TEST OF THE QUALITY OF THE TREES. 79 



The first step towards the improvement of the Orchards will 

 be, to subject them to a gradual and thorough revision. Stock 

 should be taken of every individual Apple and Pear tree on the 

 farm, and its character and condition carefully considered. Such 

 trees as are mere cumberers of the ground should be cleared off at 

 once, root and branch ; and such varieties as are proved to be 

 unmistakeably inferior, should have their places supplied by those 

 which are known to be good. If the trees of inferior kinds are 

 vigorous and healthy, they should be cut back and grafted on all 

 the branches. Every spur of not more than two inches in diameter, 

 should be grafted with strong growing scions, so as to bring them 

 into bearing again quickly, with the loss of only two or three 

 seasons ; but if the condemned trees are old, they should be 

 up-rooted. Every renewed tree, whether by graftmg or planting, 

 should be of a well proved variety, since it must never be forgotten 



that, WHEN ONCE PLANTED, THE BEST FRUIT TREES DO NOT 

 REQUIRE MORE CARE OR EXPENSE THAN THE WORTHLESS ONES. 



A complete revision of the Orchards will require some years 

 to effect, but it is a work of great interest, and will well repay by 

 success, all the time given to it. 



Test of the Quality of the Trees. — The commercial 

 value of any fruit for the manufacture of Cider and Perry, depends 

 almost entirely on the density, or richness of its juice. This most 

 important condition may be definitely ascertained, with a little 

 experience, by anyone who will take the trouble to do so. It is 

 only necessary, in a good season, to crush out the juice from five or 

 six well-ripened apples of the variety it is desired to test ; filter it 

 through white porous paper ; and having procured a small instru- 

 ment called a Saccharometer, to float it in the fresh juice. The 

 scale marked on the instrument will give the density of the juice, 

 as compared with the standard of distilled water placed at looo. 

 This density is chiefly caused by the saccharine matter the juice 

 contains, and chemists have ascertained, that in general terms, every 

 five degrees of density shown on the scale of the Saccharometer, 

 denotes a spirit-producing power equal to one per cent., or in other 



