INTRODUCTION. 23 



their period of ripening, which makes them less valuable ; 

 and because, among those from a southern origin, we 

 have discovered many of high merit as to beauty, flavor, 

 and productiveness and, especially where they are able 

 to mature sufficiently, they prove to be .long keepers, thus 

 supplying a want which was not filled by fruits of a north- 

 ern origin. There may be limits beyond which we can- 

 not transport some sorts to advantage in either direction, 

 but this too will depend very much upon the adaptability 

 of our soils to particular varieties. 



In every region where fruit has been cultivated we find 

 local varieties grown from seed, many of these are of suf- 

 ficient merit to warrant their propagation, and it behooves 

 us to be constantly on the look out for them ; for though 

 our lists are already sufficiently large to puzzle the young 

 orchardist in making his selections, \ve may well reduce 

 the number by weeding out more of the indifferent fruit, 

 at the same time that we are introducing those of a supe- 

 rior character. It has been estimated that there may be 

 as many as one in ten of our seedling orchard trees that 

 would be ranked as " good," but not one in a hundred 

 that could be styled " best." * Certain individuals have 

 devoted themselves to the troublesome though thankless 

 office of collecting these scattered varieties of decided 

 merit, and from their collections our pomological societies 

 will, from time to time, select and recommend the best 

 for more extended cultivation. Such devoted men as 

 H. N. Gillett, Lewis Jones, Reuben Ragan, A. H. Ernst;, 

 who have been industriously engaged in this good work 

 for a quarter of a century, are entitled to the highest com- 



* Elliott Western Fruits. 



