4 DWARF FRUIT TREES 



because, in both market orchards and amateur gardens, 

 our pomology is coming to be somewhat more like 

 that of Europe. Our conditions are approaching those 

 of the Old World, even though they will always be 

 very different from those of Europe in horticultural 

 matters. 



Dwarf fruit trees are particularly valuable in small 

 gardens; and small gardens are becoming constantly 

 more popular among our urban, and especially our 

 suburban, population. This matter is discussed more 

 fully in another chapter. Fruit of finer quality can 

 be grown on dwarf trees, as a general rule, than can 

 usually be grown on standard trees. Every year there 

 are more people in America who are willing to take 

 any necessary pains to secure fruit of extra quality. 

 This remark applies particularly to amateur fruit 

 growers and to owners of private estates who grow 

 fruit for their own tables, but it is no less true of a 

 certain class of fruit buyers, especially in the richer 

 cities. Although $3 a barrel is still a high price for 

 ordinary good apples, sales of fancy apples at $3 a 

 dozen fruits are by no means infrequent in the city 

 markets every winter. 



In this respect also we are approaching European 

 conditions. In the markets of the continental capi- 

 tals in particular fancy fruits are frequently sold at 

 prices which seem almost incredible to an American. 

 Single apples sometimes bring 50 cents to a dollar, 

 and peaches an equal price. Just recently a story has 

 been going the 'rounds of the newspapers that the 

 caterer for the Czar's table sometimes pays as high 

 as $15 apiece for peaches for the royal table. Here- 



