PRELIMINARY HINTS. 37 



of dessert plums, of fruitful sorts, to mature or ripen iii 

 succession, from July to October. 



It should not be overlooked that there is often a fashion 

 in fruits, as in other matters. This is particularly 

 noticeable with apples, each locality having its favourite 

 sorts, which never " hang fire." The shops in country 

 districts will not take a superior new kind, unless, at 

 times, at a heavy discount from the value of well-known 

 old varieties, for which they seem to have buyers for 

 any quantity. These points must be well enquired 

 about wherever any extensive planting is about to be 

 carried out. 



As a rule, dessert sorts, of good size that can be used 

 either for kitchen or table, should be planted as freely 

 as possible, whether of plums, pears, apples, or cherries, 

 and large fruit of showy exterior is always preferred by 

 the retailers to high flavour, but uninviting appearance. 



If any method of protecting the spring blossom, and 

 also the fruit, can be made use of till middle June, it 

 will be well to have such available at any time. The 

 blossom may be retarded by exposing the roots to a cold 

 temperature sometimes ; it may also be so invigorated 

 by liquid or suitable chemical manure, as to carry the 

 bloom through many a danger from frost. Experiments 

 on these points may be of the greatest value. Salt 

 applied in early spring will probably be found useful, 

 and thus possibly save a year's crop. 



If landlords would show more enterprise in planting 

 fruit trees for small farms, it would give a great impetus 

 to the matter ; the farmers will not pioneer such a new 

 industry when they see their landlords show no practical 

 interest in fruit, as they think, if there were any margin 

 of profit in fruit culture, sensible landlords, being able 



