Fruit Growing in Worcestershire 29 



have them planted mainly in single or double rows at 30 to 50 ft. apart, 

 the intervening space being cropped in turn with different kinds of vege- 

 tables, such as Cabbage, Peas, Beans, Marrows, Radishes, Spring Onions, 

 or Lettuce, whilst other breadths are devoted to Asparagus, Strawberries, 

 or Tomatoes. The rows of trees usually run north and south, the north 

 end or cold end being planted by a narrow belt of Plum trees. Thus 

 the spaces are sheltered and warm, and the crops grown thereon arrive 

 early at maturity or attain a saleable size. 



Pruning is done with a heavy hand for a year or two, after which 

 very little pruning is done and little is required; but in the best-managed 

 plantations the trees are looked over annually, though many may not 

 require the knife or saw every year. 



The majority of the plantations are under thirty years of age; but 

 here and there older ones are discovered, and their occupants obviously will 

 very soon be destroyed. The Pershore Plum predominates, because it is the 

 most certain cropper, much of the fruit being gathered and sold for culinary 

 use long before it is ripe. The Victoria is also largely grown; and the 

 Damascene has been much used for purpose of shelter, and for its good 

 crops of purple fruit, which usually realizes a good price as the plum 

 season is waning. Another useful Plum (little known in other parts) 

 is one grown locally under the erroneous name of White Magnum Bonum, 

 its proper name being Abricotee de Braunau or Reine Claude Braunau; 

 this is a rather late variety with a drooping habit of growth and 

 the fruit very closely resembles Jefferson in appearance and flavour. 

 The Pershore and Abricotee de Braunau freely reproduce themselves by 

 suckers, which come into bearing without grafting. Other varieties 

 grown largely are Czar, Rivers' Purple Prolific, Heron, and Monarch; 

 and in a less degree Belle de Louvain, Cox's Emperor, and a variety 

 locally known as Jemmy Moore. A purple form of the Pershore is 

 now being freely planted, and it is said to have all the good qualities of 

 its parent. 



Apples. The greater durability of the Apple is causing it to displace 

 in some degree the more quickly perishable Plum; and it is estimated 

 that about 3000 ac. of land are now mainly occupied with young Apple 

 trees. Bush trees are usually planted about 12 ft. apart, the space between 

 them being occupied for the first few years with Currants and Goose- 

 berries. This is a step in the right direction, since the flower of the 

 Apple escapes the frosts which are sometimes so disastrous to the earlier 

 bloom of the Plum, thus securing a crop of one kind of fruit when the 

 other crop has been destroyed. 



The varieties chiefly planted are Worcester Pearmain, Devonshire 

 Quarrenden, Ecklinville, Lord Derby, Lord Grosvenor, Stirling Castle, 

 Cox's Orange Pippin, Lane's Prince Albert, and AUington Pippin. At 

 present the Apples of Worcestershire are chiefly produced in another part 

 of the county; the apple orchards of Evesham will tell their story in 

 future years. 



