246 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



Mr, Howe. I think you are wise there, sir. 



Mr. Gregory. Some of our best farmers, as a matter of 

 profit, would ahiiost as soon think of giving up. their onion 

 crop as their cabbage crop; no doubt an abundance of sea 

 manure at their command has something to do with tliis. 



FRUIT CULTURE. 



BY CAPT. .1. IJ. MOORE, OF CONCORD. 



Mr. President : — In discussing the cultivation of fruits, their 

 value to the public and to the producer should be carefully 

 considered. 



And witli that view, and to show their estimated value, I have 

 examined the returns made to the State by the officers of each 

 of its cities and towns, and published in the year 1865. 



And according to the estimates there made, the value of the 

 apples and pears grown in Massachusetts amounted to one mil- 

 lion seven hundred and thirteen thousand two hundred and 

 forty dollars. In these returns the value of all other varieties 

 of fruits are not estimated. Their value would be as much as 

 five hundred thousand dollars, which added to the amount for 

 apples and pears would make the whole amount to two million 

 two hundred and thirteen thousand two hundred and forty 

 dollars. 



These estimates for apples and pears were made in the year 

 1864, and the apple crop that year was nearly a failure, and 

 therefore the amount estimated is not as large as it ordinarily 

 would be. 



The farmers of Massachusetts gathered but three other crops 

 the same year that exceeded in value the fruits, viz. : tlic crops 

 of hay, corn and potatoes. I have called your attention to 

 these returns to show the importance of this interest. Another 

 decade, witli the returns made in a year having a good crop of 

 fruit, will probably show the fruit crop second only to tlic hay 

 crop in a money value, and for this reason if for no other, that 

 while the quantity of corn and potatoes consumed by the same 

 number of persons has not increased for many years, and prob- 

 ably never will, the quantity of fruit has and will increase for 

 a long time, and fruit which has by many been regarded simply 

 as an article of luxury, will take its proper place in family 

 economy as a necessary, healthful and palatable article of food ; 



