XIV INTRODUCTION. 
prevent the pores from performing the action 
for which nature intended them. 
Whether this neglect of fruit trees arises 
from an ignorance of their wants, or from the 
prevalent and erroneous supposition that a 
tree once in place can take care of itself, I will 
not discuss at present. It certainly should be 
evident to every reflecting mind, that if five, 
ten, or fifteen bushels of apples or pears are 
taken from a tree annually, a diminution of 
the abstracted ingredients of the soil must 
occur in due time, unless an equivalent be 
replaced in the form of manure; and if not, 
the result soon becomes unprofitable. 
My directions in this little work will be 
brief, and devoted principally to the culture 
of the pear for market purposes. In going 
over the ground, should there be any conclu- 
sions drawn that differ from the “laid-down 
rules,’’ I will state them, because my experi- 
ence of over a dozen years in growing pears 
for market has led me to accept them as 
facts, and by stating them (in case I am cor- 
rect), some may be prevented from repeating 
the mistakes of which myself and many others 
have tasted the bitter fruit. It is indeed sin- 
gular, but nevertheless true, that there are 
