50 STATE POMOL06IOAL SOCIETY. 



We assume that skill and attention and outlay are as requisite 

 for success in fruit culture, as for success in other crops. We as- 

 sume that without a soil and situation naturally favorable, success 

 may not be expected. It is true that natural disadvantages may, 

 in many cases, be overcome, by means adapted to the end, to an 

 extent warranting the effort in a small way by those who estimate 

 highly the gratification of raising fruit for home use, or as a diver- 

 sion from the cares and labors of other business ; but not to an 

 extent warranting the investment of time, labor and capital in it 

 as a means of livelihood. In such cases, pecuniary success cannot 

 safely be counted upon — nor is it necessary that it should. 



Assuming then that a suitable soil and a favorable location are 

 selected, and that the needful time, labor and capital will be ex- 

 pended, what other conditions are requisite for success ? 



We may look for light upon this subject by examining it histor- 

 ically and rationally. And first let us inquire under what condi- 

 tions has the highest degree of success hitherto been attained ? . 



In looking at the history of fruit culture in Maine, we see that 

 in its beginnings the young trees were raised at home — on the 

 farm, or in the neighborhood. They were grown from seeds ; and, 

 as seedlings, they were exposed, during a number of years, to all 

 the severities and vicissitudes of our seasons before they were 

 planted out in orchards. During these years a considerable pro- 

 portion of them, embracing all which possessed a feeble vitality or 

 tender constitution, perished, leaving the hardier ones. They thus 

 underwent a most thorough and effective sifting at the outset. 

 They passed through an ordeal which only those possessing adap- 

 tation to the climate survived. We have here a practical illustra- 

 tion of "the survival of the fittest," and of those alone. 



Moreover, those hardy ones were planted out as seedlings, and 

 as seedlings they grew to maturity ; for at that period grafting 

 was rarely practised. It was the exception rather than the rule. 

 People were then content to use for eating and cookjng the best 

 of their natural fruit, and to consign the remainder to the hogs and 

 to the cider mill. 



In those days little was experienced of any of the troubles which 

 in later years have affected fruit trees. Fruit was plenty — such as 

 it was — and much cider came to be drank. When the temperance 

 reform first opened the eyes of thoughtful people to the evils of 

 an unlimited use of cider as a beverage, many saw no other way 

 of staying the evil than to cut down the orchards, and down went 



