i 3 2 MORE POT-POURRI 



(171 Fleet street, London), has a sentence on the pur- 

 chasing of fruit trees, which is so good I must copy it: 

 * First look to the character and position of the vendors, 

 and deal with those who have reputations to maintain. 

 They cannot afford to sell inferior trees or, what is of 

 vital importance, distribute varieties under wrong names. 

 It is a very serious matter to grow fruit trees for some 

 years, then when they bear find they are not the sorts 

 ordered, but inferior. Time thus lost cannot be 

 regained. Order early in October, and the sooner the 

 trees arrive and are planted after the leaves fall, the 

 better they will grow.' He goes on to say, what is 

 equally true, that the best trees are spoilt by bad plant- 

 ing, and it is deplorable to see how roughly the work 

 is often done through lack of knowledge. Every kind of 

 instruction is clearly given by Mr. Wright in this excel- 

 lent, inexpensive little book, and if read carefully and 

 followed, things must go right. I have fallen this year 

 into the so common fault of ordering the little I meant 

 to have too late ; but, as they are only a few hardy 

 Damson trees, I hope they will forgive me and do well 

 all the same. Damsons are certainly not cultivated 

 enough, and yet, after Morello Cherries, they make the 

 best of jams and no fruit tree gives such big crops for 

 so little outlay. The trees enjoy full exposure and need 

 hardly any attention, but it is well to remember to stake 

 them securely, to prevent strong winds blowing them 

 about and straining the roots. Our only trouble is the 

 birds, who eat out the buds before they even blossom. 

 Some buds we could spare, but that is not Mr. Bully's 

 way; if he begins on a tree he completely clears it, as 

 the missel -thrushes do the Rowan berries of summer. 

 Last year they fixed on a Pear tree that was covered 

 rather early with buds, and in one week every trace and 

 promise of blossom was gone. 



