ON FRUIT TREES. 81 



I think it is not uncommon for farmers on this, as well as on 



many other subjects in regard to farming, to embrace erroneous 



opinions, attributing certain results to some other than the true 



cause* 



JOSEPH HOW, Chairman. 



Methuen, Nov. 19, 1819. 



ON FRUIT TREES. 



Many of our farmers have, in former years, realized large returns 

 from fruit orchards ; even a few trees sometimes producing more 

 profit to the owners, than all the other products of their farms. 



In later years fruit orchards have become more numerous, and 

 probably the returns from them have not been so large as formerly, 

 from the fact that the cultivation has been so much extended as to 

 increase the supply to equal or nearly equal the demand. 



Now, but very few of the products of the soil are more remunera- 

 tive than that of fruit trees ; and in proportion to the labor required, 

 after fruit orchards have reached a bearing state, we do not recollect 

 of any branch of agriculture that pays so v>'ell, as a well cultivated 

 orchard. 



Amongst us, there is now more uncertainty of producing fair fruit, 

 than formerly. The reasons why are not in all cases obvious ; and 

 it may be well to oifer inducements to careful, observing, intelligent 

 fi'uit growers, to discover the causes and ascertain the remedies of 

 imperfection in fruits. 



Our attention has been called, this year, to the fact that apples, 

 in considerable quantities have been transported from the interior of 

 Maine, in some cases, from places many miles from railroad or water 

 cummunication, to the City of Boston. These apples we understand 

 have been taken at 'prices fully satisfactory to the grower, and an 

 instance has been communicated to us in which the owner of an or- 

 chard has this year received more for his fruit, than he paid for the 

 orchard a few years since. 



Apple growers in more northern regions have the advantage of 

 us at present, in the fairness of their fruit ; this may not long con- 

 tinue ; as with the extent of cultivation the difficulties are apt to 

 increase. H 



