September 13, 1888. J 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
239 
but there is no reason why it should not be sent at once, as it is often of 
importance to the sender that he should have his money, and, as the 
trade is for cash, there can be no reasonable excuse for not doing so. 
The cost of keeping horses, carts, and men would be more than saved by 
the company being their own carters from the railway stations, as the 
railway companies charge 2s. per ton for “ cartage,” and in the course of 
.a year in an extensive business this charge amounts to a large sum. 
IMPROVING ORCHARDS BY GRAFTING. 
By Mr. J. Miller 
Where old fruit trees that are healthy and full of vigour are 
worthless for the market in a monetary sense, no time should be lost 
in grafting upon them new heads of an improved variety. 
If the system of stock-grafting was better understood, especially out 
of the fruit-growing districts, worthless sorts would seldom be seen in 
the market, their place being taken by more profitable fruit. But to 
expect this is to be done by the tenant, upon a yearly tenancy, is out 
of the question. To meet the difficulty to a certain extent, industrious 
tenants should be supplied with trees from the home nursery, or could 
be supplied by the trade at small cost, the tenant being under an 
agreement to protect them. Stock-grafting is easily done, but the 
system requires to be known. As done in the fruit districts by local 
grafters, each workman bears a degree of merit as to his success. When 
once known, none need be afraid to cut ofE the third part of a worth¬ 
less tree any time during the winter months, cutting it ship-shape 
in order that the grafter has little to do when the season comes btft 
to square the ends of the branches and insert his grafts. The season 
for grafting large trees is rather an unsettled question, I may state 
that we had great success last year at Huxley Lodge in grafting old 
'trees, and the strong shoots which I exhibit speak well for the 
system. The heads were cut off the trees in the month of February, 
and grafts were secured about the same time and laid by the heels in 
a shady place to prevent any premature growth. The grafts for this 
require to be clean and free from American blight and canker, from 
two to three years’ growth, and in size about the thickness of one’s 
second finger. The specimens of shoots which I produce were simply 
sljort grafts a year ago last May, the whole of the grafting being done 
in the last fortnight of the month. The work has only been done 
about sixteen months, yet the shoots have had two seasons’ growth, 
and reach nearly 10 feet in length; some of the stronger sorts are 
eyen longer. Upon a close examination some of the strongest shoots 
may be seen to be showing fruit buds, and if we should be favoured 
with a fruitful season next year I have no doubt, from present appear¬ 
ances, we shall have a fair show of fruit. Stock-grafting does not 
require to be commenced so soon as small whip or tongue grafting. 
The general order is—Cherries first, Plums next, finishing up with 
Pears and Apples. 
The tools which are required for the purpose are but few—a pocket 
knife, a shoemaker’s knife, a tenon saw, and a small mallet. 
A branch 2 inches in diameter requires two grafts to thoroughly 
unite the end of the branch ; one of 4 inches, three grafts ; and so on 
in proportion. A stock or head of 9 inches requires seven grafts in order 
to keep the head living until the leading shoots form the new tree, then 
all weakly and ill-placed shoots can be cut away. There is no particular 
secret in manipulating the end of the branch to receive the grafts 
further than shaving away a portion of the rough bark, so that it may 
better match the thin or inner bark of the scion, which ought to be 
placed so as to accurately face each other. Daubing or claying up the 
grafts is no doubt of some importance, especially for small grafting. 
For trees grafted upon the stock principle the daubing material may be 
■of a coarser nature than for the whip or tongue grafting. Good clay 
with a proportion of tough hay, well compounded together, and thoroughly 
worked in and round the grafts to prevent its being washed off by the 
weather, is all that is required for stock-grafting. I may here state that 
heading the trees at the proper time and securing and properly keeping 
tfye grafts is of quite as much importance as carrying out the work. 
*** We did not receive the papers of Messrs. Bath, Smith, and 
Beach. 
DISCUSSION. 
Mr. A. Dean, in proposing a vote of thanks to the readers of the 
papers, condemned the extravagant statements at a recent provincial 
meeting as misleading, and said that agriculturists should not be in¬ 
duced to plant extensively at once, but rather a few acres now and more 
later on as experience was gained and demand increased. It was re- 
gretable, he thought, that so much land was occupied with cider 
Apples when the same space would give a much better return if occu¬ 
pied with good market varieties. Mr. A. H. Pearson, in seconding the 
vote of thanks, considered one great mistake into which many culti¬ 
vators fall is rushing the fruit all to one centre. He grew 80 acres 
of Apples and found a convenient market for them in Nottingham. He 
thought growers might often find a better market near at home. Mr. 
J. K. Fowler referred to fruit-preserving, and said that this should now 
receive more attention than jam-making, as a great field was open in 
that direction. Mr. Peter Veitch of Exeter remarked that though cider 
Apples had been condemned, it should be remembered that they mostly 
grew upon comparatively poor land quite unsuited to the culture of 
better varieties. Mr. Reed, Oatlands Park Gardens, Weybridge, con¬ 
sidered pyramidal trees the most profitable, and advocated a more 
general adoption of root-pruning. He said the numerous old neglected 
fruit trees seen throughout the country should be destroyed, cordon, 
espalier, or pyramids of good varieties being planted instead, which 
would materially alter the returns, and alter many persons’ opinion 
of the advantages derivable from fruit cultivation. Mr. H. James of 
Norwood regretted that so much land was unoccupied or uncultivated, 
which, if let at reasonable rents, could be rendered profitable to land¬ 
lord and tenant. Mr. D. T. Fish hoped all would carefully consider the 
weighty remarks of their Chairman, and he also hoped that Mr. Rivers 
would be able to supplement his list of the best fruits for good land 
with a selection of the best to grow on poor or second-rate soils. Mr. 
G. B unyard said with regard to analysing soils this could be readily 
done when they were of a uniform character, but when as varied as 
they were in the neighbourhood of Maidstone, it was a difficult under¬ 
taking. Much could be done to renovate old orchards by judicious 
applications of manure, and by giving more than is usual. Pruning 
should be done when the trees are in leaf, as it could be more readily 
seen what should be removed and what retained with benefit to the tree. 
The vote of thanks was carried unanimously, and the meeting 
adjourned until the next day. 
On Saturday, September 8th, Mr. T. F. Rivers took the chair at 2 P.M., 
when there was again a good attendance of growers. The principal 
paper was that by Mr. Tallerman on the “ Science of Fruit Distribu¬ 
tion,” which was followed by one on “ Fruit as Food,” from Mr. 
Manning. 
THE SCIENCE OF FRUIT DISTRIBUTION. 
By D. Tallerman, Esq., K.F.J. 
Of the various means available to fruit growers for the disposal of 
their crops, that by which they can be brought within the reach of con¬ 
sumers in a full flavoured, fresh, and bright condition is the one which 
will leave the most profitable results to the producers, and lead to the 
most successful permanent development of the industry in which they 
are engaged. Fruit may be preserved, pulped, evaporated, refrigerated, 
or manipulated in any other manner that will enable it to be converted 
into a merchantable commodity possessing a distinctive cash value, but 
there yet remains the undeniable fact that it is in its fresh ripe condition, 
while clothed with it3 undisguisable natural bloom, endowed with its 
fragrant aroma and luscious flavour, that fruits have their highest and 
best values ; therefore the most important subject that can occupy the 
minds of fruit growers is, how they can best place their produce within 
reach of consumers in that inviting condition, in order to acquire the 
full benefits that accrue from it. This subject naturally involves a 
consideration of the means of rapid and effective distribution which are 
absolutely essential to secure successful results. 
The science of fruit distribution is necessarily a commercial study, 
and comprises the principles that growers should practise to place their 
produce within reach of consumers. 
1st, When and where they may be required. 
2nd, In the best possible condition. 
3rd, At the least possible cost. 
The means by which these measures, simple as they appear, can best 
be successfully attained, involves attention to matters of detail, the 
necessity of which will be readily acknowledged by all engaged in fruit 
growing and marketing ; but to ensure a beneficial result from the con¬ 
sideration of the subjects which we are assembled to discuss, it is neces¬ 
sary to treat the various branches of the trade from speciflc and not 
general points, inasmuch as although the general condition of the 
subject may be speedily summarised, that will not bring us any 
nearer the position we hope to reach. Briefly, then, we are a large com¬ 
munity existing in a small space. Fruit consumers abound in all 
directions, fruit producers are to be found but in few places. The con¬ 
sumers are counted by millions, the producers by hundreds. The 
consumers require all the fruit that is grs>wn and more ; the growers do 
