FRUIT LISTS. 699 



to plant an orchard, either large or small, to determine 

 which varieties are best adapted for his purposes. For 

 the small planter, who is providing for the wants of his 

 family, a number of varieties that will ripen in succession 

 will be best, and the sorts should be selected with regard 

 to their qualities for household uses. The planter of exten- 

 sive commercial orchards, on the contrary, will need but 

 a limited number of varieties, which should be selected 

 with & view to the wants of the markets he intends to 

 supply, as well as to the productiveness of the fruit, and 

 its ability to bear transportation. While it is desirable 

 to have but a few well selected varieties in such an orch- 

 ard, it must be recollected that even when there is a gen- 

 eral failure of the crop, there are always some sorts that 

 bear fruit, and this is an argument against making the 

 list too small. 



All attempts to make out lists of fruits for general cul- 

 tivation over the great extent of our country have been 

 abortive. State and regional lists are made by the Porno- 

 logical and other societies, which are useful in rendering 

 approximate information; but, at last, every planter 

 should observe the fruits that succeed in his own neigh- 

 borhood, and upon soil similar to his own, and select his 

 varieties for planting accordingly. 



In making up our judgment of the excellence of a fruit, 

 there are many elements that enter into the question of 

 what constitutes a good apple, and so much depends upon 

 the tastes of the individuals who have the question to de- 

 cide, that at last every one is left to make up his own 

 mind as to what will be best for his particular case. 



The American Pomological Society, many years ago, 



