1922]. 



Fruit Growing in Northern Counties. 



1119 



level. The most suitable varieties are : Domino, Bramley's Seed- 

 ling, Bismarck, Lane's Prince Albert, Golden Spire and Cox's 

 Pomona. The last-named variety is the best dessert in the open 

 in Northumberland. 



Distances to Plant. — The day has passed when the stereo- 

 typed distances given in text books should be followed. The 

 distances must be governed by the varieties and the stocks on 

 which they are grown. 



Bush Bramley on the paradise requires 18 ft. each way, some 

 •others 15 ft. and some of the very weakest 12 ft. Bramley as 

 half or full standards should have at least 40 ft. each way, and 

 there are instances in the south of Bramley meeting after being 

 planted 60 ft. between the rows. 



From what we have learned in connection with small men 

 starting fruit holdings, everything points to the necessity of 

 having wide distances between the rows, so as to admit of vege- 

 tables or small fruit, and. what is more important, horse and im- 

 plement cultivation. Moreover, if the fruit grower plants in rows 

 wide apart he can eventually fill up when capital will admit. 



All bush trees planted should have a leg of 2 to 2 J ft. to 

 facilitate cultivation and banding. 



Pollination. — Although too much importance should not be 

 ■attached to this subject it has been clearly proved that many 

 varieties of apple do not readily set their blooms with their own 

 pollen, but are dependent on the pollen of some other variety. 

 This being the case it is always safe practice to have three or 

 four varieties in a commercial plantation, and these should be 

 intermixed in preference to being planted in blocks. 



Taking all commonly grown varieties of apples, the blooming 

 periods will be found to overlap so that if weather is favourable 

 there is every chance of cross-pollination being effected, and the 

 closer the different varieties are mixed the more likely is pollen 

 to be distributed during brief spells of favourable weather in a 

 season unfavourable for pollination. It is also quite evident from 

 experiments earned out that some varieties produce a more 

 potent pollen than others for cross-fertilisation purposes. 



Manuring of Fruit Crops.— Although fruit trees planted on 

 good land may be expected to grow strongly and bear crops of 

 fruit for a period of years there usually comes a time when it 

 is necessary to apply manure. There are many plantations in 

 the country to-day which have come prematurely to a standstill 

 owing to soil exhaustion. 



