Illustrated Catalogue of Dutch Flower Roots. 
A FEW HINTS ON FRUIT CULTURE. 
Horticulturally speaking, we know of no more interesting, pleasant, or profitable occupation than 
that of cultivating a really good collection of choice Fruit Trees, and although the preparation of 
the soil and the planting may, in some instances, entail a rather heavy outlay, we have abundant 
evidence to show, that ground planted in the way suggested, and the trees fairly cultivated, will, 
after a few years, yield the most satisfactory results. The enormously large and increasing annual 
importations of Apples and other fruit from America, the Continent, and Tasmania, furnish a sure 
indication of the large and fast increasing demand for all kinds of choice fruit in this country, and 
although the importations referred to are in many instances of excellent quality, it must be admitted 
that good English-grown fruit is, year by year, becoming more and more appreciated, and it is clearly 
shown by the splendid samples being brought to our markets and sold at highly remunerative 
prices, that by planting only really choice varieties, and with good cultivation, Apples, Pears, and 
other fruits can be grown in this country of a size, flavour, and quality altogether surpassing those 
of foreign production. 
This is especially the case in regard to Apples and Pears, choice samples of fruit of really gocd 
sorts always commanding a ready sale at high prices, whilst the supply every season falls very far 
short of the greater and greater demand. Intending growers should, however, be careful to note that 
it is only the best varieties that command the highest prices, and when planting should exercise the 
greatest care that onljr the best and choicest sorts are planted, as inferior kinds often do not pay for 
the trouble of gathering. 
"With a knowledge of the above facts, and keeping in mind our large and constantly increasing population, it is fairly certain that 
for some twenty or more years to come, at least, choice fruit growing in tips country may be pushed on vigorously without any fear 
of the market being glutted ; and we should certainly advise all landowners, who have not done so already, and all others having 
suitable ground with fair security of tenure, to at once make a start in fruit growing, as we feel sure that if intelligently handled it 
will pay, and well. 
Wherever space in- the garden will admit, fruit of some kind should be grown, as, apart from its great usefulness in point of 
domestic economy, its great value as a health agent cannot be fairly over-estimated where it is freely used in the household. Plums, 
Gooseberries, and other small fruits are admirably suited for making into jams for winter consumption, or for wines and other drinks, 
and in which state they are very wholesome, but Apples arc undoubtedly the most useful as an article of food ; they contain more 
phosphorus than any other known fruit, are highly nutritious, and eaten freely when ripe and at their best, they almost entirely 
remove the desire or necessity for any kind of alcoholic or other beverage. 
For small gardens such compact-growing fruits as dwarf or pyramid Apples and Pears, Gooseberries, Currants, Raspberries, and 
Strawberries are the most useful, and where there is a good south wall a Vine or Peach should be planted, whilst a wall with a westerly 
aspect will do well for Cherries or Pears, and a north wall is well suited for Currants. In planting in the garden be careful to plant 
at such a distance apart that the plants get the full benefit of light and air, the result of over-crowding being but too often barrenness 
or inferior quality. 
For Fruit Farmers and other growers for sale and gardens where the space is limited, dwarf or pyramid Apples and Pears are 
decidedly the most profitable to grow. They may be planted much closer than standards, and in many varieties may be cultivated 
into good bearing in three or four years, in fact, whilst standards planted at the same time will only have made a fair start into growth. 
For large occupations, dwarf, bush, or pyramid Apples and Pears may be planted in rows six or eight feet apart, and the trees 
six or eight feet apart in the row', or they will do still better if planted in rows twelve to fifteen feet apart, and six or eight feet apart 
in the row, with lines growing between, of such fruits as Strawberries, Raspberries, Gooseberries and Currants or such vegetables and 
salads as Peas, Beans, Asparagus, Lettuce, Onions, Potatoes, Rhubarb, Endive, &c., and good ground filled in this way and well 
cultivated is amazingly productive. For smaller occupations the dwarfs or pyramids are best planted six or eight feet apart, in rows 
on each side the walks, and about three feet from the paths, leaving the space behind for the ordinary garden crops, whilst a line or 
two of Strawberries may be grown in front. 
In selecting ground for fruit growing, a position should be chosen that is fairly open without being too much exposed to high 
winds, which at certain seasons are very injurious. Generally speaking, a good deep loamy soil is the most favourable, but with a fair 
amount of preparation, almost any soil will, in a good season, grow an abundance of excellent fruit. Heavy water-logged ground 
should be well drained before planting, and should have a good dressing of lime or ashes, whilst light sandy soil will be wonderfully 
improved by having a good addition of loam or well-pulverised clay worked in. In planting, care should always be taken to spread 
out the roots as naturally as possible, and where the land is heavy, they should be kept close to the surface ; standards should have a 
good stout stake placed to each to secure them till firmly established. 
When, planting standard Apples, Pears, Plums, and Cherries on meadow land for forming an orchard, the trees should be planted 
not less than twenty feet apart, and for Apples only the distance should not be less than twenty-five or thirty feet apart. In planting, 
remove for each tree about six feet square of turf, and about eighteen inches of the top soil, trench or break up the bottom, working in a 
good portion of well-decayed manure. Chop up the turf removed and mix with the top soil removed, adding some well-decayed manure 
fill up the hole with this, plant the tree in the centre, make firm about the roots, stake and give a mulching of well-decayed manure. 
In very dry weather young fruit-bearing trees of Apples, Pears, Plums, &e., are much benefited by a liberal supply of water, which 
promotes a healthy growth and prevents cracking of the fruit ; whilst sewage water, house slops, thrown on the ground about the roots in 
Winter and Spring, will add much to their productiveness. When fruit trees are growing vigorously, some attention should be given 
to the stopping and thinning out of the branches, to prevent them becoming crowded, and in the case of pyramid or dwarf trees, they 
should be partially lifted every two or three years, and the roots slightly pruned. This is an important matter, and if properly carried 
out, and the trees arc liberally treated with mulchings, manure waterings, &c., an abundance of fine fruit may almost always be relied on. 
