Fruit Fanning. 29- 



all, however, there must be trained, practical skill. Those succeed who 

 learn how; and to add a little deftness to unskilled hands is the 

 object of every succeeding page. At the same time, I frankly admit 

 that nothing can take the place of experience. I once asked an 

 eminent physician if a careful reading of the best medical text-books 

 and thorough knowledge of the materia medica could take the place 

 of daily study of actual disease and fit a man for practice, and he 

 emphatically answered " No ! " It is equally true that an intelligent 

 man can familiarize himself with every horticultural writer, from the classic 

 age to our own, and yet be outstripped in success by an ignorant Irish 

 laborer who has learned the little he knows in the school of experience. 

 The probabilities are, however, that the laborer will remain such all his 

 days, while the thoughtful, reading man, who is too sensible to be carried 

 away by theories, and who supplements his science with experience, may 

 enrich not only himself but the world. 



Still there is no doubt that the chances of success are largely in 

 favor of the class I first named -the farmers who turn their attention in 

 part or wholly toward fruit growing. They are accustomed to hard 

 out-of-door work and the general principles of agriculture. The first is 

 always essential to success ; and a good farmer can soon become equally 

 skillful in the care of fruits if he gives his mind to their culture. The 

 heavy, stupid, prejudiced plodder who thinks a thing is right solely because 

 his grandfather did it, is a bucolic monster that is receding so fast into 

 remote wilds before the horticultural press that he scarcely need be taken 

 into account. Therefore, the citizen or professional man inclined to 

 engage in fruit farming should remember that he must compete with the 

 hardy, intelligent sons of the soil, who, in most instances, are crowning 

 their practical experience with careful reading. I do not say this to 

 discourage any one, but only to secure a thoughtful and adequate consider- 

 ation of the subject before the small accumulations of years are embarked 

 in what may be a very doubtful venture. Many have been misled to 

 heavy loss by enthusiastic works on horticulture ; I wish my little book 

 to lead only to success. 



If white-handed, hollow-chested professional men anxious to acquire 

 money, muscle and health by fruit raising if citizens disgusted with 

 pavements and crowds are willing to take counsel of common sense and 

 learn the business practically and thoroughly, why should they not succeed? 

 But let no one imagine that horticulture is the final resort of ignorance, 

 indolence or incapacity, physical or mental. Impostors palm themselves off 

 on the world daily ; a credulous public takes poisonous nostrums by the 



