Wild Fruits of Tennessee 77 



ceived little or no attention. Honey producers have pushed the sale 

 of Tupelo honey into the markets so vigorously that the word 

 "Tupelo" now is a common one where honey is sold. When the' 

 first French settlers came to America, they preserved the fruit of 

 the Tupelo in the same manner as they did olives. I believe that 

 the large crops of the Tupelo fruit will eventually be conserved. I 

 venture the estimate that in the year 1915, when there was the most 

 abundant crop of Tupelo fruit, that the quantity that went to waste, 

 had it been preserved, would have been sufficient to supply the peo- 

 ple of this State with a substitute for olives for three years. 



The number of wild' fruits growing in Tennessee is so large that 

 it is impossible for me to mention all of them. I have only men- 

 tioned a few of the most prominent ones. There are many other 

 kinds of wild fruits, serving in their present state of development as 

 food for birds and wild animals, some of which should in the future, 

 if man can be relied upon to do his duty, contribute to the welfare 

 of humanity. 



