et corn, to mention only some of the
most striking examples, are becoming more and more localized. Even
where vegetables and flowers are grown under glass, not only is each
house devoted to a single species, but, notably in the case of roses,
growers are restricting themselves more and more to a few varieties.
This is due to the fact that it is impossible to give in one house, or
even in one establishment, the special set of conditions required for
the most economic development of each species or variety of plant,
just as in the open air the natural conditions are best adapted to a
limited number of horticultural products.

So much being admitted, it follows that it is folly to attempt to grow
plants under unfavorable climatic and soil conditions when competing
in the same market with those possessing favorable ones. It is true,
of course, that where one man fails another often succeeds, but this
is no reason why a man should apply his talents under unfavorable
circumstances. In fact, one of the important attributes of most
successful men is their ability to recognize and apply their energies
under conditions which will give them the most effective return for a
given effort. There is no virtue in unnecessary toil. Progress in any
enterprise, as progress in the human race, can be accomplished only in
reducing the amount of labor required to produce a desired result.

All this is axiomatic. The purpose of emphasizing it here is that it
is fundamental to the success of those who attempt to produce
horticultural products. The necessity for the emphasis lies in the
fact that these factors are so often disregarded. They are of most
vital importance to the man who attempts to raise tree fruits. A
mistake in the planting of celery, cabbage, or onions may be rectified
the following season, but if a mistake is made in planting tree
fruits, it may, as in the case of apples, require ten or even 20 years
to discover the error.

The growth in commercial orcharding is due in part to the need of
special knowledge and facilities for combating fungous diseases and
insect enemies and to the better markets which a large production of
uniform quality makes possible. While these are extremely important
considerations, there is a more fundamental reason, which may in the
long run exercise an even more potent influence. The location of the
ordinary family orchard, so called, has been determined in almost
every instance by the location of th