INTRODUCTION, 



ADDRESSED 



To Mr. James Paul^ Senior^ 



OF BUSTLETON, IN PENNSYLVANIA. 



DEAR i-RIEI^ID, 



During the many happy days which I passed at your hos- 

 pitable mansion, my observation was occasionally directed to 

 the state of your orchards, and your method of cultivation ; 

 and I have not unfrequently perceived, that you, as well as other 

 persons, in tljje states of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New 

 York, experienced no small disappointment, vexation, and loss, 

 from the failure in the crops, and from the premature death, of 

 your fruit trees. The smallness and inferior quality of the 

 fruit of the Peach-tree, in particular, and the swift decay of the 

 tree itself, have, for many years past, been a subject of general 

 regret in the middle states of America ; and, it appears to me^ 

 that whoever shall first communicate to you a method of re- 

 moving this evil, will render you no unacceptable service. Un- 

 der this persuasion it is, that I have, for a moment, withdrawn 

 myself from the noise and strife of politics, in order to address 

 to you a few introductory remarks on a work, which, I think, 

 is extremely well calculated to afford you a great deal of new 

 and useful information, on the culture and management of t hose 

 trees, which are £^t once the comfort and the ornament of your 

 country. 



