PREFACE. 



The preparation of the pages in this work have been in- 

 stigated by a long time attention to the wants of those 

 who yearly plant out fruit trees, vines and plants. 



Visiting our yearly gatherings of men throughout the 

 country at the local, county and state agricultural and 

 horticultural societies' meetings, together with the fact 

 that not an editor of a journal, more or less devoted to 

 the improvement of rural life, and as aid thereto, gives 

 items touching of fruit, etc., but is almost daily in re- 

 ceipt of questions touching the ' ' How and when to 

 plant ? " i l What varieties to use ? ' ' has brought us to write 

 as plainly and practically as possible, and within a scale 

 that may be sold at a price to meet the pocket of every 

 man who desires to plant trees or vines in his ground, look- 

 ing forward to their producing him valuable fruit, to min- 

 ister as food toward health and longevity of life. 



The works of DOWNING, THOMAS, BARRY and others, 

 while embracing the whole matter, yet require an outlay 



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