338 THE CORDON SYSTEM OF FRUIT GROWING. 



choice fruit referred to, and be entirely independent of the 

 French. 



Doubtless many think that these very fine fruit require a 

 warmer climate than we have for them. But by treating 

 them as the French do we may produce as good or a better 

 result, and may, in addition, grow tender but fine apples, 

 like the Calville Blanc, that do little good when grown as 

 standards. The climate in most parts of England will be 

 found to suit them quite as well as that of Paris, if not 

 better, because the sun in France is in some parts a little 

 too strong for the perfect development of the flesh and 

 flavour of the apple. There is no part of the country 

 in which the low cordon will not be found a most useful 

 addition to the garden — that is, wherever first-rate and 

 handsome dessert fruit is a want. So great is the demand 



Fig. 144. 



Young Cordon of the Lady Apple trained as an Edging. 



in the markets for fruit of the highest quality that some- 

 times the little trees more than pay for themselves the first 

 year after being planted. In any northern exposed and 

 cold places where choice apples do not ripen well it would 

 be desirable to give the trees as warm and sunny a position 

 as possible, while the form recommended for walls should be 

 used extensively. In no case should the system be tried 

 except as a garden one— an improved method of orcharding 

 being what we want for kitchen fruit, and for the supply 

 of the markets at a cheap rate. 



When lines of cordons are perfectly well furnished the 

 whole line is a thick mass of bold spurs. Some keep them 

 very closely pinched in to the rod, but the best I have ever 

 seen were allowed a rather free development of spurs, care 

 being taken that they were regularly and densely produced 



