FRUIT-GROWING ON A LARGE SCALE. 



153 



Fruit-trees will never thrive on land which is water-logged, 

 and a most important point is to see that the land is thoroughly 

 drained before planting commences, though not over-drained, as 

 the trees as they grow older will take up a great quantity of 

 moisture from the land. 



I am able to give the analysis of the soil taken from a planta- 

 tion in which Plums, Apples, Pears, Strawberries, Black and 

 Red Currants, Raspberries, and Gooseberries all grow exceedingly 

 well, and I shall point out to you presently the great advantage 

 to the grower of having an analysis of the soil. 



Analysis. 



Silica or silicates insoluble in acids .... 74*20 



Oxide of iron and alumina ...... 15 - 90 



Lime "51 



Magnesia "92 



Potash -60 



Soda . . -40 



Carbonic acid -04 



Phosphoric acid -14 



Sulphuric acid -06 



Organic matter and water of hydration .... 7"23 



Nitrogen *185 



Including phosphoric acid, soluble in 1 per 

 cent, solution of citric acid (i.e. readily 

 available phosphoric acid) . . . *004 



Situation. — Given a suitable soil, we must consider whether 

 the site or situation is favourable. I think this point is the 

 most important of all, and yet it is frequently overlooked. 

 There are many acres of fruit-trees, planted in unfavourable 

 situations, which year after year yield no return whatever, and 

 it is such plantations as these which we hear of as being 

 grubbed up. We have all noticed in the early morning of a bright 

 spring day the mist hanging in the valleys, especially where 

 there is a stream, and if the observer is on rising ground, on the 

 side of the valley, he can often see over the mist to the further 

 side ; it is these mist-laden valleys that must be avoided. Why ? 

 Because it is in these low-lying situations that the frost takes 

 most effect. The height above sea-level of the fruit plantations, 

 some 600 acres in Gloucestershire, which I have the honour to 

 manage, varies from 180 feet to 480 feet, and the small propor- 

 tion of land which was planted at the lower level invariably 

 suffers from the spring frosts. This season the Plums and Apples 



