FRUIT CULTUEE. 17 



The price of apples is given for both years as not far 

 from 50 cents per bushel. For the past few years it can- 

 not have averaged much over 30 cents per bushel. 



In the city of Springfield the average prices were as fol- 

 lows : — Apples, 1875, 58 cents per bushel ; apples, 1885, 20 

 cents per bushel; pears, 1875, $3.00 per bushel; pears, 

 1885, $1.00 per bushel; grapes, 1875, 10 cents per pound; 

 grapes, 1885, 5 cents per pound; strawberries, 1875, 17 

 cents per quart; strawberries, 1885, 9 cents per quart. 



In order to make this paper as practical as possible, and 

 afford more material for discussion, I will outline the most 

 important points to be considered in the successful cultiva- 

 tion of each fruit. 



The Apple. 



1875. No. of ti-ees, 1,801,244; yield, 3,254,957 bush.; value, $1,450,256. 

 1885. ■' " 2,507,468; " 4,545,550 " " 1,174,452. 



The apple stands at the head of the fruit list, not only 

 from the fact that it yields the largest income and produces 

 the greatest amount of food material, but that it will grow 

 upon a greater variety of soil, and thrive better under con- 

 ditions of neglect than any other fruit. 



There is no locality in the world where fruit of such 

 color, flavor and long-keeping qualities are produced as in 

 the so-called "apple belt," which extends from Connecti- 

 cut to Southern Canada. It requires for its best develop- 

 ment a deep, moist soil, with an abundance of plant food. 

 It cannot be expected, however, that such a soil will con- 

 tinue to produce crops of large fine fruit unless we return to 

 it annually an equivalent in plant food of those elements 

 removed by the crop which are not supplied in abundance 

 by the soil 



Whether this want can best be supplied by cultivation 

 with some other manured crop, whether by cultivation with- 

 out other crops, or whether the land be kept in turf and all 

 other vegetable production of the land be allowed to decay 

 upon it, and such fertilizing materials be added as are neces- 

 sary to keep up a vigorous growth, are questions which are 

 difficult to answer. Each system has its warm supporters 

 among orchardists. For myself, I believe in turf culture, 



