14 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



The hour has come for the lecture which is on our pro- 

 gramme for this morning. I am happy to introduce to you 

 Prof. S. T. Maynard, of the Massachusetts Agricultural 

 College, who will speak to us on fruit culture in Massa- 

 chusetts. 



FRUIT CULTURE IN MASSACHUSETTS. 



BY PROF. S. T. MAYNARD OF AMHERST. 



One of the most important productions of the soil of 

 Massachusetts is its fruit crop. With a rough soil, not easily 

 cultivated, it produces fruit of the finest color and best 

 quality. Upon her high hills the peach and apple thrive, — on 

 high southern slopes the grape reaches its greatest perfection. 

 The pear, plum and quince grow well in its valleys, while 

 upon the smooth plain, land easily cultivated, the small 

 fruits are successfully grown. An abundant supply of fruit 

 should be found upon the table of every farmer. It 

 quickens the appetite and gives zest to other kinds of food. 

 There is much pleasure to be derived from its cultivation 

 and it is especially attractive to the young. Give the boys a 

 hand in its cultivation, let them have a part of the income 

 from its sale, and fewer young men will leave the farm. 



The importance of the fruit crop in our State can be best 

 understood by a comparison with that of other branches of 

 agricultural industry. 



We find, by consulting the census of 1875, that the total 

 income derived from the sale of fruit for that year amounted 

 to nearly $3,000,000. For the same year the value of the 

 market garden crop, including all vegetables grown upon 

 the farm, except the potato, was only $2,500,000. The 

 butter product was valued at $2,747,878 ; the corn crop, 

 $1,000,000 ; the potato crop, $2,349,205. 



Since 1875 the production of fruit has increased very 

 rapidly, but prices have diminished to such an extent that 

 the profits derived from the crop have largely been reduced. 

 This is shown by the following figures, which I have obtained, 

 in part, from the advanced sheets of the census of 1885, 

 through the kindness of the chief of the Labor Bureau^ 

 Carroll D. Wright: — 



