It is of _great_ importance for every farmer to preserve the names of
his fruit-trees; and no amateur cultivator should think himself worthy
of a name whose garden and fruit ground is not registered and
labelled.
It is best in every case to have a fruit-book, in which should be
entered the name of each tree, its place, time of planting, from whom
obtained, how old it was from the graft or bud, when set out, its
size, condition, etc.
Such a book, kept in the house, is a sure and permanent record of the
names of your fruit-trees. Beside this, each tree should have a
_label_ attached to it. For, in passing through an orchard or fruit
garden, it is desirable to know the names of trees without the
inconvenience of carrying your book under your arm. The labels are for
daily use; the book keeps a permanent record, so that if a label be
lost the name of the tree does not go with it. It is quite provoking
to examine a friend’s premises without being able to learn the name of
a single tree. Beside, every cultivator should know the names of his
trees as well as of his cattle; otherwise they will get local names,
and the same fruit have a new name in each orchard.