227 
it can be transmitted and preserved with a fair amount of perman- 
ency. Some strains of cattle and live stock are well known which 
embody to a high degree of perfection all the good points of the 
breed, whilst other strains are also known to have thrown back and 
degenerated and to only beget mongrels; so in our o1chards there 
are strains of vigorous and of feeble trees bearing, some heavily, 
others lightly. This being admitted, the importance is plain to only 
propagate from the most productive and the best. After individual 
trees seemingly inferior to the accepted standard have failed to 
improve under the stimulus of cultivation, manuring, suitable prun- 
ing, and treatment, there is but one thing left to do, and that is 
to cull it out and work on it a scion from some selected strain. 
Cross POLLINATION OR FERTILISATION. 
Experience has shown that fruit trees, other things being equal, 
bear better when varieties are mixed in the orchard. This is strik- 
ingly true in the case of the almond, stone fruit, apples and pears. 
Mr. J. Hawter, of the Blackwood Nursery, who noticed the 
benefit in bearing to the other trees, recommends planting varieties 
blossoming about the same period in alternate rows ef 2 to 6 right 
through the orchard, thus :— 
“Start with 3 rows Jonathan, 2 rows Dunn’s, thea 6 rows Jona- 
thans, 2 rows Dunn’s, and repeat the 6 and 2 to end of block. One 
row would do every 6th row, but it means a waste of time at pick- 
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 18 #14 
2 Rows for Cross Pollination 
2 Rows for Cross Pollination 
i 
ing, as varieties do not ripen together and cart has to go round to 
pick up, and I recommend the double row as the more economical 
system, although mine are planted in alternate rows, and hence 
speak from experience. 
