1922.] 



The Orchards ok Midim.kskx. 



271 



formity and systematic arrangement would compare fai arably 

 with any orchards in the country. 



AH the more popular hardy fruits, with the exception of straw- 

 berries, are well represented in the count}-. 



Apples. — Middlesex has not always been regarded as an apple- 

 growing county, but of late years the planting of apples has in- 

 creased, with good results. The above figures, showing a 

 decrease of 117 acres of apples, are slightly misleading when 

 this fruit is considered alone, as in many of the mixed orchards 

 apples are in the majority, and the probability is that during 

 the period under review the actual area under apples was in- 

 creased. Some of the older apple orchards are not now profit- 

 able, as too many old and unsuitable varieties are grown which 

 might well be replaced with better and more profitable varieties. 



Of the dessert varieties, Beauty of Bath, Gladstone, Worcester 

 Pearmain, Allington Pippin, and Duchess Favourite do well in 

 most parts of the county, while amongst the culinary varieties 

 Lane's Prince Albert, Stirling Castle, Lord Derby, Bramley's 

 Seedling, Ecklinville, and Newton Wonder, are equally at home. 

 On the lighter soils of the Thames Valley most of the choicer 

 dessert varieties do well. Between thirty and forty years ago 

 the late William Whiteley planted a large model orchard at Han- 

 worth, including many of the best varieties of apples, such as 

 Cox's Orange Pippin, Bibston, and King of the Pippins, which 

 -ire still in excellent condition and cropping well. The adjoin- 

 ing district of Hampton has also long been famous for its fine 

 quality " Cox's," many of which annually give a good account 

 of themselves on the exhibition tables. Further north at Heath- 

 row, may be seen well-kept established apple orchards running 

 into hundreds of acres, which are yielding good crop-. They 

 Buffered badly during last summer's drought, owing to the light 

 soils and rather exposed position, but generally the quality of 

 the fruit compares well with that of any other district . 



In some parts of the county James Grieve, Rival, Wealthy, 

 and other modern varieties are now being planted. 



Pears.— Pears are extensively grown in all the fruit areas of 

 the county, particularly Hazel, Windsor, Clapp's Favourite. Fer- 

 tility, Lammas, and other market varieties. It is a peculiarity 

 of the Hazel (or Hessle) pear .that it appears to do better in close 

 proximity to large towns than in the open country. In th urban 

 districts of Middlesex very old trees of this variety are still pro- 

 ducing good crops of excellent quality fruit. Apparently much 

 remains to be learnt as to the cropping qualities of pears, as 



