THE ORCHARD. 183 



summer and early autumn fruits, or such as require to be 

 consumed immediately after maturity, and are unfit for 

 distant transportation. Early apples and pears only will 

 be profitable for him, because the autumn and winter va- 

 rieties can be sent so easily from the most distant portions 

 of the interior, with such facilities as our present system 

 of railroads, plank-roads, canals, and steamboats afford. 

 In addition to early apples and pears, his position gives 

 him great advantages for the profitable culture of all the 

 stone fruits, gooseberries, currants, raspberries, grapes, 

 and such soft fruits, when intended to be disposed of in a 

 raw state. 



The market grower of the interior will find his most 

 profitable culture to be principally autumn and winter 

 apples and pears, to which he may add quinces, and, if the 

 climate and soil be favorable, the grape, because all these 

 can be packed and transported to a great distance with 

 safety ; and the comparative cheapness of his lands enables 

 him to compete advantageously with those more favora- 

 bly situated in regard to market. He can only cultivate 

 the summer fruits with a view to drying or preserving, or 

 for the supply of a local demand. All orchard fruits, in- 

 tended for profitable orchard culture, should be, first, in 

 regard to the trees, hardy, vigorous, and productive. The 

 fruits should be of good size, fair appearance, good keep- 

 ers, and of good quality. It should be borne in mind 

 that many of the best fruits are very unprofitable for 

 general market culture. Under certain circumstances 

 this may not be the case, as, for example, in the neigh- 

 borhood of such a city as London, or Paris, or even New 

 York, or Boston. A class of people is to be found in 

 such places who will pay almost any price for extra fine 

 fruits. Where apples can be sold for $2 per bushel, pears 

 at $1 per dozen, grapes at $1 per pound, and other fine 

 fruits in proportion, growers are warranted in cultivating 

 very choice sorts, even if they be difficult to manage and 



