300 THE FRUIT GROWER'S GUIDE. 



9 feet, and 18 2s. Gd. for 302 trees at 12 feet apart, per acre. Gooseberry bushes 

 may be planted between the trees and rows when the distance is 12 feet, and is more 

 economical and quite as satisfactory in returns as planting pyramid plums at 6 feet 

 and thinning for the permanent trees to stand 12 feet apart, unless it is proposed to 

 extend the plantation. If the trees grow too vigorously they should be taken up early 

 in November and replanted. In this way the trees become, and are kept, fruitful at 

 6 "feet distance for some years without crowding. The trees come into remunerative 

 bearing about the seventh year, and are in the best production about the twelfth. 

 Root-restricted trees come sooner into bearing than free half-standards or pyramids. 

 Good culinary plums from trees at the best period of production return about 100 

 per acre, even in " glut " years if the fruit is thinned to swell to a large size ; thinning 

 can be done on low trees and it pays. The finest culinary and dessert plums packed 

 in small boxes fetch much more than the above return per annum. Farleigh and 

 Bradley's King damsons sueceed admirably as half-standard or pyramid trees. 



Pruning trees at 9 or 12 feet apart should be confined to tipping irregular and 

 removing crossing and superfluous growths in June or July, finally regulating the trees 

 for securing an open and evenly-balanced head in October. Trees planted G feet 

 apart should have the growths pinched in the summer, thinning and shortening them in 

 the autumn. When the pruning is completed, spread about an inch thickness of 

 stable manure or rich compost on the soil, from the stems to a foot beyond the 

 spread of the branches, pointing it in very lightly, or if the roots are matted at the 

 surface cover with a little fresh soil from the open spaces, which should be manured 

 and dug without damage to the roots This will be required every your when the 

 trees crop heavily, supplementing in February with superphosphate and kainit in equal 

 parts, at the rate of 3^ pounds per rod. The rains will wash this in, and it should be 

 followed by a dressing of powdered nitrate of soda when the fruit is well set for a full 

 crop. Plum trees on the plantation system are worn out sooner than standard trees, not 

 being profitable after twenty-five years some earlier and some later. 



Rn*pberries. A fairly good soil, with a cool or moist base (not water-loggod ) is 

 necessary for securing full crops, for if too light and porous the fruit does not swell 

 satisfactorily. It should be deeply dug or subsoil ploughed. The canes are placed in 

 rows ranging from 3 to 12 feet apart. When 3 feet, that distance is allowed between 

 the plants =- 4,840 per acre. Strong canes cost 12s. per hundred = 28 19s. 4d. per 

 acre. When the rows are 4 feet apart the canes are placed 2 feet asunder 5 feet 



