344 THE FRUIT GROWER'S GUIDE. 



require aeration and lime. Remember that sweet soil only produces healthy, fruitful trees 

 with large, handsome, juicy, full-flavoured fruit. 



Preparing Ground. The directions given on pages 30-40 should be followed out 

 according to circumstances and requirements of the soil. Draining ought to be first seen 

 to, then trenching or stirring the soil. Instructions for preparing stations will be found 

 on pages 40-41, borders, pages 72-75, orchards, pages 82-90. These have special reference 

 to hardy fruits, including apples. 



Distances for Planting. These must be determined by circumstances, habit of the 

 trees, and mode of cultivation. For walls or wood fences : the height of these, and the 

 stock in which the trees are worked, must be considered in determining the distances 

 between the trees. Choice dessert apples do well in the northern parts of England, in 

 Scotland, and in cold situations against south walls ; and in the Midlands the fruits attain 

 a perfection in size, colour, and clearness of skin on low walls with south aspects which 

 enhances their value for dessert and exhibition. Apples are also much finer grown 

 against walls or fences with east or west aspects than on trees in the open. Grown 

 against north walls we have found the trees crop well, but the fruit was wanting in 

 colour, and increased in acidity. 



Trees on free stocks. Fan or horizontal trained. Walls, 12 feet or more high : trees, 

 18 feet apart; walls, 9 or 10 feet high: trees, 24 feet apart; walls, 6 to 8 feet high: 

 trees, 15 to 18 feet apart. 



Espaliers. Fan or horizontal trained. On free stocks : moderate-growing varieties, 

 18 to 24 feet apart ; vigorous kinds, 24 to 30 feet apart. On Paradise stocks : mode- 

 rate-growing sorts, 12 feet apart ; strong- growing varieties, 15 to 18 feet apart. 



Dwarfs. Bushes or pyramids. On free stocks : 12 to 18 feet apart. On Paradise 

 stocks: 6 to 12 feet apart. Modifications of these distances are necessitated by different 

 modes of culture and forms of trees, as indicated on pages 334-336. 



Standards. Low standards on dwarfing stocks: 12 feet apart; tall standards on 

 free stocks : 18 to 30 feet apart. For varieties and distances of planting them according 

 to vigour, see pages 335, 336. 



Planting. Details for the successful performance of this important operation are given 

 on pages 137-154, and need not be repeated here. 



END OF VOL. I. 



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