2 FRUIT GROWING FOR AMATEURS 



Bush Fruits between Apple Trees. The best kinds of 

 Apple trees to grow are bushes and pyramids on the Paradise 

 Stock. These commence to bear fruit when quite young, and 

 are far more satisfactory than standard trees when quick returns 

 are a consideration. If they are planted 15 feet apart each 

 way there will be sufficient space for a Gooseberry or Currant 

 bush between them at any rate, for a number of years. Goose- 

 berries that are required to hang until ripe are better in a bed 

 by themselves, so that they can be netted to keep off birds. 

 The bushes should be 5 feet apart. 



Black Currants are a profitable crop, and a good-sized planta- 

 tion will not be the least remunerative part of the garden. They 

 \>ay for good cultivation, and give very little trouble. 



Even when Apples are planted with bush fruits there will 

 be a good deal of space between them for some years, and every 

 available piece of ground should be cropped with vegetables 

 until the trees approach full size. 



Pyramid Pears on the Quince Stock may be planted at a 

 similar distance apart with bush fruits between them, and here 

 again there will be ample space for " catch " crops. 



If it is decided to plant Apples and Pears alone, without 

 bush fruit, a space of 12 feet each way between the trees will 

 suffice. In that case it will be necessary to make larger beds 

 of Currants and Gooseberries ; but the plan of intermixing 

 answers well, and the bushes give good returns until the per- 

 manent trees become large enough to fill the space. 



Plums and Cherries succeed under similar conditions, and 

 when wall space is limited some bush-trained trees should be 

 included if these fruits are wanted. Plums, especially, crop 

 much better in very firm soil, for if the ground is too rich and 

 rather loose, the trees grow very vigorously and bear compara- 

 tively small crops in many instances. 



Cordon Apples and Fears. A good fruit garden would 

 not be complete without these, for many of the finest fruits 

 are obtained from cordons. By growing this form of tree the 

 amateur is enabled to plant an increased number of varieties. 

 Cordons do well on a south or west wall, and they are most 

 useful for planting by the side of a walk in a sunny position. 

 The best plan is to train them obliquely, for this allows a greater 

 length of stem, and to a certain extent it checks rank growth, 

 thus promoting fruitfulness. They should be planted 2 feet 



