HOW ARTIZANS IN TOWN MIGHT BEGIN". 29 



all weeds and to improve the texture of the soiL Then, 

 at the end of September, commence to make a planta- 

 tion of young fruit trees to stand two or three years till 

 they are fit for finally planting out in the permanent 

 orchard to be acquired later on. 



The young pomologist might here plant a carefully 

 selected assortment of the safest and best sorts of young 

 trees called " maidens," of plums, mainly, with a few 

 apples and pears. The larger part would be reserved 

 for gooseberries, and red, white, and black currant 

 bushes of two or three years' old. These he will be 

 able to sort before planting and train in any shape he 

 likes. The gooseberries and red and white currants can, 

 or a selection of them, be partly trained up to one stem 

 as " standards." Such will be found a very attractive 

 form of cultivation, where they are trained with skill. 

 The raising of such trees for re-sale is at times a profitable 

 adjunct to the annual balance sheet. 



As fruit growing develops there will be ample scope 

 for many such enterprising young " nurserymen " 

 throughout the kingdom to start. The plums and 

 other " top " fruit of " maidens " or yearlings which will 

 be obtainable, probably, at 5s. or 6s. per dozen, of local 

 nurserymen, can also be selected so as to be " trained " 

 in whatever shape may be desired. Standard trees that 

 run up to a single stem four to eight feet may be 

 preferred if they are not wanted for quick bearing, as 

 these ultimately give the heaviest returns for orchards. 

 If grafted upon dwarf stocks, the apples and pears can 

 be trained either as espaliers, cordons, pyramids, or 

 dwarf bush trees. Pears are usually grown as 

 "pyramids" and apples as "bush" trees. The latter 

 are perhaps the most productive of these, and are the 



