FRUITS 



391 



FIG. 65. A straw- 

 berry, being an en- 

 larged and pulpy 

 receptacle bearing 

 numerous seed-like 

 fruits sunken in 

 small pits. After 

 BAILEY. 



Scotia. Other notable regions are in Virginia, in Arkansas, 

 in various parts of the plains, and in the Pacific states. 

 More apples are produced in North America 

 than in any country of the world, a good 

 crop for the United States and Canada 

 being approximately 100,000,000 barrels. 



One of the reasons why the proper care 

 of apple orchards has been so much neg- 

 lected is that they thrive reasonably well 

 almost anywhere. The best land, however, 

 is said to be good wheat or corn land, which 

 means a clay loam. The grafting methods 

 by which old stocks may be used to sup- 

 port more desirable varieties have been 

 described (p. 330). 



96. Pear. The pear is also a native of 

 Asia and Europe, but is a much more un- 

 certain crop than the apple. It flourishes best from the 

 New England states to the Great Lakes, and on the Pacific 

 slope. In the interior, the uncertainty of the pear crop arises 

 from the prevalence of a disease called " pear blight," which 

 blasts the branches, and which spreads so rapidly that exten- 

 sive orchards may be destroyed. In the south, the climate is 



too warm for the best 

 development of trees 

 and for the best qual- 

 ity of fruit ; while in 

 the northern prairie 

 states the winters are 

 too severe. 



There are many 

 varieties, but those 

 most common in the 

 markets are very apt to be the various races of Bartlett, 

 Kieffer, and Seckel pears. The pear can be grafted on 



FIG. 66. A raspberry, showing the "cap" of small 

 fruits removed from the receptacle. After BAILEY. 



