No. 4.] FRUIT GROWING. 113 



I believe is worthy of your serious attention. Adaptability 

 of the plant to the soil and environment is of vast impor- 

 tance. In fact, it is one of success or failure, as is in evi- 

 dence continually, and must be studied and decided only by 

 the individual whose interests may be involved. 



One fact, however, is patent to the mind of every intelli- 

 gent observer, and that is, that fruit of every name and 

 nature is wanted by some one, and that its consumption is 

 rapidly on the increase. Nor will the demand for it ever 

 grow less, but will keep pace with the growing intelligence 

 of a rapidly increasing population. 



Beginning with the gooseberry and currant, that are easily 

 handled and well fitted for long-distance shipments, I have 

 found them grown with profit. They seem to thrive best on 

 a cool, moist soil, on which the foliage holds well into 

 autumn. The President Wilder and Prince Albert, by 

 reason of their great productiveness and good shipping 

 qualities, are our favorites as currants, while the English 

 sorts and Downing gooseberry pay best as gooseberries. 

 The increased demand at home and abroad for the product 

 of canning factories and evaporating houses have made them 

 large consumers of all tree fruits, and should give increased 

 confidence to those whose lands are adapted to the produc- 

 tion of the apple, pear, plum, cherry, peach, apricot and 

 quince, each of which are profitably grown where intelligent 

 industry and business principles prevail. In the commercial 

 orchard there is much in the variety, also much in the man. 

 The latter may be an expert in planting, directing and exe- 

 cuting, but it is rarely he can make a naturally unproduc- 

 tive soil sufficiently productive to leave a margin of profit 

 after paying the cost of growing. A wise discrimination, 

 therefore, should be exercised between varieties grown for 

 home consumption, because of their exquisite quality, and 

 those whose prolific tendency specially fits them for market 

 purposes. A disregard of this principle has been the fruit- 

 ful cause of much dissatisfaction and failure on the part of 

 many modern fruit growers. Quality should not be lost 

 sight of, but productiveness and beauty count for more with 

 the commercial grower, and the instances are rare where a 

 happy combination of each are found. 



