Miy 14, 1891. 1 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
879 
I T is questionable if during all past years such a profuse display 
of blossom has been seen at one time as is now expanded, or 
approaching expansicm, in orchards and gardens. In the first place 
there was never so many fruit trees in a bearing state in the 
kingdom as at present, and it is impossible that the majority of 
them could be more floriferous. Nor does this remark apply to 
one kind of fruit alone, for all kinds appear to be fully robed in 
their light spring dress. It has occasionally, if not often, happened 
that Apple blossom has been abundant and Pear blossom sparse, 
or vice versa, while trees of one or other of the stone fruits have 
failed to appear in their most cheerful garb ; but this year each 
kind seems to be as productive as the other, and the whole present 
a display such as has never been surpassed at one time if equalled. 
This is not altogether because of the different kinds of fruit trees 
producing blossom so abundantly, but this and something more— 
namely, all expanding within a shorter limit of time than is usual. 
Apple blossom is probably not far behind the ordinary period of 
■expansion, but the prolonged cold and a dry atmosphere materially 
retarded the flowering of Pears, Plums, and Cherries, with the 
result that all may be seen in beauty at the same time, but not alj 
in the same stage of development. Apples are naturally the 
latest, but more trees of them flowered this year before Plums, 
Cherries, and Pears cast their blossoms than were probably ever 
seen together before, and therefore the blossoming time of the 
present year may be regarded as one of the most complete that has 
been experienced. 
A good fruit year appears to be generally anticipated, and at 
present the prospect is cheering ; but it does not of necessity 
follow that if the yield is abundant it will be entirely the result of 
the late blossoming of the trees. It is not the time at which the 
flowers expand, but of the state of the weather at that time and 
immediately afterwards that is the governing factor in the case, or 
at least one of them, the other being the condition of the trees. 
During some previous years Pears and Plums have borne good 
crops when the trees blossomed three weeks or a month in advance 
of Apples, and although these flowered freely little or no fruit 
followed. In other years the reverse has been the case. Again, it 
has been noted that Apple trees which blossomed early, as some 
varieties do, have borne much better crops of fruit than have 
others which flowered a week or two later. No doubt the opposite 
of this has been apparent occasionally, and possessors of the trees 
have rushed to the conclusion that only late flowering sorts should 
be planted, and this they have advised. Possibly they may not 
have followed their own advice very rigidly ; but, he that as it 
may, it is best avoided by fruit growers generally who desire to 
have the best supply of fruit. Common observation, if extended 
over a series of years, is sufficient to prove the fallacy of the late 
blossoming theory containing the elements of safety ; and last 
year Mr. William Paul settled the matter by recording his observa¬ 
tions systematically. He not only took note of the dates of 
flowering of ninety-five varieties of Apples, but of the size, 
substance, and character of the petals in reflexing from or in¬ 
curving to and sheltering the essential organs of fructification. The 
result of his observations as tabulated in the Journal of Horticulture 
for March 6th, 1890, might be interestingly referred to at the 
present time. 
No. 568.— Yol. XXII., Third Series. 
The two varieties wdiich expanded the first, Irish Peach and 
Duchess of Oldenburgh, are among the most reliable bearers, 
as are some others that flowered soon after them, such as Keswick 
Codlin, Red Astrachan, Golden Spire, Lord Suffield, Bedfordshire 
Foundling, and Warner’s King. It is true that some of the late 
flowering sorts are equally free as a rule, but this does not prove 
the others untrustworthy. Most of the best bearers, however, 
among the early openers have cup-shaped flowers, and these 
may afford some protection to the pistil, which is the tenderest 
part ; but in several of the regular-bearing later sorts the blossoms 
are reflexed, as Cox’s Orange Pippin, Blenheim Pippin (slow 
to begin, but reliable when in a fruiting state), Dumelow’s Seedling, 
King of the Pippins, and Fearn’s Pippin. A glance at the varieties 
in Mr. Paul’s list will suffice to show that what may be termed 
the most reliable bearers are scattered over the whole blossoming 
period, and. it is perfectly clear that several of those which 
expand their flowers during the early part of May are just as 
certain to bear fruit as are those which do not open until after 
the middle of the month. In alluding to this subject at Chiswick 
last week Mr. Barron pointed to trees of the Duchess of 
Oldenburg in blossom, the earliest to open in the collection, and 
to others near them of Evagil, scarcely showing growth move¬ 
ment, but looking as if dead by comparison. Yet he remarked the 
early flowering Duchess rarely fails, and is just as likely to bear 
fruit this year as is the very late Evagil, and no doubt he is 
right. 
The blossoms of some varieties of fruit appear to be essentially 
more hardy than others; and it is not unreasonable to assume that 
the hardiness of all is influenced by the condition of the trees. 
When the wood is what is known as well ripened, or, in other words, 
charged with nutrient mineral matter obtained from a well stored 
soil, and secreted by the leaves during a fine preceding autumn, it 
would be surprising if the blossoms did not share in the benefit, 
and be firmer and more highly perfected in consequence. There 
cannot be a doubt that they are better fortified, so to say, with the 
essential organs better developed, and to that fact is due the setting 
of those on well ripened, healthy, sturdily grown trees, while on 
over-luxuriant trees, with more or less sappy stems, they fall in 
shoals and leave no fruit behind them. The difference in produc¬ 
tiveness of trees as influenced by the character of their growth has 
often been apparent when some have been taken up and trans¬ 
planted, and others of the same variety have remained undisturbed. 
An instance of this may be cited. Last year was the reverse of a 
good Apple year, as most persons know, yet in a Kentish fruit 
plantation was seen one of the most prodigious crops of Cox’s 
Orange Pippin Apples that the imagination can conceive. It was 
tenfold too great; or, in other words, if nine out of ten of the fruits 
had been removed in thinning, the crop then remaining would have 
been of at least twice the value of that actually produced, and the 
trees less exhausted. The Apples were wedged on the spurs and 
branches from base to summit, bushels of them not being so large 
as shelled Walnuts. It was a mistake ; but that is not the question, 
but this is, Why did those trees bear ten times more Apples each 
than other trees of the same fine variety of the same age near them ? 
Because the extraordinarily productive examples had been removed 
—taken up from among the others to give them more room and 
replanted. The result of this was the growth made afterwards 
was shorter, firmer, hardier, and the blossoms were also better 
developed in their essential parts and hardier in turn. They 
passed uninjured through weather vicissitudes to which millions 
on surrounding trees succumbed, and the fact is worthy of record. 
It teaches a lesson that ought not to be ignored—that trees, or 
those of them which are under control in gardens as thousands are, 
may be made to bear better and more certain crops than many of 
them do, by good management, or growing sound blossoms 
instead of luxuriant shoots like Willows, to be cut out in winter by 
the armful. Trees cf this nature, though they may contain plenty 
No. 2224.— VoL. LXXXIY., Old Series. 
