SMALL FKUITS. 39 



VI. 

 SMALL FRUITS. 



The cultivation of small fruits has been in a great 

 measure neglected until within the last ten years. Prob- 

 abl}^ this indifference on the jD^art of land-owners was 

 principally owing to the fact, that the varieties gener- 

 ally disseminated did not succeed except in a few particu- 

 lar locations. Whatever the cause may have been, the 

 fact is apparent, that our markets have been very scantilv 

 supplied. 



The farmers adjacent to our large cities and villages do 

 not appear to appreciate the advantages of their position, 

 for a majority of them continue to cultivate the ordinary 

 farm crops, Avhich seldom return more than twenty to 

 thirty dollars per acre, while at least five times that 

 amount ought to be realized from the cultivation of fruits 

 or vegetables, anywhere within ten to tifty miles of our 

 large cities. It it not expected, nor desired, that all the 

 land near our pities should be devoted to fruit culture, but 

 that there is need of a much greater portion being used 

 for such purposes, the high prices of fruit and the inade- 

 quate supply prove. 



It may be urged by some that there is not a sufficient 

 demand in all of our cities and villages to warrant extend- 

 ed fruit culture, especially with those we term small fruits ; 

 this in part may be true in reference to some particular 



