FRUITS. ^° 



A climate, and soil like ours, cannot of course present 

 the best conditions for that high state of farming, that 

 will yield great crops with little labor, and no pains- 

 taking. Such is not the privilege of New England 

 agriculture. But her peculiar privilege is this : that 

 these obstacles of coldness of climate and sterility of 

 soil, but furnish the occasion for the development of the 

 true New England glory, in the characteristics of 

 her people — industry, skill, genius, perseverance, inge- 

 nuity in overcoming all natural impediments, powers 

 of contrivance, and skillfully conducted experiments, 

 ultimating in invention and discovery. These consti- 

 tute the depths of New England's resources. Do the 

 frosts, ruin the corn crop ? New England enterprise 

 does not succumb under the blov, but plants a kind of 

 earlier growth and ripening — for corn the farmer will 

 have. Does the grass winter kill? or does the drouth 

 cut it short ? The farmer does not give up the hay 

 crop. He still labors on for success, and studies for 

 protection from adverse causes. And so it is, that 

 New England stands to-day foremost in that skill and 

 science, that constitute a successful agriculture. And 

 we are sure that when the energy, perseverance and 

 skill of our people are once enlisted in grape culture, 

 all obstacles to success will in due time be mastered, 

 and our markets be filled with the delicious clusters. 



It strikes us that an addition, to the few already exist- 

 ing varieties of real excellence,well suited to this climate, 

 would be desirable. When this small number is com- 

 pared with those of the pear and the apple, it certainly is 

 a meagre show. Now we see no reason, why, with the 

 same labor and pains that has been bestowed on other 

 fruits, for this purpose, an equal success may not be 



