16 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



In my mind, running over the long list of apples and pears, 

 — the Yellow Bellflowcr only appears as an extreme case, — 

 the same rule holds good with all in a greater or less degree. 

 A large part of the discrepancy that arises in our opinions of 

 the various fruits may justly be attributed to the different 

 conditions under which we plant them, even with the same 

 natural advantages. In grafting a Winter Nelis upon the 

 branches of a healthy tree that has attained bearing size, 

 we have fruit that ever places it upon our catalogue as 

 one of the most beautiful and delicious of pears. On the 

 other hand, received as a weak, crooked tree from the 

 nurseryman, with stem and shoots too slender for self- 

 support, planted in common soil, it grows and bears, it is 

 true, but its fruit fails to secure any notice, for it is unworthy 

 of it, and the variety is condemned. Again, the Vicar of 

 Winkfield, overbearing even when poorly fed, has no juice 

 but a sour water, and the farmer leaves it to the winter's 

 wind, as not worth the gathering, while well grown and well 

 ripened, it becomes one of the most refreshing of winter 

 pears. But it is useless to multiply examples. It is the 

 general rule with fruit-bearing plants, well fed and well cared 

 for, returning abundant crops of luscious fruit ; and because, 

 forsooth, they do not always die out immediately, or refuse 

 to bear at all, we tolerate this neglect, and get our half crops, 

 and even those just w T hen fruit is too abundaut to be valuable. 

 The chance example of trees, that by accident enjoy favorable 

 conditions and make good returns to the careless cultivator, 

 with no efforts of his own, are not investigated, and con- 

 sequently we do not gain the instruction we should from their 

 teachings. Instead of learning from them how to treat a tree, 

 so that it may grow and bear choice fruit, we rather view 

 them as chance favors. Rather should we study the conditions 

 which surround every case, either of success or failure, 

 whether those conditions were accidental or the result of 

 design, and thence draw rules for our guidance. 



It is all very well, some will say, for each farmer to 

 attempt to raise a supply of fruit for his own family, but as 

 for raising it for market, it will not pay, for it is only in the 

 barren years that fruit (apples and pears) is in demand; 

 when there is an abundance there is no sale. To meet these 



