PREFACE 



.This little book has been prepared as a means of as- 

 sisting many persons who have answered the call "back to 

 the land," and who are undertaking the growing of fruit 

 on a commercial scale. It is not intended as an exhaus- 

 tive treatise on fruit growing, as such is manifestly im- 

 possible within the size of such a book. Neither is it ex- 

 pected to tell all that is to be told about fruit growing. 

 Its purpose is to serve for the guidance of the beginner and 

 as a handy reference manual for the busy orchardist. 



The foundation upon which this little book is based is 

 the many letters which reach the office of The Fruit- 

 Grower, containing inquiries about many phases of fruit- 

 growing. These inquiries come from all parts of the United, 

 States and from Canada, and cover almost every phase of 

 horticultural work, although in preparing this book only 

 the general problem of growing the ordinary deciduous 

 orchard fruits has been considered. This problem has been 

 considered in a very general way without specific direc- 

 tions for any particular fruit. Where details for a given 

 fruit have been needed, the treatment of the subject has 

 been boiled down to as concise a form as possible. 



497702 



