150 Increasing the Commercial Value of Apples. [May, 



not come into full bearing, there is little doubt that older plan- 

 tations are commonly given insufficient manure. Trees that 

 have steadied down in growth and are in regular bearing pro- 

 bably require annual assistance in the way of feeding. 



In some countries the requirements of fruit plantations in the 

 way of nitrogen and organic matter are supplied by sowing a 

 leguminous crop in autumn and ploughing it under green in the 

 following spring. If such a crop is grown with the help of 

 mineral fertilisers supplying phosphates and potash, the 

 manurial needs of the trees are very cheaply and effectively 

 provided, and increased size in the fruit is one of the benefits 

 secured. It is very desirable that such a system should be tried 

 in this country, and experiments made to find the best green 

 crops for the purpose. ■ 



Grass orchards are generally manured with sheep grazing the 

 grass closely, and at the same time receiving cake and other 

 concentrated foods. 



Pruning. — Pruning is well known to stimulate wood growth, 

 and it increases the size of the fruit as well. There is no doubt 

 that the finest apples are produced in orchards which receive 

 annual attention in the way of pruning. In experiments in 

 progress at the East Mailing Research Station in Kent, trees 

 which have the leaders tipped annually consistently yield larger 

 fruit than trees which are allowed to grow naturally or merely 

 thinned out where overcrowded. In the case of old trees, which 

 have become overburdened with fruit spurs, it is very desirable 

 to reduce the spur clusters to reasonable dimensions, and 

 generally to thin out spurs where too numerous. 



Tli inning. — Undoubtedly the most direct influence on the size 

 of the fruit is the thinning of the crop ; and no other means will 

 attain the object when too heavy a crop has set. It is a 

 laborious and expensive process, but profitable for all that. In 

 the case of some of the earliest cooking varieties, which are sale- 

 able when quite immature, it is perhaps allowable to leave the 

 thinning until some of the fruit reaches a marketable size ; but 

 the thinning of most varieties should be done in May or June. 

 The amount of thinning required depends on the quantity of 

 fruit set. In many cases it suffices if the apples are singled, or 

 the clusters reduced to one apple in every instance ; but in some 

 cases this leaves the fruit still too thick, and further thinning is 

 required. As a rough rule, where large apples are wanted, they 

 should be allowed to hang about 8 in. apart, this distance being 

 gauged nearly enough by spanning with the hand, fingers 



