552 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER, 
June 20,1898. 
Given suitable soil and situation, with railway accommodation at hand 
and security of tenure, I am of opinion that hundreds of acres of land might 
be planted with fruit, to the advantage of both landlord and tenant. The 
landlord should give every encouragement to a tenant who wishes to plant 
fruit, either by finding the trees or by giving him written permission to 
plant under the Agricultural Holdings Act, which will entitle him to obtain 
compensation at the termination of his tenancy. It is most certainly to the 
interest of the landlords to meet tenants in this way, as by the planting of 
fruit the value of their property is enormously increased. 
That is not the teaching of the mere faddist or sensation monger, who 
seeks to dazzle with glowing platitudes, misleading more persons than 
he can usefully teach, but deduction from experience. Under favourable 
conditions and conducted with knowledge, Mr. Wise believes fruit 
culture to be to a reasonable extent profitable, and goes on to say 
We hear a great deal of what the Royal Commission on Agriculture is 
going to do for the tenant farmer; but I fear, unless tenant farmers 
look after themselves, they will obtain very little help from that quarter; 
and, although I do not say that fruit growing will be the salvation of the 
agriculturist throughout the country, I do maintain that on very many 
farms, if a certain proportion of the acreage were under fruit, it would be to 
the advantage of both landlord and tenant. A few acres should be planted 
to start with, and as experience in management is gained the acreage may 
be steadily increased until the 5-acre plantation soon becomes 50 acres, and 
a good business is developed. Where agriculturists have planted fruit, and 
the soil and situation are favourable, we find that the plantations do increase 
in area, and we may therefore conclude that the tenants are not losing 
money. In the Evesham district, for example, the fruit-growing and 
market-gardening industry is extending every year, and the small allotment 
holders, instead of growing corn, are planting their land with Asparagus or 
other vegetables and bush fruit, with one or perhaps two rows of Plum 
trees or other standards round the outside, according to the size of their 
holdings. 
The author treats on the cost of establishing plantations of different 
kinds of fruit, also of management and gathering, with the amounts 
realisable, concluding with a good word for jam as follows :— 
Assuming that during the next twenty years the acreage under fruit in 
Greao Britain, and the imports, increase as rapidly as during the past 
twenty years, the question arises as to whether or no the supply will exceed 
the demand. If we look at the enormous increase in the consumption of 
fresh fruit, and also of jam, throughout the country (the number of jam 
factories with their trade increasing each year), and the increase in the 
population, it hardly seems possible that, at all events for many years to 
come, fruit growing can be overdone. 
Jam is now within the reach of all classes, and if only fresh fruit could 
be distributed as easily, there would be no fear of markets being glutted. 
In almost all the large towns throughout the country there are fruit 
markets, and there are many towns with no fruit markets in which one 
might be advantageously held, say once or twice a week. 
It would be a great advantage to growers if they could pulp down some 
of their fruit in seasons of glut; this is not so difficult as some people 
imagine, and is quite worth consideration. 
Foreign competition (with the exception of Apples) ought not to 
materially affect our fruit trade. Soft fruit from abroad cannot be put on 
the market in as good a condition as the home grown, and as the public 
taste becomes more educated, the more demand will there be for fresh fruit 
and pure jams. Jams made from imported fruit and pulp cannot compare 
with that made from fresh gathered fruit. 
We have cited one page out of the twenty-three as a sample of the 
pamphlet, which may be studied with advantage by persons who are 
desirous of engaging in the fruit growing industry. 
WOKK.foi\.theWEEK.. 
.m_Jj 
size, and so on with sub-laterals if any are produced. It is not advisable 
to shorten every shoot on wall Plums and Cherries, because there may 
be available spaces where suitable young shoots may be trained in at 
full length, and they would after the second year be in a fruitful con¬ 
dition. Leading shoots should not be stopped where there is room for 
extension. 
Pears. —These may be dealt with next. Where disbudding was 
partially or wholly neglected a quantity of weak spray may be notice¬ 
able in some old trees, which ought to be thinned out entirely, leaving 
the strongest shoots. A mass of weak shoots serves to crowd the trees, 
preventing the proper ripening of the buds on the reserved shoots, which 
require all the light and air possible. In commencing the summer 
pruning shorten the shoots on the upper parts of the trees first, 
gradually descending to the lower, leaving weakly shoots to gather 
strength, if necessary, for a short time longer. Leave four to six full- 
sized leaves, in this case not counting the small basal ones, which are of 
little assistance in manufacturing food for fruit buds. Young trees and 
cordons not fully covering the space available must not have the leading 
growths shortened. 
Apples. —Apples require similar treatment, retaining four to six 
leaves ; but as a rule the early part of July is soon enough to carry out 
the shortening. Too early stopping might result in the lower buds 
starting into growth, which must be avoided. Where it is seen that any 
weak or crowded growths can be dispensed with cut them out entirely. 
Abundance of light and a free circulation of air among the spurs aid 
their development, strengthen the foliage, improve its texture, render¬ 
ing it better provided against insect enemies. Overcrowding is bad for 
the fruit swelling, as undue shade prevents the utilisation of the sunshine 
: by the leaves which feed the fruit. 
i Currants and Gooseberries. —Red and White Currants may have 
' the side shoots shortened to three or four leaves, Gooseberries also 
pruned on the spur system, whether in the open or against walls, being 
similarly treated. Summer pruning is beneficial, as it admits light to 
the fruit, and affords an opportunity of obtaining finer bunches of 
I Currants and increasing the size of Gooseberries, though much help is 
rendered to this end by good ground, as well as assisting the bushes with 
stimulants and generally adopting good culture. Remove suckers 
entirely from the roots of Gooseberries, and thin to a few of the best 
with Red and White Currants if new branches are needed, otherwise 
they may be cut out. A good selection of sucker growths or shoots 
from the base of bushes may be left on Black Currants, cutting out 
exhausted wood after the fruit has been gathered. As the latter is borne 
entirely on young wood it is obvious that sufficient growth of that 
character must be retained for the following season and not shortened 
in any way. 
IVXulctalngr Trult Trees.—Bush and pyramid trees, cordon and 
espaliers in the open, or against walls, that are bearing good crops, and 
have had the soil moistened effectually, may receive a moderate mulching 
of decayed manure over the roots, which will largely prevent rapid 
evaporation from the moist soil, and render frequent watering lesa 
necessary. Larger trees in the open that have fibrous roots near the 
surface will also be benefited, and as small bash fruit trees are usually 
furnished well with fibrous roots, a manorial mulching will both feed 
and encourage their remaining near the surface. 
Strawberries.— If not yet mulched with strawy material to keep 
the fruit clean, they should have it applied at once. As a rule, however,, 
it is best to spread manure between the plants early, any fertilising 
constituents it contains being then washed into the soil and appro- 
‘ priated by the plants, the dry residue remaining affording a clean bed 
for the fruit to rest on. For the latter purpose only chopped straw 
has been found useful, while tiles, glass, or forked sticks can be employed 
advantageously. It is very desirable that the fruit should be supported 
free from the soil owing to the ravages of slugs and the probability of 
the ripe fruit becoming gritty from contact with the soil. 
Raspberries. —Remove superfluous suckers, and clear the ground 
of weeds, pulling up the strong ones, but cutting others down with the 
hoe in dry weather for the sun to wither. Afterwards mulch the ground 
between with some rich manure, and it possible afford a few supplies of 
water and liquid manure to each stool, which will materially help the 
fruit swelling and enhance its flavour when ripe. 
HARDY FRUIT GARDEN. 
Summer-prunlngr Fruit Trees. —It is possible to render great 
assistance to fruit trees growing on restricted methods by the judicious 
practice of summer pruning. Pyramids, bushes, espaliers, and cordons 
ail need attention in this respect from the present time in order to 
subdue the luxuriance of the side shoots, and concentrate the energy 
which unchecked would be wasted in the production of long shoots. 
The basal buds on these shoots, which are eventually intended for the 
future fruit buds, receive through the shortening an increased amount of 
sap, but any surplus vigour finds an outlet in the upper buds, growths 
from these being also stopped, and the whole cut back in winter. 
Plums and Cherries. —Plums and sweet Cherries furnish a con¬ 
siderable amount of side shoots, foreright shoots, or breastwood as it is 
termed. The best time for shortening is when the lower leaves have 
assumed full size. Shorten to the third good leaf from the base, or 
including the small basal leaves at the fifch leaf. Owing to this re¬ 
striction spurs will form at the base, and sooner or later become fruitful. 
Air and light is admitted to the fruit while superfluous vigour has a 
safety valve in the upper buds, which will probably produce laterals, 
these algo to be pinched back to o-ne leaf v/hen that has attained fu'l 
FRUIT FORCING. 
Vines.— Pots for Early Forcing ,—Stop the canes when from' 
6 to 8 feet long, pinching the laterals and gub-laterals to one joint as 
produced. Supply water and liquid manure at the roots as required, 
but only then, keeping neither under nor over-watered, but if anything 
the first, and see that the foliage is kept clean by judicious syringing, 
admitting air rather freely in the early part of the day, as this will 
favour elaboration and the storing of assimilated matter. 
Vines Cleared of Grapes .—Syringe occasionally to keep down red 
spider, thrips, and similar pests ; afford water or liquid manure to keep 
the soil moist. A light mulching of short spent manure will prevent 
the surface cracking, and the moist surface and nourishment will attract 
the roots to the surface. Allow a moderate extension of the laterals, 
and admit air freely above 60°. There is no fear of the wood not ripen¬ 
ing, and the difficulty is to prevent the ripening and premature fall of 
the foliage. 
Houses of Pipe Grapes .—These will be the better for a slight shade- 
from powerful sun. Some pilchard or a double thickness of herring 
nets drawn over the roof lights will mostly be sufficient shade, and a 
' good spread of foliage will assist Black Eauburghs and other black 
