ORCHARDS. 107 



The table of refined civilization is not a table of the huntino-- 

 ground, the -wilderness, or even of the farm only — but of the 

 garden. Think, for a moment, of the ancient Adam — the 

 primitive man of Chaldee story — his hands dripping with 

 gore, slaying and dressing a fattened ox, or an overgrown 

 swine, while the lovely Eve, with smirched and greasy fingers, 

 is peppering the roasting spare-rib on the Paradisial hearth. 

 How much more delicate, refined, and beautiful! — how much 

 more inviting and seductive! — a table covered with melting 

 and delicious strawberries, with gushing raspberries, sending 

 forth their delicate aroma, and fair bunches of the ruby cherry ; 

 or crowned with delicious, downy peaches, luscious, golden 

 pears, or glowing apples, with their shining, waxen surface, and 

 transparent clusters of rich, luxurious grapes, with their "pur- 

 ple light," not to speak of the various spring melons, and 

 countless lesser fruits 1 



I am aware that, in a report of a society, distinguished by 

 having Marshall P. Wilder for its president, and including 

 among its members, men like B. V. French, Samuel Walker, 

 E. M. Richards, Samuel Downer, Jr., etc., all hardly less ac- 

 complished and famous in the annals of American fruit culture^ 

 it may seem superfluous, as well as presumptive, to urge any 

 reasons for the more extensive cultivation of fruit in our 

 county. And yet, no true friend of culture and his race can 

 ever rest content, while the blessings that result from such 

 culture are restricted to the refined or wealthy few among us ; 

 or be willing to cease his efi"orts in the divine and glorious 

 cause, till, from a costly luxury, fruit comes to be a cheap and 

 universal comfort — one of the very necessities of life. Aye! 

 he would labor by word and by deed, — by the dissemination 

 of sound information, and through the influence of example, 

 till the poor man's table shall be loaded with these luscious 

 productions, and the child of the humblest citizen shall bs 

 blessed by their abundance. 



The arguments in favor of universal fruit culture are so 

 various, as well as so powerful, that we can allude to only a 

 few of them here. And we fear, that, with all efforts, ----so 

 rapid is the increase of the non-producing consumer over the 

 producer, — that it will be long, very long, ere the market price 



