Isn't It about time for horticultural writers to stop writing about the ease with which 300 or 400 bushels of strawberries can be grown on an acre ?

And how about the eternal caution not to plant early varieties of apples for market ? Hasn't this been greatly overworked ?

But when it comes to such matters as thorough tillage, liberal application of manure, concentration of effort well within the limit of capital employed, eternal vigilance, intelligent packing, honest dealing, promptness, and the like - can we ever say too much in behalf of all of them ?

Doubtless a good many people have had occasion to regret having too many early apples, because they had too many kinds of them, did not grow or handle them well, or were not handy to a good market. But under the right conditions there is quite as much money in fine early apples as in winter kinds.

And as to strawberries, while there are few men living who ever grew 300 bushels of strawberries on one acre in one season, and while it is as difficult to do it as to grow 100 bushels of corn or 1,000 bushels of potatoes on the same area, yet it is a possible achievement, and the rate is not unfrequently reached on small areas.

What i object to, is holding out the idea that it is easy to do such things, even for beginners. It is so far from being easy that multitudes of good, experienced fruit growers have never approached very near to such a crop, and most of them would say it was only theoretically possible.

All experienced men know that there is a vast amount of exaggeration and misstatement in regard to the care and profit of fruit growing. While up to a certain limit costly treatment with a view to a great crop will pay, we must admit that the risk of heavy loss increases often in proportion to the cost. It is hard to draw the line. The great bulk of fruit on the market is grown by cultivators of but moderate skill and small means. They get low prices, and make small profits; but they supply a market in which high prices would be prohibited.

It is often said that large crops of choice fruit can be grown cheaper than the small or moderate crops of medium grade. But if so, why does not the former so increase as to exclude the latter ?

Knowledge of fruit growing is evidently increasing, and all markets are being better supplied with fruit of a better average grade. Nevertheless, there is still a good deal shipped in, from one point to another, which is even too poor to sell at all. It is astonishing to see what withered stuff is exposed about the doors of the lower class of shops. The dealers may get a little out of it, but how large, or how small, is the grower's share ?

One thing, above all others, should be urged upon by every horticultural writer, not to plant more than you can properly care for. Neglect of this fundamental rule is the cause of so many inferior goods. Every tree, every rod of ground, more than can be well cared for, lessens, instead of adding to the profits of the grower.

Is any Atlantic slope or interior valley market in America well and sufficiently supplied with those two excellent stone fruits, the plum and the cherry ? They are among the cheapest and most plentiful fruits in Europe; then why not here ?

Is it not because we have neglected to improve our native species ? Are we not doing with these fruits as we long did with grapes ? And is not the true path to be followed the same as with the grape, to develop our native species ?

It may be granted that this is a difficult path for the' individual to follow, though a young enthusiast might do much, who would make a life work of it. But now that we have some fifty well endowed experiment stations scattered over the whole continent, what should hinder immediate, intelligent and well organized activity in de-veloping American fruits to their fullest capabilities? What is scientific horticulture good for, if not for this ?

Growing seedlings of all our fruits, both from self fertilized and cross seed, is an easy work of great promise. See what has been done already in this way with the small fruits ! As much is possible with all our tree fruits, if we will put our hands and heads to the task.

T. H. Hoskins, M. D.

Northern Vermont.