VI PREFACE. 



young orchard, but when the planting of fruit-trees in one of the 

 newest States numbers nearly a quarter of a million in a single 

 year ; when there are more peaches exposed in the markets of 

 New York, annually, than are raised in all France; when Ame- 

 rican apples, in large quantities, command double prices in Eu- 

 ropean markets ; there is little need for entering into any praises 

 of this soil and climate generally, regarding the culture of fruit. 

 In one part or another of the Union every man may, literally, sit 

 under his own vine and fig tree. 



It is fortunate for an author, in this practical age, when his 

 subject requires no explanation to show its downright and direct 

 usefulness. When I say I heartily desire that every man should 

 cultivate an orchard, or at least a tree, of good fruit, it is not 

 necessary that I should point out how much both himself and 

 the public will be, in every sense, the gainers. Otherwise 

 I might be obliged to repeat the advice of Dr. Johnson to one 

 of his friends. "If possible," said he, "have a good orchard. 

 I know a clergyman of small income who brought up a 

 family very reputably, which he chiefly fed on apple dump- 

 lings." (!) 



The first object, then, of this work is to increase the taste for 

 the planting and cultivation of fruit-trees. The second one is to 

 furnish a manual for those who, already more or less informed 

 upon the subject, desire some work of reference to guide them 

 in the operations of culture, and in the selection of varieties. 



If it were only necessary for me to present for the acceptance 

 of niy readers a choice garland of fruit, comprising the few sorts 

 that I esteem of the most priceless value, the space and time to 

 be occupied would be very brief. 



But this would only imperfectly answer the demand that is 

 at present made by our cultivators. The country abounds with 

 collections of all the finest foreign varieties ; our own soil has 

 produced many native sorts of the highest merit ; and from all 

 these, kinds may be selected which are highly valuable for every 

 part of the country. But opinions differ much as to the merits 

 of some sorts. Those which succeed perf3ctly in one section, 

 are sometimes ill-adapted to another. And, finally, one needs 

 some accurate description to know when a variety comes into 

 bearing, if its fruit is genuine, or even to identify an indifferent 



