32 
Practical  Hints  on  Fruit  Farming. 
treatment  are  brouglit  to  bear  upon  it.  Land  tliat  will  j)rodnee 
a fair  crop  of  wheat  may  reasonably  be  expected  to  grow  fruit 
of  some  variety.  Loamy  marls,  clays,  sandy  and  calcareous 
loams,  and  alluvial  soils  may  be  regarded  as  eminently  suitable 
for  the  ]>roduction  of  fruit,  while  heavy  clays  and  light  lands 
can  be  so  ameliorated  and  amended  that  they  may  be  rendered 
qualified  for  this  purpose.  These  operations  are  well  known 
to  the  agriculturist  and  are  satisfactorily  carried  out  in  other 
branches  of  tillage.  Provided  that  there  is  a sufficient  depth 
of  soil,  with  a naturally  or  artificially  drained  subsoil,  most 
fruits  will  succeed  if  judiciously  managed.  Naturally  drained 
and  porous  subsoils  are  undoubtedly  preferable  and  produce 
the  best  results,  and  the  expense  of  draining  is  also  consider- 
able. Fruit  trees  will  not  flourish  on  land  which  is  water- 
logged or  sodden  in  the  slightest  degree,  although  some  kinds 
— notably  the  plum  and  the  black  currant — will  withstand 
e.xcess  of  moisture  better  than  other  fruits.  The  cherry, 
])erha])S,  is  more  fastidious  as  to  its  surroundings  than  any 
other  fruit. 
Situation. — The  remarks  upon  soils  may  be  equally  applied 
to  situation.  Though  a gentle  incline  to  the  south  or  south- 
west is  an  ideal  position,  this  combination  is  not  readily  met 
with,  and  at  the  same  time  is  not  actually  essential.  A 
traveller  journeying  through  the  fruit  growing  districts  will 
find  orchards  and  jdantations  placed  at  all  points  of  the 
compass,  and  those  lying  towards  a so-called  unfavourable 
quarter  appear  often  as  thriving  as  others  ])lanted  in  one 
seemingly  more  satisfactory.  The  great  point  in  raising  fruit 
plantations  is  to  avoid  elevated  land  prone  to  cold  and  cutting 
winds,  and  at  the  same  time  to  shun  low-lying  situations 
which  are  subject  to  frosts  and  fogs,  especially  if  they  are 
adjacent  to  water.  The  golden  mean  between  these  alterna- 
tives is  the  situation  to  be  aimed  at.  Frosts  and  cold  winds 
are,  in  reality,  the  greatest  foes  to  the  fruit  grower,  and  the 
finest  fruits  are  grown  in  the  southern  and  western  counties,  for 
the  reason  that  in  these  districts  they  are  not  so  frequent  and 
severe. 
Knowledge,  scientific  and  [)ractical,  and  care,  as  for  instance, 
in  the  choice  of  suitable  varieties,  as  to  con-ect  pruning,  and 
good  cultivation,  are  the  main  factors,  and  an  untoward  soil 
and  situation  may  be  rendered  amenable  by  judicious  and 
skilful  management.  Shelters  from  high  winds  may  be 
formed  in  exposed  positions  by  planting  (piick  growing  firs 
