PREFACE. 



The writing of this little book has surely been a 

 labor of love. Harriet and I love trees. -They are 

 our pets, and we 

 think as much of 

 them as we do of the 

 animals and birds on 

 the farm. 



It had sometimes 

 occurred to me that a 

 need existed in this 

 country for a simple, 

 practical, inexpen- 

 sive, boiled-down yet complete, printed talk on the 

 subject of tree fruits, a talk that would help the 

 amateur as well as the more experienced orchardist. 

 My publishers encouraged the idea, saying that 

 requests for such a treatise had often been received 

 at their office during the past few years. Well to 

 make a long story short this book is largely the 

 result of their encouragement and kindness ; without 

 such helps I very much doubt whether the idea ever 

 would have materialized into clear type. 



Harriet has helped me, too bless her heart. So 

 have Tim and Farmer Vincent. And so have the 

 artists, designers, engravers and photographers who 

 are connected with the Wilmer Atkinson Co. 



Yes, and my thanks go out, also, to the various 

 practical fruit men, government experts, and writers, 

 whose helpful suggestions, letters, pictures and 

 (7) 



