29 



BULLETIN OF 

 MASSACHUSETTS BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



FRUITS FOR THE HOME GARDEN: VARIETIES AND 

 CULTURE. 



By Prof. F. A. Waugh, Professor of fforticuUure, Massachusetls Agricultural College. 



Fruit growing has unquestionably made great progress in the 

 United States and Canada during the last decade. This progress 

 has been not only scientific, but practical. We know more about 

 the principles involved, and we also understand better why these 

 principles should be applied. 



Somewhat curiously, however, this improvement has been con- 

 fined almost wholly to the growing of fruit in large quantities for 

 market. The whole tendency of the time has been toward the 

 cultivation of large orchards, consisting of only one or two varieties 

 of fruit. All the methods of cultivation have been bent to this pur- 

 pose. All the discussions of practical men and all the investiga- 

 tions of scientists have been faced in this direction. The growing 

 of fruit in a small way in the home has been neglected and almost 

 forgotten. This is quite a different matter, and one in which we 

 have made no progress. In fact, we are not so well off now as 

 were our fathers in the time of Marshall P. Wilder, Hovey and 

 the Downings. 



There are many indications, however, that we are coming back 

 to a greater appreciation of the home fruit garden. It is much to 

 be hoped that many farmers and suburban families will grow more 

 fruit for themselves, and without an idea of making the business 

 a profitable market venture. 



In choosing varieties for a home garden, one must make his 

 selection according to principles essentially different from those 

 which govern him in setting out a commercial orchard. (1) In 

 the first place, the home orchard requires a large number of vari- 

 eties. The commercial growers now commonly confine them- 

 selves to two or three at the utmost, whereas every man would 

 like to have his table supplied with a large variety and through a 



