16 



SMALL FRUIT CUITURIST. 



BO selfishly mean, as to desire to keep to himself any process 

 by which he thinks he can surpass his neighbors, and tax 

 the public for his own benefit; but sucli is the estimation 

 in which these men are held by a large majority of hoiti- 

 culturists, and so readily is their meanness discovered by 

 their customers, that they are very soon obliged either to 

 retire from business and seek some other less honorable 

 occupation, or eke out a miserable existence supported 

 by the patronage of a class no better than themselves. 



The laws of nature should be secrets to none, and he 

 who would deny others the knowledge of any important 

 discovery in horticultural processes, would, if he were 

 able, have the blessed sunshine and showers shut out from 

 every field but his. It is to the constant interchange of 

 facts, derived from experience, that we owe much of our 

 progress in horticulture. To know the difierent varieties, 

 so that one can name them at sight, does not constitute, 

 as some may suppose, all the knowledge requisite to en- 

 able one to cultivate them successfully. 



Their adaptation to the various soils, locations, and 

 climate; the best mode of cultivation, propagation, prun- 

 ing; whether the fruit is firm or fragile, rendering it more 

 suitable for market or home use — these and many other 

 points must be understood before one can safely go into 

 small fruit-culture on an extensive scale. There has been 

 much discussion as to whether a constant cultivation of 

 the soil was necessary to produce remunerative results 

 from growing the apple, peach, pear, and kindred fruits. 

 There is, perhaps, some reason in particular cases for 

 an apparent neglect, such as excessive growth, which 

 may be checked by non-cultivation more readily than oth- 

 erwise. But with the fruits, of which we shall treat m 

 the following pages, there are no exceptions to the rule — • 

 the better the care, the more remunerative the results. Br 

 bestowing the best of care, we will not only obtain better 

 returns, but they will be in an increased ratio to the amount 



