258 THE PEOPLE'S FARM AND STOCK CYCLOPEDIA. 



a different locality, for climate and soil may totally change the 

 character of a fruit. The Northern Spy is a good illustration 

 of this. In Michigan, Northern Ohio, and New York, I find it 

 an excellent keeper, and one of the very best winter apples, 

 while on our limestone soil in South-western Ohio, it is a fall 

 apple, and comes in at a season when the market is glutted and 

 prices at the lowest. A little thought will show how important 

 it is for the farmer who expects to make money by fruit grow- 

 ing, to not only have a general knowledge of the business, but 

 also to understand thoroughly the peculiarities of his own local- 

 ity. He must also understand how to market, as it is not 

 always the best fruit that will give the greatest profit. A red 

 apple of inferior quality will out sell a much better one that 

 has a dull color, and an apple of the greatest excellence, is 

 often a shy or irregular bearer. A fruit well adapted to can- 

 ning is always in demand, but one unsuited to this purpose will 

 find comparatively few customers. For example, when the 

 "Wild Goose Plum" was first introduced, I bought some of the 

 fruit and had it cooked, and found that though it was of very 

 pleasant flavor raw, it was sour and acrid when cooked. I wrote 

 an article for the agricultural press cautioning fruit growers 

 against planting it largely, and giving my reasons. The article 

 was replied to by a prominent nurseryman in the Miami Valley, 

 who took issue with me, and greatly praised the fruit as one 

 that would give great and sure profit. Six years later I noticed 

 in a report of a meeting of horticulturists, this same nursery- 

 man conceded the very points I had made, and advised against 

 planting it. Two orchards of this fruit set out in my neighbor- 

 hood were cut down within ten years without giving a dollar 

 profit. Under each kind of fruit I shall give a list of general 

 excellence, but wish it distinctly understood that judgment 

 must be used by the individual. 



Planting an Orchard. With young, healthy trees, of 

 good varieties selected, you are ready to plant, and to this work 

 be sure and give your personal supervision. The land should be 

 broken up beforehand, as you can not grow good trees in a 

 wheat or grass field, and it is more difficult to plow the land 



