CHAPTER XXIX 



FRUIT CULTURE IN FRANCE 



By M. ALFRED NOMBLOT 



Note. — i metre (im.) = 3 feet 3J inches; i decimetre (om.io) = 4 inches; I centimitre 

 (om.i)=f of an inch. (These are approximate equivalents.) 



The cultivation of hardy fruit trees in France may be regarded from three 

 points of view — firstly, as conducted in experimental gardens, i.e. in gardens 

 formed for the purpose of study ; secondly, as carried on in private gardens, 

 or the gardens of amateurs ; and thirdly, as practised in market gardens. 



Experimental Gardens. — The object of these is not only to teach the 

 proper cultivation of fruit trees, but also to further the study of nevsr varieties ; 

 to experiment wfhh. newr methods of cultivation, and in those methods 

 wrhich are not sufficiently well known. These gardens therefore contain 

 important and varied collections of fruit trees. Their special interest lies not so 

 much in actual produce (which is considered a secondary object), as in the field 

 of instruction and observation laid open to inquirers. 



The experimental garden should be situated so as to be easy of access to 

 students and amateurs ; the design be such as to be suitable for demonstra- 

 tions, and it should be capable of growing all kinds and all varieties of fruit trees 

 in their most varied forms, and by widely different processes. 



Of course all these conditions are not always advantageously combined 

 in the same spot ; and from lack of capital it is often necessary to utilise land 

 deficient in size- and quality. 



In the neighbourhood of Paris the best gardens of the kind are : L'Ecole 

 Nationale d'Horticulture de Versailles, I'Scole de la Ville de Paris at St. Mand^, 

 I'Ecole Normale d'Instituteurs de Versailles, I'Ecole le Notre at Villepreux 

 (S. et O.), r£cole des Freres d'Igny, I'Ecole F^nelon de Vaujours, PEcole de 

 Fleury sous Meudon. Many horticultural societies also have their experimental 

 gardens ; Soissons is one of those which have done the most in this direction. 

 Indeed most of the big firms of nurserymen have made a point of having in 

 their grounds not only every variety of fruit tree known under most careful 

 nomenclature, but also correct models of training. These collections, constantly 

 added to by novelties as these make their appearance, are carefully catalogued, 

 and serve as a basis for pomological research. All these gardens, as we have 

 said, serve to teach the art of fruit culture ; they encourage amateurs, and often 

 give rise to improved methods in fruit-growing for profit. 



Amateurs' Gardens. — The fruit gardens of amateurs are by far the most 

 common. They are kitchen and fruit gardens combined, the production of 



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