Originally published in 1914 as "Productive Orcharding," this authoritative textbook stands the test of time, continuing to provide practical hands-on advice for both the backyard and the commercial orchardist, covering everything from orchard site selection, planting, pruning and harvesting to high heading, pests, packing and marketing.

Fred C. Sears, the author, was professor of pomology at Massachussets Agricultural College. This text was prepared for use in his classes, as well as in agricultural schools across North America, and Sears endeavored, as he put it, "to cut out the non-essentials and to present the essentials in a reasonably brief manner and yet with sufficient details to be followed easily when one attempts to put them into practice."

Sears was a practicing orchardist in charge of "a relatively large orchard" as well as an instructor. This practical experience from a century past, combined with more than 150 historic photographs and illustrations, makes this classic both entertaining and useful.

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Some one has said that the great difficulty with farmers is that they sell at wholesale and buy at retail; and this difficulty is nowhere better shown than in the fruit business. The less fruit you can sell a customer, at one time, the more he is willing to pay for it. Did you ever stop to think of that? 

Take it in apples. A man is usually quite willing to pay five cents for a single apple and sometimes ten cents for a really fine one; and he thinks he is getting a bargain at two for five. But attempt to sell him a barrel at these rates, and he thinks you are committing highway robbery.