528 National Fruit and Cider Institute, [dec, 



the trees ; {b) some will be given another foot radius by digging 

 a strip round ; and (c) as the trees have grown so strongly, root- 

 pruning will be tried on part of both (a) and (b) trees. Also, on 

 the Hereford varieties, in the spring after planting, the heads 

 were cut back by hard, medium, and light pruning respectively, 

 the effects of which will be noted in the future growth and for- 

 mation of fruit spurs. 



Several methods of fencing were adopted to demonstrate their 

 usefulness and to be able to state the cost of them to enquirers. 

 One, two, and three uprights were used, with wire netting and 

 barbed wire for the first ; cross pieces and wire for the second ; 

 and vertical strips for the third method respectively. Where 

 one stake only was used it was driven in first and the tree 

 planted to it. 



This young orchard is in the most prominent position, as it 

 is in full view of everyone passing along the main road from 

 Bristol to Weston, Clevedon, &c. 



The Nursery. — Part of another old pasture field was used for 

 this. A plot of about an acre was double dug or bastard 

 trenched, keeping the turf near the surface or just turned upside 

 down. The soil, as well as that in the orchards and plantation, 

 is a rich, red, sandy loam on the new red sandstone formation. 

 There is from 3 ft. to 5 ft. of loam lying on red marl, which 

 runs down to brick clay. It is excellent soil for fruit-growing, 

 but not the best for cider-making, as it is not heavy enough for 

 the latter. In the early spring of 1904, 13,000 stocks were 

 planted in the nursery, made up of 5,000 seedling crab, 5,000 

 seedling apple or free stock, 1,000 English Paradise, and 2,000 

 seedling pear. When they were planted, thirty loads of good 

 dung were used, spread over the roots after they had been covered 

 with a few inches of soil. Surface rooting is encouraged in this 

 way. All the stocks grew extremely well, and as many as buds 

 could be obtained for were budded in the following autumn. 

 The same varieties of apples were budded on the crab and 

 free stocks to test one with the other. Fives or tens were also 

 worked on the Paradise, to produce fruit-bearing trees quickly, 

 to determine the truthfulness to name or otherwise of the 

 apple, and to provide fruit for exhibition purposes and grafts 

 for distribution and use at home, The buds of all those varieties 



