36 STATE POMOLOQICAL SOCIETY. 



soil, and pays far better than common mixed farming. Instead of 

 here and there a small orchard, as is now the case, our hills should 

 be waving billows of apple blossoms in spring time, and a golden 

 sheen of ripened fruit in autumn, throughout the length and 

 breadth of our State. Instead of this, it is doubtful whether we 

 are now producing as many apples as were grown ten or twenty 

 years since — certainly some of the best fruit growing sections 

 are not producing as many. Is not here work for our Society ? 



It is being every year demonstrated that pears may be success- 

 fully and extensively grown in our State. With this delicious 

 fruit there is no danger that the supply will ever equal the demand. 

 While the production of the whole country has greatly increased 

 in the last twenty years, the price obtained for them has also 

 steadily increased. 



2d. We must induce a higher cuUivaiion and (hereby secure a 

 better quality of fruit. It is not enough that we plant extensively. 

 The orchard must be well cared for. It is not enough that we 

 grow fruit — we want choice fruit, desirable fruit — large and per- 

 fect. Neither is it enough to grow good fruit in fruitful years — 

 we want good fruit, and we want it every year. This cannot be 

 done without good cultivation. With that, in a great measure, 

 it is secured. He who succeeds in producing even a moderate 

 crop of marketable fruit in an unfruitful year, finds his net profits 

 far greater than with even a bountiful crop in a fruitful year. As 

 an encouragement to a higher cultivation, no more convincing 

 argument can be presented than a comparison of prices now being 

 received for choice fruit. 



If we plant extensively, and make fruit growing a specialty, as 

 we then should, we should be far more likely to give it the atten- 

 tion its success requires, than if it were mixed up with other farm- 

 ing in something like equal proportions, as is now too frequently the 

 case. The success of those who have made fruit growing a spec- 

 ialty is a stronger and more convincing argument in its favor than 

 any that can be here brought forward ; and to such examples you 

 are earnestly commended. 



3d. The introduction of new varieties. There are many varie- 

 ties of fruit now grown in our orchards and gardens ^jhich have 

 proved hardy in our climate, and in many respects are valuable. 

 Still there is room for others. Among pears and grapes there is 

 need of much research. We need more early grapes of good 



