Ch. XXXI.] ORCHARDS OF MIXED FRUITS. 367 



portion ; and it is, we believe, only continued in some parts of Devonshire 

 where the fruit is of a very inferior nature. 



In the manufacture of both cider and perry, i^^Q strictest care should be 

 observed to avoid the use of all implements of copper or lead, as their solu- 

 tion is to a certain degree effected by the acidity of the juice, and is highly 

 prejudicial to health. The cellars in which the casks are stored should also 

 be placed under ground, — or, at least, should be guarded from the sun, 

 and maintained at an equal degree of moderate temperature, to avoid all 

 hazard of acetous fermentation ; which, if once really commenced, can 

 never be checked by any other than improper means. 



MIXED FRUITS. 



Although we have here only alluded to pears and apples as being, on the 

 whole, the most in use, and, therefore, the most valuable of our fruits, yet 

 there are other kinds of orchards of large extent, which afford considerable 

 profit both as fruit and pasture : thus in some counties — but more particu- 

 larly in Kent, where the soil, being a light, sandy loam, is peculiarly favour- 

 able — there are considerable plantations, annexed to farms of importance, 

 under the various species of cherries, damsons, and filberts. The most 

 profitable kind of orchard, however, is that which contains all species of 

 hardy fruit-trees and bushes, and where the land is exclusively devoted to 

 that purpose. This, indeed, resembles gardening more than farming, and 

 may, therefore, be unsuitable to large farms, though we have seen it upon 

 one which contains some hundred acres. It is, however, quite applicable to 

 small ones ; or to persons retiring into the country, to which an acre of 

 ground, requiring no horse-labour, might be found to afford healthful 

 amusement, coupled with no despicable profit. The plan as described by 

 Mr. Main, who is a practical man of much experience, on whose judgment 

 the greatest reliance may be placed, is as follows : — 



" In such orchards, half-standard apple-trees are planted in rows 18 feet 

 from each other, the trees being 12 feet apart. In the same line with the 

 apple-trees are planted either gooseberry or currant bushes ; or, what pays 

 sometimes equally well, filberts. The latter are not allowed to rise hio-her 

 than about four feet, and kept spurred in, exactly like the white currant. 

 Gooseberries gathered green for tarts pay the farmer better than when 

 ripe, and are not so troublesome in the carriage to market. As such an 

 orchard is not to be grazed, two feet of the soil on each side of the rows of 

 trees is kept bare, and always free from weeds. On this a mulchino- of 

 rotten dung may be laid every winter, and raked off in the spring ; the 

 intermediate strips of ground to be planted with ])otatoes, or sown with 

 onions, turnips, scarlet-runners, or any other crop which the cultivator can 

 most conveniently dispose of in his neighbourhood." 



" For such an orchard the earliest and surest bearing ap))les should be 

 preferred. The greatest majority should consist of the Hawthornden, the 

 rest of the French crab, and scarlet nonpareil. A iew of the earliest pears 

 may be intermixed — as, for instance, the petit muscat, which fetches a 

 good price on its first appearance at market. The most hardy and pro- 

 fitable kind of plum for a farm-orchard is the common damson, it beino- 

 always in request for baking, preserving, or wine-making. The ground 

 may then be prepared for receiving the trees, either by trenching it 

 wholly with the spade 15 inches deep, or with the trenching plough." 



