INCREASING THE HOME FRUIT SUPPLY. 
27 
Switzerland for gun stocks, this tree should be more widely 
planted as a shade tree. 
In soils which are not considered suitable for fruit-trees much 
may be done by amelioration as mentioned above, and it would be 
well if the obiter dicta of local authorities were quietly checked by 
a few experiments. For instance, it is said that the Cherry-tree 
thrives only on a lime soil, and of course this is very largely true, but 
no one who has seen the extraordinary Cherry orchards at Werder, 
where the trees grow on the driest of sandy soils, would feel too 
confident in ruling out some further experiments. The subject of 
lime-loving plants is an interesting problem, and is evidently far 
from being settled yet. 
Experiments might also well be made in those colder parts of 
the country where fruits do not usually thrive, by planting some of 
the hardier varieties. The Russian Apples and their descendants 
stand a remarkable degree of cold in Canada and the United States, 
and such varieties as ' Duchess of Oldenburgh,' ' Emperor Alexander/ 
' Wealthy,' ' Mcintosh Red ' would be likely sorts to do in far northern 
regions or for high altitudes. In the Pears, Swiss' and French 
experience shows that ' Beurre d'Amanlis,' ' Louise Bonne,' ' Beurre 
Clairgeau,' ' Cat iliac,' 'Williams' Bon Chretien/ and 'Beurre Hardy' 
all do well at 3000 feet up in the Alps. In districts where late 
frosts are prevalent, fruits which bloom late may be a help, and such 
Apples as ' Royal Jubilee,' ' Court Pendu Plat,' and Cherries as 
' Napoleon ' and ' St. Margaret's ' and Plums as ' Belle de Septembre,' 
' Bush ' and ' Gisborne's ' and ' Belle de Louvain ' would be worth 
trying. On dry soils ' White Transparent ' succeeds admirably, as 
do ' Newton Wonder ' and ' James Grieve.' On chalk formations 
1 Newton W'onder ' is by far the most successful, but ' Charles Ross ' 
and ' Cox's Orange ' may often be seen very happy in such conditions, 
and are at least worthy of trial. On dry stony banks Cob Nuts and 
Filberts thrive when little else will grow, and as a valuable addition 
to our food-supply deserve more attention than they have hitherto 
received. In partial shade Black and Red Currants, Gooseberries, 
and Raspberries can be grown, and nuts also do well under other 
fruit-trees. Finally, I would appeal to those who have land at their 
disposal, in districts where fruit is not generally grown, to set apart 
a small plot for experimental purposes. The further development 
of fruit cultivation on commercial lines will rest very largely in find- 
ing new areas closer to the great consuming centres. Landowners 
can do a work of very great service to their country by starting small 
experimental plots in which the best varieties for the district may 
be found by trial, and thus save many years for those who follow 
them. An immense amount of time and money have been wasted 
in trying such experiments on the large scale, and if but a little of 
that amateur enthusiasm which is now so prevalent in the flower 
garden can be allowed to flow over into the fruit garden, nothing will, 
I think, be lost in interest and much gained for the permanent benefit 
of the country. 
