HINDRANCES AND HELPS. 275 



business ways and methods. The retired trader, who 

 plants himself some day beside him, bringing his old 

 prompt habits of the counter, will very likely, if a 

 shrewd observer, outmatch him in a corn crop, out- 

 match him in pork, outmatch him in everything, ii 

 the year's balance were struck and shown. And all 

 this in spite of the trader's comparative inexperience, 

 and by reason only of his superior business tact. 



The finest shows of fruits at the autumn fairs 

 excepting always those of the professed nurserymen 

 are made, in three cases out of five, by mechanics, 

 or by business men, who have brought to this little 

 episode in their life, the methodical habits, and the 

 observance of details, which govern their ordinary 

 business duties. Not being in the way of leaving 

 book accounts, or stock on hand, to take care of 

 themselves, they are no more inclined to leave an in- 

 vestment in trees or orcharding to take care of itself. 

 They reckon upon care at the outset, and they bestow 

 it. The farmer, who has complacently smiled at 

 their inexperience in tillage, and is confounded by 

 the results, will loosely attribute them all to a lavish 

 and thriftless expenditure of money. But the conclu- 

 sion is neither logical, nor warranted, in the majority 

 of instances, by the facts. No superior fruit can be 

 grown without labor and extreme care, and if those 

 be controlled by a business system, they will be far 



