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chooses, supply his owii table with the very best of everything that is wholesome 

 and good, and this is especially true of fruit. The farmer who thinks that the 

 main purpose of fruit raising is to have one more crop to dispose of in market 

 makes a mistake. His chief care should be to provide a bountiful supply for his 

 own family. For nothing makes a better diet, and nothing is more keenly rel- 

 ished. There is no better regulative of the system known, and it is far cheaper 

 than doctors' attendance and prescriptions. In a word, there is no other article 

 or food or drink so thoroughly healthful as sound, ripe fruit. Farmers can most 

 easily and cheaply meet the demand for it, and this kind of farming will pay. 

 There is no insuperable difficulty in having a supply of aj^ples during the entire 

 twelve months. Of course there are things to contend with in raising apples, such 

 as worms and borers, but there are simple and effective ways of dealing with those 

 pests which are well known. The one great trouble is found in the tendency of 

 trees to bear only once in two years. In the even years the trees hang loaded with 

 their rich fruit and the markets are so glutted that quantities of nice, sound ap- 

 ples seem hardly worth the gathering. In the odd years it is hard to find apiples 

 enough to supply one's own family. What is the reason of this ? The most care- 

 ful investigations and extensive observations, go to show that the trees are un- 

 fruitful every other year simply from lack of sufficient nutriment in the soil to 

 enable them to bear every year. Some farmers have trees that bear uniformly 

 well one year with another. Close examination will disclose the fact that such 

 trees are planted in exceptionally favorable places, where by accident or other- 

 wise the soil is kept unusually rich. There is therefore good reason for believing 

 that orchards hberaUy treated will produce fair crops every year Mr. Gold has 

 tried the experiment of keeping orchards weU fertilized, and does not remem- 

 ber a year when trees properly cared for on this plan did not produce an 

 abundance. Overworked trees have to lie by one year. Most trees take 

 the odd year to rest, but some bear best in the odd years. This gives 

 another means of coi-recting the tendency to excessive crops one year at 

 the expense of the next. By a judicious selection of varieties it is possible to 

 have a uniform yield year after year even without an effort to keep the soil very 

 rich. The selection of varieties both with reference to bearing odd years, and to 

 quality of fruit, is a matter of great importance, which should be carefully and 

 intelligently done. Mr. Gold gave a long list of the most valuable kinds, briefly 

 mentioning the prominent characteristics of each. The Early Harvest is a good 

 and very early apple, but it bears best when others do. The Red Astrachan is 

 more to be relied on, but is not quite as good. The Sweet Bough is excellent and 

 early, but a scant bearer. The Chenango Strawberry is a very superior apple that 

 should be better known in this region. It is extensively raised in Chenango 

 County, New York, and those familiar with it esteem it delicious for a summer 

 apple. The Porter is an excellent bearer of fine quality. The Gravenstein is a 

 shy bearer, but is very good for cooking and eating. The Snow Apple surpasses 

 all others in healthfulness. From October to January it should be on every ta- 

 ble. It grows larger and fairer at the West than here, but in doing so loses some 

 of the fine qualities for which it is held in such high esteem with us. Hubbardson's 

 None-Such a most excellent apple. The Hurlburt is an early bearer of good quality 

 and vigorous growth, which originated in Litchfield County, Conn. It will make 

 a palatable sauce, or pie, with less sugar than any other variety, a feature worth 

 considering. It is in season from the last of October to January, and can be re- 



