ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES 13 



would flourish. This gives the opportunity to experi- 

 ment with all sorts and varieties of fruits, a privilege 

 very dear to the heart of the commuter. The dwarf 

 fruit trees also work more readily into a scheme of 

 more or less ornamental gardening, where fruits are 

 combined with vegetables and flowers. Especially if 

 some sort of formal gardening is attempted, the cor- 

 dons, espaliers and pyramids exactly suit the de- 

 mands. Then the fact, already mentioned, that the 

 dwarf trees come into bearing much sooner, is a 

 consideration of the highest value to the suburban 

 gardener. He fully expects to move from one home 

 to another at least once in ten years, if not once in five. 

 With the best of intentions and the most favorable 

 of opportunities he can hardly expect to settle down 

 anywhere for life. The suburbs themselves change 

 too rapidly for that; and the place which today is 

 away off in the country may be all covered with fac- 

 tories five years from now. It is terribly discourag- 

 ing, under such circumstances, to plant a tree knowing 

 that ten years must pass before any considerable fruit- 

 age can be expected from it. It is altogether another 

 feeling with which one plants a tree which promises 

 fruit within two or three years. 



So that, whatever the drawbacks to the planting of 

 dwarfs, they are the salvation of the suburban garden. 

 For such circumstances they can be freely recom- 

 mended, without exception or reservation. 



2. For orchard fillers. As commercial orcharding 

 becomes more refined, under the stress of modern com- 

 petition, and as good orchard land increases in value, 

 up to one hundred, two hundred, or even three hun- 



