11 



Tliin your bearing trees. It is not until lately that we 

 have come to realize how essential this is as an orchard prac- 

 tice. Begin the latter part of June, when the fruits are about 

 the size of walnuts ; pick off all wormy or inferior fruits ; see 

 to it that the trees can carry their load. If one thinning is 

 not sufficient, keep at it. This is the way that the westerner 

 grows 85 to 90 per cent of extra fancy box fruit. It is the 

 best paying proposition in fruit growing that I know of, and 

 yet one of the least practiced. !N"ew England fruit should be 

 picked with care, and always placed in boxes, not barrels. 

 The westerner considers twenty-five boxes a good day's work ; 

 we generally require considerably more. There is no ques- 

 tion in my mind, commission men to the contrary, but that 

 we should try to establish a box trade for our best grades of 

 fruit, pack it with extreme care, wrap the fruit, and label it 

 as to grade, number of apples, variety and name of grower. 

 The west.erners use the grades, extra fanc}^ fancy and 

 choice ; with us only the first two should be placed in boxes, 

 the poorer grades in barrels. 



Of course, this change cannot all be made at once ; certain 

 trade will still require first-class fruit in barrels,, and must be 

 catered to. In time, however, I look to see all our fancy 

 higher quality fruit in boxes, for the simple reason that the 

 consumer demands it. There is less chance for deceit, and 

 it is a much more convenient size to handle. 



I have spoken principally of the apple, because it is the 

 king of fruits, all points considered. There are just as good 

 chances in Xew England cultivating the peach, pear, quince, 

 sour cherries, grape and many small fruits if attention is 

 given to location. What has been said about the apple in 

 many respects applies to these others as well. This is one of 

 the strong points about Xew England fruit-growing possi- 

 bilities, — that its opportunities are not confined to the culti- 

 vation of one fruit alone, — for within its boundaries one 

 may find suitable places to grow almost any fruit that will 

 grow in the temperate zone, according to one's preferences 

 and capabilities. There are some who fear the small grower 

 cannot hold his o^^m with some of the larger developments 

 contemplated. I do not share this view. The one who comes 



