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THE PRACTICAL GARDENER. 



portion to iheir extent in the number of varieties, than in 

 their actual merits. It is better to be contented with a few 

 real good kinds, such as will be productive in most seasons, 

 than to plant many sorts (even of those which are reckoned 

 the finer) for the sake of variety, of which a crop is obtained 

 only once in three, five, or seven years. Existing circum- 

 stances should determine both the sorts and the number of 

 varieties planted. In fine climates, soils, and situations, such 

 as many parts of Devonshire, Somersetshire, Herefordshire, 

 and Worcestershire, and in some situations in the vicinity of 

 London, the finer sorts may be expected to repay and amply 

 satisfy the proprietor; while to plant the same sorts in cold 

 bleak situations and bad soils, would be attended with dis- 

 appointment. The circumstances of the situation being taken 

 first into consideration, the number and sorts should then be 

 fixed upon, and out of the almost endless catalogue of fruits 

 now to be had, sorts will be found to suit all reasonable situa- 

 tions ; the chief difficulty, however, consists in making a pro- 

 per selection. Few private gardens should contain more than 

 twenty-five or thirty sorts of apples, twelve or twenty sorts 

 of pears, and so in proportion with the other small fruits, 

 such as strawben'ies and goosebemes excepted, as they occupy 

 little room, and are soon in that state of bearing as to con- 

 vince the owner whether they be or be not really worthy of 

 his cultivation. 



By limiting the varieties of fi-uits in private gardens, we 

 may be accused of wishing to cast a damp on the zealous 

 efforts of the present cultivators of new and improved fruits ; 

 but this is quite foreign to our views; indeed, we consider no 

 stimulus too great for promoting that laudable object, which 

 every horticulturist should constantly bear in his mind ; but 

 still this aim should not be carried to the extent of depriving 

 the proprietor of a supply of standard fruits, suflficient for the 

 consumption of his family. A great neglect has been shewn, 

 of late years, in the planting of many of our best standard 

 fi*uits, and in some cases, they are totally banished fi'om the 

 garden to make way for new ones, the merits of which are 

 scarcely known, having been raised from seed imported from 

 the continent, or recommended by some enthusiast with a 



