THE PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE OF THE ORCHARDIST. 37 



XII. THE PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE OF THE ORCHARDIST. 



The experience gained by orchardists in the course of a long and successful career has been 

 laid under contribution, and the value of it is shown in many of the practices followed out by them. 

 The scientific spirit is always willing to learn, and the physiological principles which underlie practical 

 horticulture can only be properly investigated when the facts based upon experience are recognised. 



Thus Roger Bacon, in the thirteenth century, wrote : "Many things are known to the simple 

 and unlearned which escape the notice of the wise." And Faraday, in the nineteenth century, 

 uttered a similar sentiment : "Whilst passing through manufactories, we are constantly hearing 

 observations by those who find employment in these places, and are accustomed to a minute observa- 

 tion of what passes before them, which are new or frequently discordant with received opinions. 

 These are generally the result of facts, and though some are founded in error, some on prejudice, 

 yet many are true and of high importance to the practical man. Such as come in my way I shall 

 set down here, without waiting for the principle on which they depend." 



One of the most prominent of our present-day Victorian orchardists is Mr. James Lang, of 

 Harcourt, and I am fortunate in being able to give a summary of his views with regard to profitable 

 apple -growing. Although Bitter Pit is not mentioned in this article, the various operations detailed, 

 from the choosing of a site, the preparation of the land, and planting, leading up to the well-established 

 orchard with trees carrying a regular crop of good fruit every year, illustrate in a practical way some of 

 the best means for controlling Pit. Whatever influences the life of the tree, enabling it to produce 

 regularly the best fruit of which it is capable, also influences the amount of Pit in varieties liable to it. 



There is one important point, however, on which Mr. Lang has not touched, simply because it 

 is too wide, and that is the varieties of apple to plant. One will be guided in his choice by the require- 

 ments of the market and the suitability of the district for certain varieties. The varieties grown in 

 the principal apple-growing centres of each State have already been given in Report III. An old 

 orchardist contends that the best advice to a man about to plant an orchard is, "Go where Bitter Pit 

 is not prevalent, or to some district where it is prevalent only in a few varieties, which can be omitted 

 from the planting list without seriously affecting the commercial prospects of the orchard." 



THE CULTIVATION OF THE APPLE. CHOOSING THE SITE OF THE ORCHARD. 



The selection of the site of an orchard is a very important matter, as the success of an orchard 

 depends in a great measure on the site selected. The best site to select is one having a north-easterly 

 aspect, well sheltered from the west and southerly winds. The least suitable is one having a 

 southerly aspect. In districts north of the Dividing Range (Victoria), where late spring frosts some- 

 times occur, the orchards facing south generally suffer severely from frosts, especially in low-lying 

 localities, such as along the banks of a creek or low flat land. As the cold air settles down on these 

 low situations on a calm frosty night, the young apples are very frequently destroyed. Such frosts 

 may, hi some districts, occur as late as the tenth of November, destroying the whole crop of fruit. 

 In districts near the coast within the influence of the sea atmosphere, late spring frosts are unknown. 

 Orchardists should, therefore, be careful in choosing a site to select one not subject to late spring frosts. 



SOIL. 



Apples will grow in a great variety of soils, the most suitable being a deep sandy loam of a 

 granitic character. The granite soil around Mt. Alexander is eminently adapted for the growth of 

 the apple, as in the many well-established orchards of that district the apple reaches its highest stage 

 of development, and the longevity of the tree is frequent. In the oldest orchards, planted fifty years 

 ago, the trees are still bearing heavy crops of fruit. 



