 Va. ; Charleston; S. C. ; Augusta and Savannah, Ga. ; and 



