66 



fruits which are just as well adapted to our soils, and 

 which our proximity to the best markets in the world en- 

 ables us to put into these markets fresh from the vines and 

 in condition to defeat all competition. 



I might easily write a chapter on the profits that have 

 been reported in growing fruit in New England. Some of 

 them are astounding, and I cannot think that there will 

 ever be a time that good fruit produced in New England will 

 not net its producer a fair profit. 



Russell H. Conwell, in his famous lecture, "Acres of 

 Diamonds," tells of the man who after a struggle with a 

 refractory collar button invented the lever button, and 

 made a large fortune from the royalties. He had been going 

 around all of his life with his fortune under his chin and 

 couldn't see it. Many of our New England farmers have 

 been in much the same position. They have been looking 

 away from their farms dreaming how they might make 

 their fortunes in some far off land or occupation. Many a 

 Massachusetts farm may be turned into ''Acres of Dia- 

 monds" if we but put into it all the enthusiasm, all the 

 brains and endeavor of which we are capable and make it 

 produce the best in kind and quality of fruit of which it is 

 capable. 



DISCUSSION 



Q. Do you pay by the box or by the hour? 



Mr. Putnam : By the box. 



Q. What do you pay per quart? 



Two cents. 



Q. Why do you raise the Glen Mary when you have to 

 sort one-half of them for seconds? 



It is a big yielder. The Glen Mary is a good producer. 

 I think every year that I will not plant it another year, but 

 Ido. 



Q, Is the Brandywine a good yielder? 



Fine. It also has quite a large hull and when you get a 

 big berry the hull sets the berry off and makes it look hand- 

 some. With us it has a fine color but in some parts of Con- 

 necticut the hull turns black and is not thought much of. 

 My berries go down to my local market and are sold within 

 three or four hours after they are picked. I think every- 

 one' must try out the varieties for himself. I cannot do a 



