August 31, 1893. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
187 
O VER all the fruits that are grown in our island home the Apple 
remains king in usefulness ; but it has to be said that the fruit, 
broadly and generally speaking, is not yet represented in kingly 
fashion. In too many instances it lacks dignity, and does not 
command the respect to which the fruit when seen in its full 
nobility of character is justly entitled. Apples were on the down 
grade for many a year, but their course was checked by the efforts 
of men who believed them worthy of a better fate than that to 
which they were being driven by apathy, ignorance, and neglect. 
The Apples of Britain, taking them in the bulk, a dozen years ago 
were a disgrace to the nation and spurned by its inhabitants in 
favour of the better, larger, brighter samples from other lands ; 
yet the soil of those lands was no better than in our own, the 
varieties no better, the enemies no fewer, the climate no more 
favourable as a rule to the growth of Apples than that which 
generally prevails in this country. Impediments have to be 
encountered everywhere, and losses periodically sustained, but this 
is the case with the production of all crops that are influenced by 
the weather, as both farmers and gardeners know too well; and 
whatever the obstacles in growing fruit, those persons who adopt 
the best methods are bound to have the greatest success, as in the 
splendid Apples exhibited in the Agricultural Hall, Islington. 
When the planting of Apple trees much more extensively than 
formerly was being so strongly advocated during what may be 
termed the fruit crusade, many persons feared that if the advice 
were followed the country would soon be so full of fruit that the 
crops would “fetch nothing.” Undoubtedly the effect of the agita¬ 
tion for growing more and especially better fruit in this country 
resulted in the planting of millions of trees and bushes over thou¬ 
sands of acres of land. Great numbers of those trees are now in 
bearing, and the fruit is leaving its impress on the markets. 
Broadly speaking the result so far is to render the small scrubby 
Apples from old or exhausted trees not worth sending to market, 
while fine fruit from young trees finds a ready sale at prices, if not 
high yet remunerative to the grower. As the supply of first-class 
fruit increases in bulk prices would inevitably fall but for two 
great counteracting influences—1, the constant increase in the 
number of consumers ; 2, the increased disposition of the public to 
purchase fruit when it is of the best appearance, good in quality, 
and obtainable at a moderate price. Inferior fruit is repellant to 
thousands, and they will not have it at any price, but bright, good 
sized, speckless, and tender-looking specimens are so tempting as to 
become irresistible. Several instances could be cited of the use¬ 
lessness of third or fourth-rate Apples and of the value of first-class 
produce to the grower, but one must suffice at present. 
W. H. Myers, Esq., M.P., is a gentleman who takes great 
interest in improving his estate, not because of the advantage of 
this to himself alone, but because, while he may eventually gain, a 
number of men are in the meantime benefited by the employment 
afforded in establishing extensive plantations of Larch and other 
trees. These plantations will be more profitable in the end than 
the land surrounding under agricultural tillage ; but fruit trees 
have also been planted at Swanmore by Mr. Myers’ gardener—not 
many, only about 2000—and though the oldest of these trees have 
only been planted three years, some of them are already giving an 
encouraging return. The fruit from these young trees as grown 
No. 688. —VoL. XXVII., Third Series. 
in good and well-prepared soil is, so to say, “ run after ” at 5a. a 
bushel; while the crops of smaller fruit from old and more or less 
enfeebled orchard trees would be gladly disposed of for a fourth of 
the price, yet more time is involved in gathering the latter than 
the former. 
This Swanmore'experiment in Apple culture is suggestive and 
instructive. In the first place varieties were wisely chosen that 
had been found to succeed the best in a small orchard planted 
fifteen years ago. These were mainly Warner’s King, the tree 
never failing to yield magnificent fruit, Ecklinville and Mere de 
Manage as cooking Apples, with Worcester Pearmain, King of the 
Pippins, and Cox’s Orange Pippin as table fruits. Several other 
sorts including Blenheim Pippin did not succeed half so well in 
the strong loam resting on chalk, and, therefore, were excluded 
from the new plantation ; but other varieties of repute were 
included. A grass field of 5 acres adjoining the garden was 
devoted to this Apple growing experiment. The position is 
elevated and open, and in those respects favourable to the 
blossoms escaping destruction by spring frost in comparison with 
those of trees in low, damp, and confined enclosures. 
One portion of the field was planted with standard trees 30 feet 
apart, and a bush tree between each two' standards in the lines, 
also a row with the trees 15 feet asunder between the rows of 
standards, thus in this portion the trees stand at the distance 
last named. They are on grass, each planted in a prepared station, 
4 feet wide and 2 feet deep. The soil is kept free from weeds and 
loose on the surface, not by digging but with the hoe. The growth 
has been so good and the root action so free that the ground has 
been broken in circles a foot wide and 18 inches deep outside the 
stations to permit of root extension in the upper layer of soil. The 
trees were pruned after planting to obtain the requisite number of 
branches, and have made admirable progress. Some that made 
very free growth, suggestive of exuberance, were simply taken up 
and replanted — an excellent plan for enhancing vigour and 
inducing fruitfulness not sufficiently practised. When once bearing 
commences the fruits will keep the growth in subjection. All the 
lifted trees are replanted higher than before, and ic is found that 
the higher the mounds are in reason the more satisfactory is the 
growth, as combining adequate extension with firmness and 
blossom-forming proclivity. Soma of the mounds are 18 inches 
high, few less than a foot above the ground level. On trees that 
are in bearing and mulched with manure the fruit is magnificent, 
and fine enough to sell in any market where the trees are not 
mulched, as is the case with the majority. This orchard on grass 
will be profitable in another year or two, and numbers of the trees 
have paid for themselves and something more already. 
The other half of the field was wholly broken up and planted 
similarly, but extra rows of maiden trees were planted between the 
standards and two-year-old bushes, so that the whole stand 7^ feet 
apart. This is the way to obtain the most money off the ground 
by the sale of Apples at a small extra cost in planting the 
maidens, though no doubt a still earlier gain would be had by 
inter-planting with Gooseberries; but this is an Apple experiment. 
The standard trees are included in case at any future time, as they 
advance in growth, the dwarfs can be gradually removed, and the 
ground beneath the tall standards devoted to grazing, if it should 
be required for that purpose, and it is proverbially difficult to 
foresee what may be wanted eventually on a gentleman’s estate, as 
the fancy of some owner may turn in the direction of live stock in 
preference to fruit. For producing the greatest abundance of the 
best Apples, cultivated fruit gardens is the system to adopt, and irt 
suitable soil and positions, combined with good management, the 
work may be expected to prove fairly remunerative even if the 
prices for fruit fall lower than they are now, always provided the 
produce is of high quality and of uniformly good throughout the 
bulk. Second and third rate fruit carelessly marketed cannot be 
expected to pay in the future. For the very best home-grown 
No. 2344.—VOL. LXXXIX. OLD Series 
