October 18, 1888. ] 
357 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
former show some of the best exhibits came from the north of Scot¬ 
land. 
On the motion of Mr. Shirley Hibberd, seconded by Mr. Cheal, a 
vote of thanks was accorded to the Chairman and th6 Council, who, 
in responding, called attention to the fact that the exhibits on this 
occasion were much more carefully named than in 1883 and 1885, which 
showed that the people were beginning to understand their business 
better. The Show was then formally opened to the public. 
On Wednesday the Conference was opened at 1.30 p.m., Dr. It. Hogg 
in the chair, when after a few introductory remarks, the following 
papers were read:— 
APPLES FOR PROFIT. 
By Mr. George Bunyard, Nurseryman, Maidstone. 
The commercial growth of Apples for market is frequently entered 
upon in a wrong manner, because many start into the enterprise without 
sound information. Beginners fight sby of the growers of trees for 
sale under the unfair notion that they would recommend those kinds of 
which they held a stock ; they then procure the “ tip ” from the sales¬ 
men in the various markets, who, as far as they can (and in good faith) 
give them the names of the kinds that sell well, fruits, so to speak, 
which dispose of themselves by their names or appearance. Many of 
the choicest Apples produce but a small crop, or are so long in coming 
to a state of profitable production that planters get discouraged, others 
are recommended which are very slow growers or rarely make good 
orchard trees, and thus land is not fully utilised. As the markets are 
supplied from a large area, the salesmen have but a general idea of the 
suitability of sorts to a district, and hence much valuable time is lost. 
In the short time at my disposal I propose to give a few hints as to the 
formation of a profitable Apple orchard or plantation, where the return 
shall be speedy and yet in the future for a century shall promise a 
good result. The first operation is the procuring of suitable land. In 
a district where little fruit is grown, an idea can be gained from the 
growth of the few fruit trees in the cottage gardens, and perhaps the 
orchards near gentlemen's seats. If the Apples show a kindly and clean 
growth, with an absence of lichens and canker, and if Elm trees 
flourish it will so far be favourable. Exposure to prevailing winds is to 
be avoided either by shelter planting, or better still by taking advantage 
of existing woods or hedges, and a slope to the south or west is to be 
preferred, but in order to secure a permanent orchard care must be 
taken to get deeply cultivated or rich deep soil, or a few years of fertility 
wi'l only be the precursor of decay and disappointment. 
Having settled on suitable land, the tenant or purchaser next pro¬ 
ceeds to put the land in order for planting, either by steam cultivation 
or by thorough digging or trenching. The latter, though expensive at 
the start, is of permanent benefit. This operation is best done before 
the frosts set in, that the land may be purified and sweetened by expo¬ 
sure. The ground should then be set out, and standard trees, on the 
Crab or free stock, of the following sorts, planted 21 feet apart ; 
requiring seventy-five to an acre. 
Apples for Standard on warm loamy soils. 
1, Dessert; to pick and sell from the tree. 
August. September. 
DevonshireQuarrenden. Lady Sudeley. 
Sugar-loaf Pippin. Yellow Ingestrie. 
2, To store October to Christmas. 
King of the Pippins. 1 Cox’s Orange Pippin. 
Mabbott’s Pearmain. | Blenheim Pippin. 
3, Kitchen Apples to sell from the tree August and September. 
Early Julien. 
Lord Suffield. 
Councillor. 
Ecklinville Seedling. 
4, To store October to December. 
Keswick Codlin. 
Duchess of Oldenburg. 
Grenadier (true). 
Warner’s King. 
Schoolmaster. 
Lord Derby. 
Golden Noble. 
Tower of Glammis. 
Waltham Abbey. 
5, To keep from January to May. 
Wellington (Dumelow’s 
Seedling) 
Winter Queening. 
Norfolk Beefing. 
Lady Ilenniker. 
Bramley’s Seedling. 
Annie Elizabeth. 
If the soil is cold but rich, omit Suffield and add Lord Grosvenor, 
and omit Cox’s Orange and King of Pippins. 
So far for the top crop, the space between being utilised by placing 
three two or three-year-old dwarf trees between each standard, others 
at 6 feet apart, which, less seventy-five for standards, will be 1135 
per acre until the plantation is filled up. These dwarfs will produce 
the best fruit from trees on the Paradise or surface-rooting stock, and 
may consist of the following. 
Apples for Bush or Free Pyramidal Style to be Grown on 
Paradise Stocks. 
C, Dessert kinds to sell from the tree. 
7, Early. 
Gladstone. 
Red Juneating. 
September. 
Col. Vaughan. 
Duchess’ Favourite. 
Worcester Pearmain. 
Duchess of Oldenburg. 
Yellow’ Ingestrie. 
S, 
To store for sale October to February. 
Cox’s Orange Pippin. 
Cox’s Pomona. 
Peasgood’s Nonesuch. 
Gascoyne’s Scarlet. 
Beauty of Kent. 
Baumann’s Reinette. 
If the soil is cold omit Cox’s Orange and Worcesters, and if very 
rich and good warm land, add Adams’ and Hubbard's Pearmains, Ross 
Nonpareil, and Gipsy King, while for very late keeping, Golden Knob, 
Sturmer Pippin, and the smaller fruit of Dutch Mignonne are useful. 
9, Kitchen Apples of large size to sell from the tree (on dwarfs). 
Lord Grosvenor. 
Ecklinville Seedling. 
Manks Codlin. 
Pott’s Seedling. 
Stirling Castle. 
The Queen. 
3 0, Fine kitchen Apples to 
Lord Derby. 
Murfitt’s Seedling. 
Winter Peach. 
Golden Spire. 
Grenadier. 
Councillor. 
Loddington. 
Small’s Admirable. 
re (on dwarfs) :— 
Lane’s Trince Albert. 
Bismarck. 
Dutch Mignonne.* 
In six years’ time the trees immediately beneath the standards can 
be transferred to other land, and will if removed with care (in October 
or early in November), suffer little from lifting, and in the second year 
will produce heavy crops. After the sixth season the orchard should be 
left with a permanent crop of dwarf Apples, and standards at 12 feet 
apart. The dwarfs at some future time could be cut away and the 
standards, which would then be established and strong, should be laid to 
grass, and thus fodder for sheep keep and a top crop of Apples could be 
secured annually 7 . Until the 6-feet trees cover the land Potatoes may 
be grow n between the rows, or Lily of the Valley, or Daffodils. But if 
land is cheap the space may remain without a crop, and the roots will 
benefit greatly from the run of all the land. V eeds must be kept 
down. If standards only are planted no corn crop must be taken, but in 
this case soft fruit may be placed beneath them. The plantation, 
should be dug in December or January each year, and be knocked 
over w’ith a prong hoe in March. 
Oxen and horses should not be allowed in young orchards. Shelter 
can be quickly obtained by planting Damsons or Bush Plums (the 
latter a Kent sort) with Crawford or Hessle Pears as an inner line at 
12 feet apart, and this screen would pay its way. If desired, Ilums 
could be placed between the Apple standards, and Gooseberries and 
Currants, omitting the dw’arf Apples, If the land is properly prepared 
the Apples should need no manure for some years, as the use of stimu¬ 
lants w’hile the trees are young is prejudicial by inducing a sappy 
unripened growth, which lays the tree open to damage by frost. Vhen 
the trees are carrying a heavy crop, mulching may be carried out in 
June, or liquid manure can be used with advantage in the growing time. 
Such a plantation as described would commence to bring a return from 
the dwarfs in two years, and the fruit with a little care in thinning 
would command a ready sale, because when grown in this manner it 
is cleaner in appearance and much larger in size. In three or four 
years the standards would commence to fruit, and a much larger return 
would annually be made, and if properly managed, at the end of four¬ 
teen years, the crop would buy the fee simple of the land outright. 
In order to make the highest prices, all fruits should be "graded, 
as the Americans say, and be of an even sample throughout, be pro¬ 
perly named, and packed carefully, so that the baskets open clean and 
bright at the market. In the case of choice dessert kinds it would pro¬ 
bably pay to pack them in light card boxes, such as those introduced by 
Mr. Tallerman for Cherries, Ac., and manufactured by Messrs. Johnson. 
In fact, we should take a leaf out of the French books, and put up our 
produce in an attractive form. The pruning of the Apples m February 
or March is of the simplest. No Apples should be pruned the first year of 
* Tho list of frnits civen is more extended than is advisable bnt it may only be 
po’ib^td obuUnpaft ol the .oils given in the planter's locality. The lewerk.uds 
used the better. 
