I879-] THE GARDENER'S PRIMER. 555 



would consider best fitted to make the best of the whole, by a little 

 pleasant statement of the difference in the two cases. Then it should 

 be borne in mind that the arrangement proposed in opposition to one's 

 own may prove, when carefully carried out, to be a superior one to that 

 which we would like to substitute for it. Bearing these thoughts in 

 mind, and working from notes made during past seasons, no time 

 should now be lost in making arrangements for the incoming year. 



R. P. B. 



THE GARDENER'S PRIMER. 



NO. VII. 



Many opportunities will occur to the young gardener (his life will be 

 made up of opportunites) of studying the characteristics of Fruit-trees, 

 especially Apple and Pear trees, in different stages of growth, such as 

 their general habit, foliage and blossom, and their so-called fruits, 

 no two of which are alike in size, shape, colour, perfume, taste, time of 

 ripening, and length of time during which they will keep after they 

 have been gathered. When permission can be obtained, he should 

 examine specimens of Apples and Pears, and learn to make outline- 

 drawings of them, which is easily done by cutting through the centre 

 of the Apple or Pear with a sharp knife, and then placing the section of 

 the fruit on blotting-paper to absorb the moisture produced by the 

 juice, — then place it flat on a piece of white paper, and mark out with 

 pencil the outline of it, carefully showing the situation and length of 

 the stalk, and the formation of the calyx, or eye as it is called, and 

 jotting down its correct name. 



It will be necessary for him to know the characteristics of a first-rate 

 fruit of its kind or class, — to learn to discriminate between a first-class 

 aromatic Pippin and the gaudy-faced Apple, not worth eating, or the 

 high-class melting Pear and its humbler brother some gritty baking 

 Pear, or the high-class Muscat of Alexandria Grape and its humbler 

 relative the Lady Downes seedling ; and having learnt so much, to 

 preserve that knowledge by not impairing his faculty of taste by the 

 unwise use of tobacco, or of strong, coarse, unwholesome, evilly-dis- 

 posed liquors. 



He will do well to know that the periods of time during which 

 fruit-trees raised from seed require to mature their growth, so as to be 

 capable of producing fruit, vary considerably. For the Apple-tree, 

 from five to twelve or thirteen years ; for the Pear-tree, from twelve 

 to eighteen years; for the Plum and Cherry trees, four or five years; 

 for the Vine, three to four years ; for the Raspberry, about two years 

 are required ; for the Strawberry, if sown early, a short time is suffi- 

 cient — namely, the succeeding year. 



The Apple-tree is liable to the attacks of a disease called canker 



