USEFUL PROJECTS. 



845 



ami those be right which have a 

 smooth bark, and are as fair as 

 those which lie grafted." 



These instances, it is presumed, 

 are sufficient to shew, that, at the 

 j)eriod alluiled to, it was well known 

 that good fruits might be raised by 

 sowing the kernels of good apples, 

 and selecting those plants which, in 

 the absence of thorns, and in the 

 general apjjcarancc of their leaves 

 and bark, bore the greatest resem- 

 blance to the cultivated variety of 

 the parent tree: whilst those which 

 approached the native crab were to 

 be carefully rejcfted. Yet Evelyn, 

 in the appendix to his Sjlva, pub- 

 lished several years afterwards, 

 proves that the practice was hardly 

 known here in his time. lie writes, 

 " iVothing is more facile than to 

 raise new kinds of apples, in infi/ii- 

 (utn, from kernels; yet in that ap- 

 ple county (Ilercford), so much 

 addicted to orchards, we could ne- 

 ver encounter more than two or 

 three persons that did believe it." 

 This method is now bL-coniing more 

 and more general, and the most ex- 

 perienced planters consider it as the 

 best, if not the only expedient to 

 preserve our provincial celebrity. 



The colours of good cyder-iruits 

 are red and yellow ; the colour to be 

 avoided is green, as affording licjuor 

 of the harshe„st, and generally o'i the 

 poorest quality ; the pulp should be 

 yellow, and the taste astringent: 

 apples of a small size (ca'(eii\ pu/i- 

 bus) are always to be preferred to 

 those of a larger, in order that the 

 rind and kernel (in which princi- 

 pally consist the strength and lla- 

 , vour of the liquor) may bear the 

 greatest ])roportion to the Jiulp, 

 which aflords the weakest and most 

 watery juice, in selecting fruits for 

 cultivation, respect should be paid 

 3 



to the soil and situation of the in- 

 tended orchard ; where both are fa- 

 vourable, no restraint is necessary; 

 but in cold situations and unkind 

 soils the most early fruits are obvi- 

 ously those which may be cxpetlcd 

 to acquire maturity. 



An orchard is generally raised 

 with most success, and at least ex- 

 pence, in a hop-yard ; the ground 

 under this culture being always well 

 tilled and manured, as well as fenced 

 against every kind of cattle: the 

 rows should extend from north to 

 south, as in that direction each 

 part of every tree will receive the 

 most equal portions of light and 

 heat. The distance between each 

 row, as well as the space between 

 each tree, must depend on (he situa- 

 tion and soil. When the former is 

 high and exposed, the trees should 

 be closely planted, to afford each 

 other prote6tion ; and when the lat- 

 ter is poor and shallow, their growth 

 will of course be less luxuriant, and 

 they will consequently require less 

 room. But in low and sheltered 

 situations, and in deep and rich 

 soils, wider intervals should be al- 

 lowed. In the former instances, 

 twelve yards between each row, and 

 six between each tree arc sufficient: 

 in the latter, twenty-four yards be- 

 tween each row, and eight betwecH 

 each tree will not be too much. 

 Pruning is not in general use; the 

 most apijrovcd method is, that of 

 rendering thin, and pervious to i]\ii 

 light, the points of the external 

 branches, so that the internal parts 

 of the tree may not be wholly 

 shaded by fhe external parls. Large 

 branches should rarely, or never be 

 amputated. 



'i"he merit of cider v.ill always 

 depend much on the jiroper mix- 

 ture, or rather ou the proper sepa- 



ration. 



