FRUIT CULTURE FOR PROFIT. 417 



the bottom of a moist valley, the climate of which in spring 

 was trying in the extreme for early buds and blossoms. 

 The sorts, too, were injudiciously chosen. Nevertheless, 

 the planter persevered with their culture until he found 

 that for three or four years in succession his trees produced 

 plenty of blossom but little or no fruit. He then destroyed 

 them, and cropped the ground with vegetables. But what 

 a waste of time and money, and what a source ef vexation 

 and disappointment ! 



I believe in planting on slopes or uplands, where the 

 spring frosts are less destructive, but even there distant 

 shelter should be provided, if not already existing. If 

 cheap quick-growing trees are planted for shelter, within a 

 few yards of the boundaries of the plantations when the 

 young fruit trees are planted, the former will afford the 

 necessary shelter by the time the fruit trees come into 

 bearing. I would emphasize to the utmost of my power 

 the necessity of a favourable climate and shelter. On a 

 farm of 200 acres there may be a difference of climate 

 that would render fruit culture profitable or unprofit- 

 able according to the position in which the trees are 

 planted. 



In the valley, of the Lea I find that in some years the 

 crop is mainly or wholly on the bottom, and in others on 

 the top of the trees. This I attribute to the spring frosts 

 being more severe in the one case near the ground, and in 

 the other at a greater elevation during the period of 

 flowering. Or it may sometimes be that the heavy 

 cropping of one part of the tree is the cause of a thin crop 

 on the same part the succeeding year. 



2. Soils. A light or medium loam, of good depth and 

 well drained is generally accepted as the most favourable 

 for the production of an abundance of good fruit. It 

 matters not if it be poor, provided manure can be obtained 

 at an easy distance or at a cheap rate. A bad soil in a 

 good climate often yields the grower more profitable 

 results than a good soil in a bad climate. A wet soil is 

 2 A 



