THE FARMER'S HOME. 17 



civil duties to the homestead. Offer him fifty dollars for one of 

 his favorite trees, now massive and splendid, or offer it to the 

 aged father who planted it at the birth of his first born, and 

 they will equally spurn the bribe. Trees that originally cost 

 fifty cents, have therefore increased in value one dollar a year 

 — some of them in the highways where nothing else would have 

 been raised. "We say then plant trees, plant at once, plant if 

 you will at every birth, which was a righteous law of some 

 nation we have somewhere read of. 



A substantial farmer in an adjoining town has four thousand 

 apple trees and two hundred cherry trees, in full bearing and of 

 the best varieties. He estimates that one-half of his crop of 

 the latter, the past season, was taken by the birds. Now 

 instead of this being an argument with others not to join him, 

 it is the very reason why they should. The birds of the entire 

 neighborhood flock to his orchard and fairly rob him ; but if all 

 the neighboring farmers would take hold as he has done, the 

 quantity taken from each would be trifling, and profit would be 

 realized. So with apples ; if all entered as largely into the 

 same business the market would not be overstocked, but new 

 facilities would be opened for shipping to a more profitable 

 wholesale market than is offered to a limited supply. 



But for the next half century, at least, pears will doubtless be 

 the most lucrative orchard fruit, for home market. Enormous 

 and increasing prices are constantly paid for this fruit, single 

 and in quantities. The winter varieties, such as require but 

 little more care than apples, are the kinds for extensive culture, 

 and there is no reason why agriculturists should not raise this 

 fruit as well as horticulturists. Indeed, the large landholder is 

 the one, not only to excel in its standard orchard culture, by 

 selecting his best adapted soil for its growth, but to bring it 

 down to an eating- as well as living profit. So dear is this fruit, 

 and so few cultivate it, that the majority do not have it at all. 

 The boys act on the principle of the birds, and the remedy may 

 be the same, in part. 



But alas ! what homes have these boys with pilfering propen- 

 sities ? How have their parents neglected to4)rovide them with 

 ripe fruits essential to their health ? and what bitter fruits are 

 they likely to reap in the future ? On the contrary the boys 

 who have ample orchards to help trim, graft and care for, — riglit- 



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