90 THE CLIMATE OF THE CHESTER DISTRICT 
blossoms on April 29), this difference in production can only be 
accounted for by the fact that Pears make their growth earlier 
than Apples, and are consequently more favourably affected by 
an early heat. Last summer (1880) both August and September 
were hot months, the highest temperature being on September 
4 or 5, and we have consequently every reason to expect a fine 
crop of both Apples and Pears. 
To return to the question of the climate of different parts of 
England, it will be seen from Table IT. that the highest mean 
maximum temperature is at. Cambridge, and the question arises 
why more fruit is not grown in what may be called the south- 
central and south-eastern parts of England, where no doubt the 
summer temperature is highest? The only answer I can suggest 
to this is that these counties are for the most part flat, and that, 
according to my friend, Mr. W. H. Asxuwin, who lives in the 
Vale of Evesham, one of the largest fruit-growing districts in 
the kingdom, orchards are found to answer best when planted 
on the slope of a hill. This is due partly to the temperature 
being lower, on a dead level, or at the foot of a hill, than on a 
slope, from the tendency of the denser cold air to fall to the 
lowest level, and partly, I venture to think, to the shelter from 
wind afforded in an undulating as compared with a flat country, 
inasmuch as it is obviously fatal to profitable truit-growing on 
large standard trees if they are constantly liable to have the 
fruit blown off before it is ripe. And though the mean minimum 
temperature in April on an average of the last three years is 
shown in Table II. as slightly higher than that at Cheltenham, 
yet there is no doubt that, as a rule, the central counties are 
subject to severe frosts in spring, and this, though of less 
importance than summer temperature, does yet at times 
seriously affect the fruit crop. 
With reference to the practical question of the best kind of 
fruit to grow to a profit in our district, and the best mode of 
growing it, a few words will suffice. The treatment of tree 
fruits may be summed up in two or three words—give them all 
the sun you can. This is best attained by growing them 
against walls in the case of the more tender, and on espaliers 
in the case of the hardier kinds. Grapes may be grown, and 
will no doubt ripen after a fashion, against a south wall; but 
I have no experience of them, and can only say that I doubt 
whether they would ever be worth the space they would occupy. 
I would only say in passing, that the locality which was lately 
chosen for an experimental vineyard—viz., near the coast of 
South Wales—was one of the worst that could have been 
selected The centre of Yorkshire would probably have been 
better! The only part of England where such an experiment is 
likely to succeed is in the south, south-east, or south-central 
districts, and even there I fear the result would only be the 
production of what the Germans call ‘three-man wine,” /e., 
wine that it requires three men to take one to sit on a chair, 
