Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1873-02-27
BY Their Fruits Ye Shall Know The m.

Farmers ought to know that, as a class,
their reputation is not high in regard to
their. living well, and especially with re-
gard to the useful fruit on their tables. Of
small fruits. they have 80 few that indus
trious and intelligent mechanics, living in
cities and towns, when they happen to sit
at farmers tables, think it surprising, for
it is supposed that farmers have every
thing good. The diet is bread, potatoes
and meat, almost without exception, year
in and year out. Dried fruit is, or it used
to be, in fair supply; but when sweet ap-
piles are used instead of sugar to sweeten
the sour, the taste is far from inspiring.
And yet, with little labor and attention,
strawberries can be grown in sufficient
quantities for canning; also, gooseberries
and currants, whenever its great enemy,
the currant worm, is not destructive. A
jelly can be made from apples both cheap
ly and plentifully, and it is exceedingly
palatable. Ounces can be grown almost
everywhere without difficulty, while cher
ries and plums, at least of some sorts, can
usually be produced. Whatever may be
the difficulties in particular localities with
regard to growing fruit trees, the small
fruits almost invariably do well, and it
may be said, also, that if a variety of trees
are planted, some of them at least will lie
quite sure to bear every year.
It may be said that if farmer lives any
considerable number Of years in one place
and has not fruit to supply the table, he is
either lazy or shamefully negleetful. The
chance is that he is lazy; and, as conse-
quence, his children are not likely to i'm
prove upon the stock, while the prospects
are that they will degenerate into crimi-
mails. Boys living in homes where fruit is
scarce will be almost certain to steal it,
and when conscience is once weakened,
other stages are easy and natural.
The growing of fruit is so important that
many other good qualities and habits are
connected Herewith, and, firstly, for the
reason that the habit of thorough cultiva>
ton is established. One who grows fruit
will also be certain to grow all kinds of
vegetables and to take pride in showing
his garden. Secondly, he will be certain
to cultivate such farm crops as he under
takes to grow, with much greater care,
and it may be truthfully said that the
foundation of agriculture is horticultural
knowledge. More than this, q fruit-grow
er comes to have refined taste and gen.
erous seusibility; and he will naturally
encourage his wife in the cultivation of
flowers he will see that his dwelling has
pleasant surroundings of evergreens and
other trees, while he will seek to abbre-
viate and make pleasant the labors of his
family within doors by securing conyen-
fences and improvements, and be making
home more attractive and the children
happier and better.
Among the rights which women have
not claimed is that of having more indus
trious and more enterprising husbands,
and almost all farmers wives suffer for
want of such. They work and slave and
suffer modification because their husbands
spend hours in idleness when they might
plant and cultivate fruit and add to the
adornments of home. Farmers talk about
hard times and railroad monopolies and
the eXtortions of merchants and trades
men, while they lose hundreds if not thou
sands of dollars by neglecting to plant
fruit and to improve their homes; and
their children following their example, of
necessity take the downward road. Farm
ers want more energy, more Judgment,
more refinement, more sense.-N. &. NJ.