SELECTING All varieties, however, will not prove sufl&- 



THE BEST cicntly productive to justify extensive cultivation^ 



VARIETIES. and so the planter will naturally choose those which 

 have proved themselves the best under our cli- 

 matic conditions, both as regards fertility and the 

 quality of the fruit. For instance, there are more 

 than thirteen hundred separate and distinct kinds 

 of apples, yet not more than twenty-five of these 

 are in general cultivation. I^ocal experiment and 

 experience are the only reliable tests as to the suit- 

 ability of any particular sort of tree to a neigh- 

 bourhood. The plan of consecutive cropping by 

 planting late and early varieties, so much practised 

 in England, is not of much advantage in this coun- 

 try, where both late and early varieties are in bear- 

 ing practically all the year round. In selecting 

 varieties, therefore, planters would be well advised 

 to give little heed to whether varieties are "late" or 

 "early," but to concentrate on those known to do 

 best in their district. 



THE RIGHT 

 STOCKS. 



After the finding of proper climatic conditions, 

 soil, and varieties of tree, the most imporant con- 

 sideration is to find the right stocks. If the land to 

 be planted is on a high and well drained situation, 

 peach stock for both plums and peaches, and pear 

 stock for pears, will be found the best for this 

 country. For apples, the planter has to select for 

 himself between Northern Spy and Paradise 

 stocks. The advantages of the former are that it 

 is absolutely blight proof to the graft, which is 

 about twelve inches above ground level, and that 

 it makes a large tree and therefore is capable of 

 carrying more fruit; of the latter, that it dwarfs 

 the tree, keeping it within easy reach for pruning, 

 spraying and picking. Also, the apple tree on 

 Paradise stock usually comes into bearing earlier 

 than the same apple tree grafted on to Northern Spy. 



PLANTING The proper distances to plant are approximately, 



DISTANCES. twenty to twenty-four feet apart for Standard 



Apple trees on Northern Spy stock; dwarf apple trees 

 on Paradise stock, twelve feet; Peaches, Nectar- 

 ines, Apricots, and Pears, twenty-four feet; Plums, 

 fifteen feet; and Dwarf Pear trees on Quince stock, 

 twelve feet. 



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