November 23, 1912. 



THE GARDENERS' MAGAZINE. 



890 



DESSERT APPLES FOR THE 



NORTH COUNTRY. 



Notwithstanding the great amount of 

 information upon fruit growing, more par- 

 ticularly upon apple selection .and culture, 

 spread throughout the coimtry by means 

 of the horticultural press, horticultural 

 and school instructors, as well as by several 

 other means, the question is often asked : 

 Which are the best varieties to plant ? A 

 question, by the way, though very simply 

 advanced, is not ahvays so easily answered, 

 owing to the well-recognised fact that varie- 

 ties of apples which may succeed in some 

 parts, perhaps over large districts, may 

 not be so satisfactory in others; hence it 

 is somewhat difficult at times to give a reply 

 that is thoroughly reliable. 



The following list is of twelve well-tried 

 va/rieties that may, A\-itli a fair degree of 

 certainty, be depended upon to succeed in 

 growth and maintain a supply of first-class 

 fruit from the middle of August until April 

 following^ in most parts of the North of 

 England and Scotland where soil and cli- 

 matic conditions render it possible for 

 apples to mature. 



Beauty of Bath. 



A handsome, medium-sized, high-quality 

 fruit, that for an early ripening variety 

 keeps well, say, for a fortnight or rather 

 more, after gathering. The tree is well 

 adapted for cultivation in bush form, is 

 seldom troubled with canker in the 

 branches, and crops very regularly. 



Mr. Gladstone. 



An angular, highly-coloured fruit of ex- 

 cellent quality. Itlis often recommended 

 to be eaten direct from the tree, which in- 

 fers that the fruit retains its high quality 

 but a short time after being gathered, an 

 inference that is scarcely correct, for 

 if picked before it gets fully ripe it will 

 keep a week or two without the least de- 

 terioration. The tree is a spreading and 

 free grower, and bears freely on either the 

 paradise or crab stock. It is inclined, if 

 left to itself, to bear in alternate years, a 

 matter that may easily be overcome by 

 early reduction of the superfluous fruits one 

 year, so that the energies of the tree are 

 not unduly exhausted, with the result that 

 more regularity of cropping ensues. 



Lady Sudeley. 



The fruits of this are medium to large, 

 mostly four - sided rather than round 

 in form 



and beautifully striped and 

 mottled with red upon a yellow ground. 

 An excellent apple for exhibition through- 

 out September. The tree succeeds on 

 either stock and in bush or standard style 

 of training, and is very health}' in growth. 



Devonshire Quarrenden. 



A very old variety, and still one of the 

 ')est. As an orchard tree it grows and bears 

 with great freedom, though if grafted upon 

 the crab stock several years will elapse 

 from the time of planting ere full crops 

 will Ije produced, though if upon the para- 

 dise stock the waiting period is greatly 

 reduced. 



Worcester Pearmain. 



Though not richly flavoured, this is al- 

 most indispensable where large supplies of 

 dessert apples are required, as it is a most 

 constant cropper, is in ^ason during the 

 whole of October, and proves very useful 

 H a time when, at most private residences, 

 large parties are the order, and the variety 



and quantity of other fruits is diminishing 

 daily. 



James Grieve. 



Probably this is the most jxipuhir early 

 winter apple at the present time, as the 



fruit is large and handsome in appearance 

 and of excellent quality over a long season. 

 The latter, if a little care is exercised in 

 storing, may be made to extend from Octo- 

 ber to January. The tree grows and bears 

 freely, quite small plants one or two years 

 after planting being remarkable in this 

 respect. 



Kerry Pippin. 



A rather small, beauti full v colon re<l, and 

 highly-flaTOure<l fruit ; the tree is a very 

 moderate grower both in dimensions and 

 in the \ngour of the branches, consequently 

 it i& well fitted for situations ratlier 

 cramped for space, where it will prove both 

 ornamental and useful. 



King of the Pippins. 



One of the most constant fruiting varie- 

 ties in cultivation, as well as being one of 

 the most handsome. The wax-like appear- 

 ance of the individual fruits, after being 



and of the highest quality. The tree suc- 

 ceeds in any form and is very ]»r()lific, and 

 like some of the earlier ripening apples 

 be^rs principally upon the points of the 

 branches, which are slender ; hence prun- 

 ing should be very mo<lerately carried out. 



Mag^num Bonum. 



Though not perhaps very extensively eul- 

 tivatetl over a wide area of <'()iintry, 1, after 

 many years' experience of its behaviour 

 here, consider this one of thi' xvrx Ix^t late- 

 keeping apples, and the tnn* a go<Hl grower 

 and most constant cro])])er. TJie fruits are 

 largo, rather flat in form, and btHM^me beau- 

 tifully coloured in the sjiring months when 

 fit for use. 



Reinette du Canada. 



To do this variety justice it should be 

 ]>lante<] in n spot slieltcrtnl Ity a fence or 

 other tnM s, wIhm'c tlie st4>rnis of autumn do 

 not rt^iiilily I'ent'h it. so that the erop may 



A new 



culinary 

 Award 



APPLE ARTHUR TURNER. 



apple introduced bv Mr. Charles Turner, of 



of Merit by the Royal Horticultural Society in October 



a n d 

 laet 



given an 



stored for a time, is very fascinating, while 

 their texture and solidity are both favour- 

 able to long keeping, or for packing. 



Alling:ton Pippin- 



one 



Un- 



A comparatively new variety. l)ut 

 that has of late been largely planted, 

 der favourable conditions— good soil and 

 climate— the fruits become very large, 

 shapely, and well coloured. The tree makes 

 a pretty bush or pyramid— the branches, m 

 the course of a few years, assuming quite a 

 pendulous form, partly so from the natural 

 habit of growth, but more so probably from 

 the weight of fruit they sustain annually. 



Scarlet Nonpariei. 



This is a very old variety, having beeu 

 recognised for* its sterling qualities for 

 ahout a centurv. The fruits are small an<l 

 rather flat in shape, but highly coloured. 



remain upon the l)raiu'lH\s until tne leaves 

 fall, or well into Novendter. Under these 

 conditions the full measure of maturity may 

 he assured, and shrivelling of the fruits 

 quite late in the season, when ripening 

 should take place, be thereby considerably 

 mitigated. 



The foregoing twelve varieties are all 

 well adapted for cultivation in the open 

 garden though, of course, were they 

 trained against a wall the fruits, especially 

 in unfavourable seas<uis. would he larger 

 and more highlv coloured, but suvli treat- 

 ment is unnecessarv to secure goinl and full 

 crops of serviceable prfnluce that will an- 

 swer all liou.^ehohl ]>urposes. ami. as already 

 stated, will providt^ a supply as long hs 

 dessert apples are pessihlv obtnninble. 



(To ])e continued.) 



James Day. 

 (;alloway House, Garlicston. 



