Cider Institute: its Origin and Objects. 13 



the air but otherwise enclosed and roofed, where the first 

 fermentations will take place. Over the main buildings are 

 two good lofts for the storage, &c., of apples. On one side is an 

 engine-house, and in front is a laboratory. A cottage adjoining 

 has also been rented. 



A short carriage -drive leads up from the main road, and it 

 is eventually intended to make this little approach somewhat 

 ornamental as well as useful. The place is 4J miles from 

 Bristol Station, and 1J from Flax Bourton Station. The tram 

 line from Bristol comes to within 2^ miles, but the terminus of 

 a service of omnibuses is only about a quarter of a mile away. 



As the premises have not yet been fitted up with machinery 

 it is unnecessary to describe them further, but they are situate 

 at one side of a field, rather more than 4 acres in extent, which 

 is now being planted as an orchard. In the first instance, two 

 systems are being tested, viz., the Herefordshire system, whereby 

 a tree grafted with the particular variety desired is planted 

 straight away (the disadvantage being that the particular variety 

 used may not necessarily make a good standard tree), and the 

 Somerset system, whereby a stock worked at the bottom with 

 a variety which is known to make a good standard is planted, 

 and, when the head is sufficiently grown, grafted with the cider 

 variety desired (the disadvantage being a loss of some time at 

 the beginning). In all some two hundred trees are being 

 put in, and these include about eighteen or twenty distinct 

 varieties. Experiments will be made as regards the most 

 profitable amount of ground round the stems to be left bare for 

 the first six or eight years, and also as regards different methods 

 of fencing against stock, some three or four ways being adopted. 



The next field included is an old orchard of about 5 acres, 

 which sadly needs taking in hand, while the remaining field of 

 which some 4^ acres will be available after allowing for a right 

 of way for cattle is being broken up, and, to begin with, one 

 acre is being developed as a nursery plantation and one acre as 

 the commencement of what may be termed a " fruit plan- 

 tation." For the portion at present devoted to the nursery 

 plantation some 13,000 stocks have been purchased, viz., 5,000 

 free stocks, 5,000 crab stocks, 1,000 broad-leaved English 

 Paradise stocks, and 2,000 pear stocks for the production of 

 perry pears. These will be worked with a selection of the 

 best known varieties, about which the utmost care will be 

 taken, so that in course of time a large quantity of care- 

 fully selected stocks will be raised, absolutely true to name, 

 and available as grafts for farmers and nurserymen throughout 

 the district. The. Paradise stocks will be used to bring the 

 varieties more quickly into bearing, so that they may be more 



