364 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER . 
[ OctokCT 18, 1888. 
to what obtains in many districts, where men and women are longing 
for labour and longing in vain. Mr. Parker employs five times more 
workpeople on his little farm than hundreds of farmers do who have 
five times more land than he has, and they grumble at *‘ bad times,” 
while he smokes his pipe in contentment at work well done and in 
rest well deserved. 
I have said he makes land pay that is not under fruit. An instance 
will suffice—a fine piece of Mangolds, pointed out a9 showing the 
superiority of a mixture of sulphate of ammonia and superphosphate 
over bonemeal, the same in value being applied on different portions of 
the field. “But,” remarked the owner, “the Mangolds are only a 
second crop.” “A second crop ! ” I repeated, parrot-like and in surprise. 
“ Yes,” was the quiet rejoinder, “ I made £.200 out of the plot this 
year before the Mangolds were sown.” That was a poser to me, for 
the land would not exceed 4 acres. But what was the wonderful crop ? 
It is a very simple one that you are all familiar with, so I think I 
will leave you to work it out. Why not ? Mr. Parker did, and no one 
told him ; anil besides, I think I ought to have his permission before 
making it known to the world. I have no such reservation about the 
Gooseberries, they are Crown Bobs, and such bushes of the good old 
variety as I have never seen elsewhere. Instead of twenty or thirty 
women working amongst them without being seen gathering the fruit, 
a hundred might have been so engaged, yet invisible. Several of the 
bushes were as high as I am, some higher, and all much farther round, 
while when laden with fruit a few of them may have been nearly as 
heavy, but perhaps not quite. The yield varies from 30 to 40 tons, 
and this year the price obtained for them was £10 'a ton. It is con¬ 
siderably lower than that when the crops are heavy everywhere. The 
culture is very profitable, more so, perhaps, and more quickly than any 
under crop that can be grown in orchards, and more so, also, taking one 
year with another, than the fruit tree crops above them of Apples, 
Pears, and Plums, though when all are good alike, as occurs occasion¬ 
ally, they realise a little fortune ; but the top crops fail at least every 
alternate year, and sometimes more frequently, the bottom crop seldom. 
This is the staple. 
The Gooseberries are gathered as soon as they are large enough for 
use, and are cleared off as quickly as possible, and are sent off in cwt. 
hampers by the Great Eastern Railway southwards, and the joint 
Great Northern in the other direction, Pinchbeck station being within a 
mile from the grounds. Several varieties of Gooseberries have been 
tried, including the celebrated Whinham’s Industry, that is so good in 
many places, also Whitesmith, this and Lancashire Lad being favourites 
with many market growers, but Old Bob holds the field in the Fens, 
and drives all competitors out of it sooner or later. It has also driven 
out Currants both Red and Black, in bringing more grist to the mill 
than they did, and that, and that alone, is the test of merit. There is 
no charm in names and outside reputations with growers like Mr. 
Parker. That which pays best is retained and increased, the relatively 
inferior, or less lucrative, being removed, no matter whence they come 
and what they are called. The bushes are grown on clean single stems 
raised from disbudded cuttings on the premises. Several used to be 
sold, but only about 10,000 a year are now disposed of to friends 
and neighbours. Cuttings inserted with all their buds resulting in a 
mass of suckers, as is not uncommon in some parts of Kent, would not 
be tolerated. They are regarded by Mr. Parker not only as slovenly, 
which they are, but relatively inferior in productiveness to those grown 
on clean stems, and with no other growths springing from the soil. 
Pruning is mainly confined to thinning out any shoots or branches 
that, if left, would impede the work of clearing the crops. There is no 
systematic spurring, or of shortening the terminal growths at a pre¬ 
scribed number of inches, but possibly the ends of any that project far 
beyond the rest are snipped off, for the bushes are not entirely wanting 
in symmetry. They are creditable in appearance regarding them from 
a gardener’s standard, but are essentially fruit and money producers, and 
in this most important respect answer their purpose well. 
A few words may be added on “ top ” fruit, in order to complete the 
description of this simple yet profitable fruit garden. It has been said 
that Apples, Pears, and Plums are grown. These were planted amongst 
Gooseberries, or the Gooseberries planted amongst them, I cannot tell 
which; nor does it matter, because in present routine the removal of 
both is constantly going on. When trees show signs of failure they 
arc either grafted or uprooted, and old bushes give place to new when 
the desirability arises. 
The larger trees are planted as a rule about G yards apart, which 
suffices for Plums and early Codlin Apples, but not for later Apples of 
spreading growth. Generally three rows of Gooseberries are grown 
between each two rows of trees, a few bushes at about 6 feet apart also 
being planted in lines with the trees. 
No Pears are grown in bulk besides the Hessle, which is one of the 
hardiest, tallest, and freest growers and abundant bearers, and is well 
adapted for exposed and cold districts. It is not unusual to gather a 
hundred pecks from a tree, and there is no difficulty in disposing of all 
that can be grown. The fruit is neither large nor particularly handsome, 
but is good, and the crops “ pay ” well. 
Of Plums reliance is placed on Victoria, because the trees always 
bear, and the fruit always sells. It is the Plum of Plums for northern 
orchards, and the branches do not break when lopped in occasionally, 
the trees then making closer heads than is natural to the variety. 
Treated in that simple way props, that are so numerous in some orchards, 
are dispensed with. 
Apples are by far the most extensively grown as “top” fruit, 
but though trees are numerous varieties are limited. Keswick Cod- 
lins have been long grown, but this and all others of the type are 
being superseded by the Domino, which grows and bears well in a 
young state, giving quick returns, the fruit being ready as soon as 
the Keswicks, while it is larger, darker in colour, heavier, and keeps 
longer. This Apple is spreading and will spread. A variety not often, 
seen in the south, the Sleeping Beauty, is grown because of its pro¬ 
ductiveness, for the fruit is not large, and the variety not likely to 
be greatly increased. Jenning’s Seedling, a local Apple, is bearing 
more heavily than any other, and the fruit being of good size is in- 
demand in the markets. Portions of clean branches of three or four 
years’ growth, cut into lengths of 3 feet or so and firmly inserted in the 
ground, make fine trees of upright growth. Some of them 20 or 30 
feet high were crowded with excellent fruit. Possibly specimens may be 
sent to Chiswick next week. Dumelow’s Seedling has been extensively 
planted, and for a long time was relied on for late use and was very 
profitable, but of late years trees of it, old and young, have entirely 
failed to give satisfaction. They have assumed a sickly appearance 
from some unknown cause, and this once favourite Apple is 
“ done for ” in the district. Its place is being taken by the 
Nottinghamshire Apple, Bramley’s Seedling. Trees planted twelve or 
fifteen years are mode’s, strong yet sturdy in growth, with dark 
green leaves and clusters of large glossy green, red flushed fruits of 
great weight, and which command the top price in the market- 
This is essentially an orchard Apple that is bound to spread. The 
trees appear to be intermediate in character between Dumelow’s 
Seedling (also known as Normanton Wonder and Wellington) and 
Blenheim Pippin, and I should not be surprised if those are the parents. 
It seems to combine the vigour of the latter with the free spurring 
character of the former. I have seen 50,000 trees of Bramley’s Seedling 
during the past month, and one bearing a crop for which the owner 
would not take £5 and be relieved of the gathering. A writer in an 
evening paper, the Echo, alludes to a tree bearing £10 worth of fruit. 
I have not seen such a mountain of gold, but I have seen upwards of 
50 pecks of 18 lbs. on a tree that can be sold any day for 2s. a peck. 
It is well to see what is going on in the east and north, and to take note 
of varieties. One I have been told will even outlive Bramley’s Seediing- 
and this is Pearson’s (of Chilwell) New Northern Greening. I have seen 
two-year-old trees of this bearing freely fruits which for symmetry and 
solidity could not be surpassed. It is a long keeper, worthy of attention, 
and has undoubtedly a long career of usefulness before it; but as to its 
surviving its compeer, I feel sure that no person living will witness the 
end of either, so the question of “durability” must be left to be settled 
by succeeding generations. 
The fashion at present is to plant Apple trees closely together on 
Paradise stocks for earlybearing. Undoubtedly that is the way to get 
the most Apples in the least time, but I have yet to be convinced, 
taking into account first cost and after labour (with the contingences 
of seasons) that a combination of orchard Apples and Plums, with an 
undergrowth of Gooseberries, will not give an equally good return to a 
large number of cultivators, not skilled in pinching and pruning, but 
who yet may send the best of fruit, “ top,” “ bottom,” or both, in large 
bulk to the markets after the manner of the intelligent and thrifty Fen 
farmer at Pinchbeck. 
The proceedings were closed by votes of thanks to the'Chairman, 
the readers of the papers, and the exhibitors of some objects of interest. 
CRYSTAL PALACE HARDY FRUIT SHOW. 
OCTOBEK llTH TO 13TH. 
A VERY satisfactory Exhibition of hardy fruits was held in the 
Crystal Palace, Sydenham, on Thursdiy, Friday, anl Saturday last. 
