The Canadian Horticulturist. 287 



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THE APPLE PROSPECT IN BRITAIN. 

 LONDON. 



Sir, — The progress of budding, blossoming and setting of fruit-bearing trees has greatly 

 varied during this season (which has been unusually late this year), and the minds of 

 growers have alternated between hopes of great abundance and fears of failure of the crops. 

 At the comencement the show of fruit was highly favorable for abundant crops, specially 

 of apples ; the hopes thus raised were, however, quickly frustrated through continued 

 frosty weather and torrents of icy cold rains, the damage then not appearing so great as it 

 now proves to be. In some districts the yield of fruit was almost more than the branches 

 could support, and not much notice was taken of some fallings, which have since increased 

 to such an extent as to almost denude some trees of the fruit, and this is attributed to the 

 unseasonable weather during the setting period, and which has seriously upset previous 

 estimates as to the probable yield of the apple crop. 



A careful summary of the various reports received, as well as personal investigation, 

 gives the following results : — 



England. — The reports from the Western Counties indicate a fairly average crop, con- 

 sisting mainly of cider fruit. 



SozUhem Counties. — These are the principal contributors of apples to the London market. 

 From some parts over an average crop is reported, while in other parts the crop is stated 

 as under an average. 



Midland Counties. — A fair average crop is reported. 



As to the remaining parts of England, as well as Scotland and Ireland^ it may be 

 accepted that the crop will be under an average, and, in a few districts, especially in Ire- 

 land, it will be almost a failure. 



The reports from the Continent may be summarized as follows : — 

 Holland and Belgium, — The apple crops originally promised well, but, owing to bad 

 weather, large quantities are falling from the trees, and late sorts will be scarce. 



France. — Advices, though not wholly satisfactory, point to a fair average crop, and 

 early sorts will be rather abundant. 



Germany. — Reports are more satisfactory than from any other part of the Continent, 

 and indicate a full average apple crop of both late and early kinds. 



The other parts of the Continent have little (if any) influence on the importations from 

 your side of the Atlantic. 



After careful perusal of the various reports and consideration of all the facts that have 

 come to my knowledge, and of the influences they bear on our importations from America 

 and the British Colonies, I am of opinion that there will be an ample home supply of the 

 earlier sorts of apples, and as regards the London market we shall not require to draw any 

 from your side till well on in the month of November, but shipments to Liverpool and Glas- 

 gow can be fairly made somewhat earlier. 



J. B. Thoma-s, Covent Garden, Lotidon, Eng. 



LATER FROM LONDON. 



Sir, — You will have my circular as to apple prospects on this side. I may, however 

 add, that owing to continued rainy weather, "fallings" are getting very heavy, and it 

 appears that good keeping sorts are scarcer than we have anticipated recently, but as a 

 matter of fact the home crop is, after all, of minor importance as far as exports from your 

 side are concerned, as it only means a few weeks delay in shipping from your parts, even 

 if we have a full crop ; and if your crop is a good average, and you can ship largely, im- 

 ports to any extent from the European Continent is not possible, as it does not pay them 

 to compete. 



Yours faithfully, 



London, August loth, 1891. J. R. Thoma-* 



