818 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



We offer, in closing, a few miscellaneous reflections. 

 Fruit trees arc now assuming an importance in the commu- 

 nity equalled by few products of the soil. 



The little care and labor that are usually necessary in the 

 attending growth, and in the gathering of the fruit, the ready 

 sale and remunerating prices of good, merchantable fruits, 

 particularly apples, often render the income of a few acres of 

 land a very desirable and pleasant addition to the profits of the 

 farmer. To be sure, for a year or two past, (in this immediate 

 vicinity at least,) the fruit trees have failed to yield their wonted 

 bounty, a liability incident to almost every crop. But taking a 

 series of years together, an orchard in a well selected place, to 

 which due attention has been paid as to the selection of the 

 kinds of fruit, healtliy, hardy stocks, and good healthy bearers ; 

 and to which ordinary care has been bestowed on the soil in 

 which they grow, and to those insects, which, in great numbers, 

 are so destructive to fruit and vegetation, we think that no crop 

 will yield a better per cent, profit than apples, peaches and pears. 

 The time may come when an abundance of supply will result 

 in a great diminution of price, but that time is far distant. 

 And even should it come in our day and generation, no great 

 catastrophe would occur thereby to the farmer, wliile a most 

 invaluable blessing would be bestowed upon the community. 

 For, may it not be believed, that but few things aside from the 

 actual necessaries of life, would contribute more to enhance the 

 comfort, health and pleasure of the families of our cities and 

 villages, to those particularly in moderate and indigent circum- 

 stances, than a supply of good winter fruit, of apples and pears. 

 For who will dare say that there is no social attraction in a 

 bowl of apples when surrounded by a merry band of swains and 

 maidens ? and what lover of fruit will deny that the bowl of 

 apples itself does not furnish much of the inspiration ? Pardon 

 us, if, in tracing out the moral influence of an apple, we advance 

 a little into the regions of metaphysics. 



We are all aware of the potent power of memory to awaken 

 in the breast long forgotten sentiments of goodness, to inspire 

 the halting with energy, the wavering with confidence, the 

 desponding with hope, and the fallen with a redeeming force to 

 arise and walk again the paths of virtue. We all know, too, 

 that law of association, whereby one little forgotten incident 



