HISTORY AND VALUE OF FRUITS. 



With the limited space given us by the publisher, we can 

 but draw a few words touching the first of fruits, and the 

 progress thereof to the present day. 



As we read outside of the Bible, we find that- mox 

 than 6,000 years ago the grape, apple, pear, peach, apri- 

 cot and plum were grown. Even then the art of grafting 

 was known, but the world had not then its many millions, 

 as now, nor was a legitimate knowledge of reading and 

 writing, among the masses of the people, then prevalent 

 as at this time. 



From the first of our biblical teaching, we learn that 

 the apple was a feature connected with humanity ; and so 

 in every section of country and climate we find fruits, 

 natural to the clime, are part and parcel of the food of 

 the people. 



When the first settlers of this country landed say in 

 1500 they brought with them seeds of the apple, pear, 

 etc., and many cuttings of vines and flowering plants, 

 which they hoped could be grown in the land of their 

 adoption. Fortunately, it that time, the forest was such 

 as to break the storms, and leaves were so abundant, that 

 they could protect the young plants, which soon took 

 root in the rich, natural, vegetable loam. 



