332 PLAIN AND PLEASANT TALK 



of taste among men, and to commercial qualities of fruit, 

 and to its adaptation to soil and climate. 



No one man has a right to make his tongue the monarch 

 over other people's tongues. Therefore, for instance, it is 

 none of our business, if a rugged mouth chooses to roll a 

 slice of the austere Vanderveer pippin, like sin, as a sweet 

 morsel under his tongue. The mild delicacy of an apple, 

 which fills our mouths with admiration, would be mere insi- 

 pidity to all who are favored with leather mouths. So that 

 there must be toleration even among apple-mongers. 



Nor are the humbler tests of cooking to be overlooked. 

 Some fruits are good eaters and poor cookers ; some cook 

 well but are villainous to the taste when raw ; some will 

 stew to a line flavor and sweetness without sugar, and some 

 have remarkable jelly properties. But after the largest allow- 

 ance is made for taste, hardiness, keeping, prolific bearing, 

 color, size, texture, season, adaptation to soils, etc., etc., 

 there will be found, we think, a large number of tenants in 

 our nurserymen's catalogues, upon whom should be instantly 

 served a writ of ejectment. 



TIME FOR PRUNING. 



We do not believe in severe pruning at any time. If a 

 man has the education of his orchard from the start, it is an 

 utter abomination to leave his trees in such a condition as 

 to require it. If, however, one comes into possession of a 

 much abused orchard, or of a seedling orchard ; or, if a 

 single tree is to be changed, or an old tree is to be headed 

 back for health's sake, then it may be necessary to prune 

 with a free hand. But in such cases, the change should 

 not be attempted in one season, but divided between two. 



There is, we suppose, a critical time in which pruning 

 will injure the tree. It is after the sap is in full motion, the 



