28 THE BOOK OF THE APPLE 



following spring to produce flowers. It may, however, 

 be too far away from the base of the spur to be of 

 permanent value, and often must be cut away at a future 

 pruning. With reference to the pruning of the ends of 

 the branches, if these are of normal growth they may 

 be left about nine inches long, but, if they are unusually 

 strong or abnormally weak, leave them respectively a 

 few inches longer or shorter. 



SITUATION 



A few words upon the situation and soil most likely 

 to ensure the successful cultivation of the apple will not 

 be out of place. 



Shelter from winds is an important matter, and more 

 particularly from the winds from the east and west. 

 When the trees are in blossom in early spring, east 

 winds are prevalent, and are liable to cause much 

 damage if there is no shelter from that quarter. Rough 

 winds are invariably experienced in the autumn, and 

 these, as a rule, are from the west ; the damage often 

 done to apples that are then not yet ready for gathering 

 being enormous. During one night irreparable loss may 

 be sustained. It is wise, therefore, to select if possible a 

 site that is in some measure protected from the east and 

 the west. Some situations, notably damp and low-lying 

 ones, are more subject to late spring frosts than others, 

 and should be avoided. The prospect of a good season's 

 crop may be changed during one night of frost in late 

 spring to that of almost complete failure. 



There are many fruit farms and gardens along the 

 Thames Valley generally speaking, a damp district 

 and although the country is well suited to fruit culture, 

 so far as the soil is concerned, the trees are liable to 

 suffer from the spring frosts so prevalent here. 



