4° 



IRISH GARDENING 



Apple Culture in Ulster. 



By J. TUNNINGTON, Horticultural Instructor, 

 Co. Armagh. 



IT is interesting to note the great strides which the 

 cultivation of fruit has made in the north of 

 Ireland during the past few years. Each season 

 the amount of land devoted to its culture is being 

 extended, and during the present planting season several 

 hundreds of acres of apples have been added to that 

 already under fruit in Co. Armagh alone. Methods, 

 too, are changing, and a more up-to-date system is 

 taking the place of old happy-go-lucky methods which 

 have had their day. Growers now realise that in 

 marketing the fruit careful grading and good packing 

 are necessary for Irish apples to meet competition in 

 the market. The formation of the Ulster Fruit 

 Growers' Association is a step, and a good step, in 

 the right direction. 



The apple does well in a situation sloping, if possible, 

 to any point between S. E. and S.W., provided water 

 is not lying within several feet of the surface. Should 

 this be the case, draining will be necessary, as it is cer- 

 tain that as soon as the roots of the trees reach the sour 

 and saturated subsoil, canker will make its appearance 

 and the trees begin to go wrong. It is a moot point 

 which stock is the best to plant— the Crab or Paradise. 

 It is very certain that the Paradise stock — rooting, as 

 it does, near the surface and produciiig fibrous roots in 

 large quantities -will thrive in soils wherein trees on the 

 Crab stock would vmdoubtedly fail. Another point, too, 

 in favour of the Paradise is that it is far more amen- 

 able to root-pruning when growing wood at the 

 expense of fruit. The broad-leaved Paradise is the 

 best of the various dwarfing stocks, being stronger than 

 the French Paradise. The site of an orchard should 

 have shelter belts at least on the North, East, and 

 N.W., as from these points come the winds which do 

 harm to the trees in spring. The belts should be at a 

 distance of at least twenty yards, as at alesser distance 

 the roots would impoverish the ground of the orchard. 



Maidens, or trees one year from the graft, are the 

 most suitable for planting. These will take to the 

 ground better and become established sooner than 

 trees of older growth, and require no staking. Pro- 

 bably the most suitable form to train the trees is on the 

 bush principle. This will necessitate shortening the 

 growth back to about eighteen inches from the ground. 

 If planted on the Paradise stock they can be allowed 

 twelve feet apart all ways, but if on the Crab or free 

 stocks eighteen feet can be allowed, as on these stocks 

 the trees will not stand such close pruning as thov will 

 on the Paradise. 



When the ground is marked out and planting begins 

 it is necessary to sec the trees are not planted too 

 deeply. Spread the roots out evenly, any broken ones 

 being cleanly cut off with a cut sloping from below 

 upwards. This will cause fibrous roots to form at the 

 apex of the cut. Plant firmly, and leave the ground 

 slightly raised, as it will settle later after rain. Early 

 November is the best time to plant, as there is generally 

 sufficient warmth in the ground at this season to cause 

 roots to form before winter. If the trees are mulched 



with littery manure after planting, so much the better. 

 This will prevent evaporation of moisture from the 

 ground should the ensuing summer prove a dry one. 



Many young orchards are greatly retarded in growth 

 by being allowed to bear crops of fruit too soon. Not 

 until the fourth year ought the trees to be allowed to 

 carry a fair crop, and indeed no trees at any time ought 

 to be overcropped. If thinned with judgment, the 

 smaller ones taken off can be disposed of, and the fruit 

 remaining will be of finer quality and will bring better 

 prices than a heavier crop of inferior fruit. 



Apples succeed best in land that is kept under culti- 

 vation, and if planted in grass land it is desirable to 

 keep a circle of two or three yards in diameter free 

 from grass and weeds. This will keep the soil aerated 

 and assist healthy growth. 



One of the main points making for success is the 

 selection of suitable varieties for planting, and this 

 requires care. Too often are planters misled by 

 reading descriptions of varieties from catalogues. 

 " Co.t's Orange Pippin, the finest dessert apple grown," 

 is often the means of inducing- a grower to plant this 

 variety in quantity, but as Co.x's is very subject to 

 canker on most soils it behoves every grower to see 

 that his ground is well drained and of a warm nature 

 before he invests money and occupies much land in 

 cultivating this variet)'. The same holds good of 

 Blenheim Orange and many other varieties. Of 

 cooking varieties, Bramley's Seedling is undoubtedly 

 the most useful as a market sort. Being a robust 

 grower, with an excellent constitution, it succeeds in 

 most situations. Lane's Prince Albert is another 

 variety that does exceedingly well. It is a great 

 cropper in a young state, and is liable to be over- 

 cropped if not attended to in regard to thinning the 

 fruit the first few years after planting. 



Grenadier is an earlier variety, not such a strong 

 grower, but one that has proved itself a useful m.irket 

 variety, and is worthy the attention of fruit growers. 



Lord Derby, a large, greenish apple, does very well 

 in Ulster, is fairly prolific, and is a good doer. 



Among dessert varieties, Beauty of Bath is a great 

 favourite, being a nice showy apple that connnaiuls ;i 

 good sale in the early season. 



James Grieve somewhat resembles Co.n's Orange 

 Pippin, but is earlier, not of such good flavour as 

 Cox's, but succeeds where that variety fails. 



AUington Pippin is a variety that is doing well, 

 having a good constitution, cropping well and of fairly 

 good flavour. One of the prettiest of apples and one 

 of the best for market work is Worcester Pearmain. 

 This variety crops well, is a strong grower, and 

 succeeds on most soils. One could, of course, name 

 many other varieties, and good ones too, but the above 

 are all good doers and hardy sorts. 



It is inadvisable for market growers to attempt 

 many sorts, and too often one sees orchards headed 

 down for regrafting after a few years, because unsuit- 

 able varieties were planted in the first place. AW 

 this means loss, and can be avoided provitled discretion 

 is used in the selection of the site for the plantation, 

 and that varieties of known worth in the itntninli-'ite 

 district are planted. 



