ENGLISH ORCHARD DISTRICTS, 27 



CHAPTER IV. 



ENGLISH ORCHARD DISTRICTS. THE MOST FAVOURABLE SOILS AND CLIMATE. 



LIME. PRACTICAL DEDUCTION. DISEASES. PREVENTION AND REME 

 DIES. SUGGESTIONS. 



fTlHERE are but few orchards in England, except in certain 

 -*- districts, and in these they abound, and are often very ex 

 tensive. The inquiry naturally arises, What has given those 

 districts their distinction in this respect? Have they any 

 natural advantages which makes orcharding more profitable in 

 them than in other parts of the country 1 In reply, I learn, 

 that the orchard districts are all distinguished for a compara 

 tively mild climate. They are nearly all in the south and 

 south-western counties, while in the northern and eastern 

 counties I do not know of any. Hereford is a somewhat 

 hilly county, and, as I have remarked, where the hills are too 

 steep for easy cultivation, it is usual to plant orchards ; but 

 the south side of such hills is preferred to the north, and, even 

 here, a crop is sometimes entirely lost by a late and severe 

 spring frost. A south-east slope is preferred, the south-east 

 winds being the driest. I suspect another reason why it is 

 found better is, that the south-west winds, coming off the ocean, 

 are the stronger. My own observation has led me to think 

 that the apple-tree is much affected by an exposure to severe 

 winds. Most sorts of trees do not thrive very well upon the 

 sea-shore, and this is usually laid to the account of salt spray 

 or &quot; salt in the air.&quot; It will be found, however, that trees 



