36 The Principles of Fruit-growing 



overcome the difficulties of soil or climate is one of the 

 compensations in th'e effort. The exchange of cions and 

 specimens of fruit with connoisseurs and collectors is 

 another recompense. A person with a few acres should be 

 able to supply himself with choice fruits of his own raising 

 as well as with choice flowers. It is easily possible from 

 an outdoor plantation to have good fruit every day in the 

 year; in fact, this can be accomplished with apples alone. 

 The raising of grapes, peaches and other fruits under 

 glass may add greatly to the interest, if one is so inclined. 

 In the home fruit-plantation, very few of the ordinary 

 commercial varieties should be attempted. Collections 

 should be built up by exchange, representing only those 

 kinds that grade not lower than nine and ten in a decimal 

 scale of quality.* A good fruit-cellar should accompany 

 it, and this should be readily provided in an unheated 

 basement or in a simple separate outdoor construction. 



THE GENERAL PRACTICE AND THE SPECIAL PRACTICE 



The standard methods, that rest on broad underlying 

 principles, are general practices. They are the essentials. 

 The intending fruit-grower should grasp these practices 

 at the outset. 



The methods that meet particular local or personal 

 conditions or modifications are the special practices. They 

 are naturally in endless dispute. 



The clean tilling of orchards is a general and funda- 

 mental practice; the sod-mulch method is a special 

 practice, and it must be proved in every case. The grow- 



*For lists of fruits graded on a decimal scale of quality, see Repts. Amer. 

 Pomol. Soc., 1901 and previous; and Repts. Mich. Hort. Soc., 1890 and previous. 

 For lists of fruits, see Bull. No. 151, Bur. PI. Ind., U. S. Dept. Agric. (1909). 



