FRUIT CULTURE. 



evident, as shown by the agricultural returns of fruit 

 planted in this country, which exhibit an increase during 

 the last two years to the extent of 12,000 acres, as against 

 a decrease in the year previous of 500 acres; so that pes- 

 simists are beginning to say, "Ah, yes! now it will be 

 overdone" ; but there is no prospect or possibility of this 

 for many years to come. With the increase of supplies of 

 good fruit, the consumption will extend enormously, and 

 the supply will create further demand. As a proof of 

 this, take the case of tomatoes. The consumption of these 

 twenty years ago was confined to a very limited number, 

 but now that people have become educated to their use, 

 and have discovered their wholesome qualities, they are 

 in daily demand by the million, and their growth has 

 probably increased a hundred-fold during that period. 

 An interesting calculation in the Country Gentleman, an 

 American organ, as to the quantity of fruit that might 

 and ought to be consumed by the people is given as fol- 

 lows : 



" Each member of every family should have, on an 

 average, one pound of fruit daily some will eat more, 

 some less either fresh or cooked. How many pounds 

 will that be in each day ? There are 40,000,000 persons 

 in the whole country old enough or well enough to eat 

 fruit, which would be 40,000,000 Ibs. or nearly 20,000 tons 

 daily consumption. Taking the year through, it would 

 amount to 7,000,000 tons. The daily consumption of fruit 

 would prevent many persons from eating or imbibing what 

 is much worse, and at the same time it would contribute 

 greatly to health, and prevent disease. We want more 

 enterprise, skill, calculation, and management to raise and 

 properly distribute these 7,000,000 tons." 



What we should require at the same rate of consump- 



