The Union and journal., 1865-07-28
agricultural,
Henry Ward Beecher's Remarks on
Apples.

A Convention Of Fruit. Growers was held
ut Iona Island on the 22nd inst. From re.
port of it given by the N. Y. Evening Post,
We take the following remarks made by
Mr.. Bcechcr who, on being announced said !:
Ispeak to an audience who are better
qualified to teach me on the subject OF my
address than am them. What misfor.
tune for man to have as hearers persons
who know his subject so much better than
himself. But the Office ola teacher Is, after
all, to teach men what they know already; !;
TO remind them Of duties which they under.
stand just as we'll Us hc who addresses
them.
The political and domestic economy OF the
apple, however, can speak of without fear
Of contradiction from my audience. The
apple is the unapproacahblc fruit of the
world. the grape with all its romance not
withstanding. In the country Of its origin
it IL supreme, in America it is unsurpassed.
In Europe certain classes having wealth and
power. set the current Of public opinion from
centre 10 circumference. but in America,
where the intelligence Of the common pco'
pie has wrought out such gigantic results in
all departments Of truth, the popular opinion
determines from surface TO centre.
Popular isa word that is much despised,
but may be made respectable. In thiscoun-
try wealth is obliged to pay respect to pop
ular opinion. and OF all fruits the apple is the
most democratic-the true denocratic-for
some democracy that we are acquainted with
sprung from the arst apple. This popular
favor Of the apple arises from the mature OF
the tree and the fruit: Any man who can
grow corn can raise apples.
In every soil, and under the most discour.
aging circumstances, the apple tree lives aud
thrives. 1t can bear high or low cultivation.
Ills notdyspep,ic like the peach, or appoplet-
ic like the pear. or scrofulous like the plum
The apple is among the fruits like the COW
among animals, like the camel, and like all
good things, uncomely-for beauty is only
tho mask which covers everything that is ev-
il. In tho beautiful evil has struck in and
affects the whole vital organism while in
houely women it is on the surface.
Have you never seen the maiden who, in
whole family Of girls remains unmarried, so
homely that the lovers have oil passed her,
who was the nurse. the mother, the story
teller. to a generation Of little ones-the
Virgin Mary. fthe household-the mother
Of God to little souls, in teaching them the
better life--who was more fruitful in all
except children than any Of her kindred?
My perfect idea Of woman is my dear old
aunt Rstber, who will spend ages in heaven
wondering htw she ever got there. and the
angels viii wonder why she was not always
there. What such ono is to bo the house.
hold is the apple among fruits. Not
the least among its excellenccs in its hardi-
ness.
wo should should as soon think Of cod
ding our fores. trees as the apple trcc. 1t
will thrive in the stony lot to steep for the
plough, or grow in the meadow, and repay
us for the more abundant nutrition.
Where mullen stalk OF hill OF corn will
grow the apple trce viii contrive to secure
an existence. II can DO balm or ornate, al
ways able to take care Of itself-what call
democratic. It is emphatically tbcpeople's
tree, In Florida or Canada It is equally at
home. and equally good; while on the Pa
ci6c slopes il is portcntous in size. New
tons apple. which originated in his brain
the science Of gravitation. had il grown in
California, would have forever put an end
to his discoveries, and have opened the heay-
ems to his gaze. ra-E lr,,'s
The health and longevity Of the apple tree
are unsurpassed. Healthier than the pear.
no blight or disease effects IL; worms and in
sectsmay lodge upon il, bat ,unbuckling its
bark, it ezpoecs them to the wind and storm.
An acre OF potatoes win not produce asmuch
nc tho same AREA in orchard. with fve times
the labor. The grub only ID n formidable
enemy, but Is 80 easily c.,ermina.cd BY a
flexible wire. that Il you have borcrs you do.
servo TO be bored. s-.ost ~, =.
Farmers never think Of nursing their or.
cbards. And as for longevity, thave a tree
now growing on my farm at. least fve hun
drsd years old. Two ladies. now eighty
years Of age. say that In their childhood u
was called the old apple tree Al. twelve
fsst FROM the ground. il was fourteen feet ten
inches in circumference ; the fruit sweet and
pleasnnt. though not largo. I DO not expect
u live to zee my young trees reach that si.c.
cannot resist icciing ofrcsrect and awe