154 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



were laden with fruit on the low-lying ground when the great frost 

 of May 21 came, and Plums and Apples, all well set and nearly as 

 large as beans, were completely swept off the trees, and not only 

 was the fruit destroyed, but the young shoots on the trees were 

 scorched as if by fire. On the higher levels the trees escaped, 

 and from observations taken after a series of years I find that 

 plantations that are not lower than 250 feet above sea-level as a 

 rule escape frost, although the higher they are the better. Old 

 plantations on elevated sites are keenly contested for in our district, 

 if they come into the market through change of tenant or any 

 other cause, and I would urge all who plant not to plant in the 

 valley. It is from plantations on the higher ground, well sheltered 

 from wind, that good annual returns are obtained, and when 

 spring frosts cut off the blossoms or fruit in the valley the 

 happy man on 'the hillside reaps his reward. Shelter can be 

 obtained by planting belts of quick-growing trees, such as 

 Larch, Canadian Poplars, &c, and the fruit-trees themselves 

 soon shelter each other to a very great extent. The hedges 

 surrounding newly planted fields may be allowed to grow up 

 gradually to from 10 to 15 feet, and they then afford excellent 

 shelter. 



Varieties. — With soil and situation favourable, the next im- 

 portant step is to decide what varieties of fruit to plant. In 

 making a selection it is best to observe which varieties do best 

 in the district, or if not a fruit-growing district, the old orchards 

 and gardens in the vicinity are a good guide. On no account 

 should I advise the beginner to have all his eggs in one basket. 

 If uncertain as to what will do best, he should try to commence 

 with two or three kinds of bush-fruit, and, say, four or five 

 varieties of Plums, Apples, and other tree-fruit. They will 

 soon answer the question themselves, and those which do best 

 can be gradually increased. On the Toddington Fruit Farm we 

 have over forty varieties of Plums and Gages, thirty-five of 

 Apples, seven of Cherries, and a large acreage under Black 

 Currants, Red Currants, Raspberries, and Strawberries, and the 

 crops vary considerably according to the seasons. 



In the case of Plums and Apples, the number of different 

 varieties at Toddington is far too great, and I should not recom- 

 mend anyone to grow more than a dozen sorts of each. 



Strawberries. — Taking Strawberries first, the most suitable 



