204 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



At my own place, Bourg-la-Eeine, the Apricot grows satis- 

 factorily, but rarely produces anything like a good crop of fruit. 

 Some trees planted twenty-five years ago in our nursery produce 

 an abundance of fruit — at least every alternate year. They are 

 planted in the midst of other fruit-trees, and are protected from 

 ill-favoured winds by a screen of Elm-trees a little distance away. 

 Some other specimens, however, of the same age and vigour, and 

 only a few hundred yards distant from the preceding plantation, 

 are almost entirely exposed, and all but sterile — a fact which 

 serves to emphasise again the necessity of growing the Apricot 

 under particular conditions if it is to yield a satisfactory crop of 

 fruit. 



PLUMS FOE THE MAEKET. 



By Mr. J. Smith, of Mentmore, F.E.H.S. 



One important factor in Plum-growing is the proper selection 

 of soil. It is no doubt a very bad soil indeed that will not 

 grow a Plum-tree, but to be successful in producing really first- 

 class fruit a good deal of care, attention, and judgment are 

 needed. For example, the situation selected for a Plum orchard 

 should not be in a dry, warm position, but rather on an exposed 

 and open site. Again, the soil should preferably be of a rather 

 stiff, heavy loam, or even clay, if of a fertile nature. Strong clay 

 when mixed with small flint stones seems to suit the Plum 

 admirably, only in such a soil the trees must be liberally fed with 

 rich manure. 



There are two ways that Plums may be grown profitably for 

 market, namely, either as standards on grass land or as bush-trees 

 and standards mixed with Gooseberries, Currants, Easpberries, 

 &c, for an under-crop. Standards on grass land should consist 

 of trees specially selected, having a clean upright stem of six 

 feet to the first branch, and the trees should be planted at 

 about twenty feet from tree to tree. This will allow ample 

 space for them to grow. The most profitable varieties for 

 growing on grass are the different kinds of Damsons. These 

 require very little pruning for some years after planting, and 

 established trees need only be looked over occasionally in order 

 to remove any cross-branches and small shoots from the centre 

 of the trees. The best manner to apply manure is, I think, to 



