116 DWARF FRUIT TREES 



the most interesting, instructive and entertaining ele- 

 ments in my dwarf fruit garden. 



Next there comes a trellis bearing some espaliers, 

 including plums, pears, apples, peaches and cherries; 

 but these have been recently planted, and as yet they 

 have done nothing worth relating. 



There is one row of twenty-three dwarf pears, 

 mostly trained in pyramid form. These have not done 

 well, but the reason is not far to seek. The soil is 

 light and full of gravel, and quite unsuited to pear 

 or quince. Pears never thrive on it. Several of the 

 trees are bearing a crop this year, but some of the 

 trees are also dead, and the whole row looks like the 

 finish of a bargain sale on the remnant ribbon counter. 



The row of upright cordon pears is a trifle better, 

 but that is only an accident, I think. The varieties 

 which are growing there seem to be rather better 

 adapted to withstand the unpropitious surroundings. 

 These trees also are bearing. 



When we come to the two rows of horizontal cor- 

 don apples, though, the real fun has begun. Nearly 

 all these trees are in bearing, and a few of them have 

 borne every year since they were planted out. They 

 are set only three feet apart in the row, which is not 

 enough ; and they suffered terribly the first year from 

 a midsummer attack of aphides ; and the pruning was 

 neglected to allow them to recover from that scourge, 

 so that the form was somewhat injured; but they have 

 never ceased to be a joy to me and a wonderment to 

 visitors. They are mostly of European varieties, but 

 Bismarck is the showiest and most fruitful one in the 

 collection, though far from the best to eat. 



