The American Orchardist: Or a Practical Treatise on the Culture and Management of Apple and Other Fruit Trees, With Observations on the Diseases to Which They Are Liable, and Their Remedies (Classic Reprint)

Excerpt from The American Orchardist: Or a Practical Treatise on the Culture and Management of Apple and Other Fruit Trees, With Observations on the Diseases to Which They Are Liable, and Their RemediesGentlemen:Presuming upon your acquiesence, I introduce to your notice this little practical treatise upon one of the most interesting and pleasing branches pertaining to the science of agriculture. The utility of a cheap publication of this kind, for the information and encouragement of our farmers, is unquestionable. If this humble attempt should meet your approbation, and be found to possess a degree of merit calculated to co-operate with your zealous efforts to promote agricultural pursuits and improvements in our country, a knowledge of your character is an ample pledge that you will not withhold your patronage and favour. If, however, it shall appear that 1 have subjected myself to the accusation of having stepped beyond the limits, within which my actual knowledge should be confined, then will a consciousness of laudable motives, of assiduity and fidelity in the collection of experimental facts, remain as my only consolation. I am not unapprized of the almost invincible prejudice, which prevails among our farmers, against what they term "book-farming," "book-knowledge," &c.&c. ;and the anecdote is fresh in my memory, of an honest farmer, who, on being inquired of Why his neighbour's farm was not productive, replied, because he has booked it to death. These prejudices exist chiefly among those, whose minds are unenlightened, and views unexpanded by that useful knowledge, which is only to be acquired by reading. It must be conceded that almost all improvements are derived from the records of practice and observation; and when we have reason and experience to support, and plain facts to confirm, we may become less tenacious of the rules of our fathers, believing that it may be the reserved privilege of the children, to acquire the skill of producing two spires of grass where their fathers produced but one.About the PublisherForgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.comThis book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.