April 3, 1893. J 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
270 
Mb. Wright commenced his lecture by referring to the differing 
•views that were entertained on the subject of fruit growing—the opti¬ 
mists, he said, regarding it as only another name for fortune-making, 
while the pessimists described it as all fudge, from which nothing could 
be gained. He thought the truth on this and other matters was to be 
found somewhere between extremities of assertion. lie dealt somewhat 
trenchantly with persons who proclaimed their incapacity as cultivators 
by preaching in newspapers the doctrine of fabulous profits for all who 
would plant certain trees, and reminded his hearers that it was very neces¬ 
sary to beware of quacks. He directed attention to the action of the Royal 
Horticultural Society, the Fruiterers’ Company, and the British Fruit 
Growers’ Association in procuring and disseminating information with 
the object of increasing and improving the fruit supplies of the king¬ 
dom as altogether more reliable than the preaching of popularity¬ 
hunting crusaders. He pointed out the unwisdom of trusting to any 
one kind of fruit alone, such as Apples or Pears, for producing profit¬ 
able crops yearly, and addueed instances showing that losses had been 
incurred by such ventures, especially when a tree each of a great 
number of varieties had been planted. He strongly advocated a 
directly opposite course—of planting many trees of a few of the best 
varieties, not omitting a due projxirtion of the more certain bearing 
small or bush fruits; and said that under the combination system he 
had never known a total failure, but on the contrary, with a good 
choice of sorts, good soil, and good management a fair return would 
accrue to cultivators and much better than they could obtain from farm 
crops. He would not, however, advise inexperienced persons to invest 
all their money in fruit growing, and thought farmers should only re¬ 
gard it as an adjunct to other crops. He should like to see good collec¬ 
tions of fruit well grown around the stately homes of England, both 
for supplying those homes with the r.arest and choicest samples as well 
as for educational purposes, in showing the tenantry the varieties that 
would be the most remunerative to them. 
Several examples of land being increased in value by fruit culture 
were given, and of the consequent higher rents obtained on the termina¬ 
tion of tenancies. An extension of the best Kentish methods was 
advocated, and a distribution of production over a much wider area, as 
trees were often barren in one district and laden with fruit in another, 
it might be 200 or 300 miles north of London, through the later blossom¬ 
ing of the tree<j. The fallacy of the reiterated allegation of fruit to the 
value of £8,000,000 being imported annually that might be grown in this 
country was exposed, and it was because the statement had scarcely an 
approach to truth that there was such a wide field open for British 
cultivators, who were advised to adopt American methods in selection, 
culture, packing, and marketing, then the time would not be long in 
coming when our enterprising rivals would be beaten in our markets. 
After indicating the periods after planting at which different kinds of 
fruits become profitable, Sir. Wright gave practical hints on situations 
and shelter for trees, soil and its preparation, planting, pruning, and 
manuring, some of the more important manipulative points, including 
the arrangement of trees, being illustrated by large coloured drawings. 
As it is not easy to give a digest of this portion of the lecture a few 
citations are adduced :—■ 
Situation and Shelter .—.4s far as is possible avoid damp hollows 
where fogs or mists are prevalent, no matter how rank the grass may 
grow and how rich the soil may be. Trees in such positions grow 
rapidly, often too luxuriantly, and the wood does not then ripen, while 
if it does, and blossoms expand, they will be in great jeopardy of de¬ 
struction by frost. I had for many years two orchards under my eye in 
the same parish ; one was in the water course of the district, the other 
on the ground about 100 feet higher. The bottom orchard consisted of 
splendid young trees that blossomed freely, but spring after spring the 
beautiful prospect of fruit was turned into desolation by the action of 
frost in the moisture-laden atmosphere, while the trees grown higher 
and drier escaped injury. The lower orchard has not, over a series of 
years, given anything approaching a profitable return, but the one 
above the fog line, so to say, has been highly remunerative. An ex¬ 
tensive riverside plantation in Worcestershire has produced nothing but 
disappointment ; another, not a quarter of a mile from it, on higher 
ground, has afforded rich harvests of fruit. Still, when practicable the 
other extreme of great exposure and bleakness should be avoided, for a 
little shelter such as that afforded by hills or trees is desirable, and 
especially from the south-west and north-east, for a keen driving 
easterly gale often nips the blossoms in spring, while a tornado from the 
other direction in autumn strips the trees of fruit. 
Soil and its Preparation. —For practical purposes it is sufficient to 
know that land in condition to grow first-rate crops of Potatoes, 
Turnips, Wheat, and Clover will grow first-rate fruit. Light or sandy 
soil on gravel will not do so. It must be of a holding character, and 
j)erhap9 the stronger it is, provided it can be brought into good tilth, 
the better. It must contain potash, phosphorus, lime, and soda, and 
it is because of the presence of these essentials that the crops above 
mentioned exceed the average in bulk and quality. When spade 
culture is employed double digging pays well if properly done. The 
right way is to break up the ground to a depth of 2 feet or there- 
a’wuts, keeping the best ,at the top and the poorer subsoil below, or 
only an inch or two of the latter should be mixed with the upper layer. 
The wrong way most decidedly is to bury all the top, or best, soil at the 
bottom of the trenches with a foot of the subsoil dug out of them. If 
land is prepared with horse power the subsoiler should follow the 
ordinary plough both lengthways and across the field. The land may 
be stirred in that way to a depth of 18 inches, the bulk of the best 
being kept in the best position. A good tilth can then be secured with 
other implements in suitable weather. See that the land has good 
natur.al or artificial drainage. The water table should seldom rise higher 
than within 3 feet of the surface. 
Choosing Trees. —Small clean, thrifty young trees of two seasons’ 
growth from the buds or grafts with a plenitude of fibrous roots are 
not only cheaper but better than trees of twice the age and size ■with 
few roots. Trees may be studded all over with blossom buds, and 
perhaps bear a dozen or two of Apples or Pears the first season, but 
this abnormal productiveness does not deceive “old hands” in fruit 
culture, but only the young and inexperienced. Trees of this nature 
are the stunted prodigies of the fruit world, and can no more be inade 
of substantial service than a stunted snappish little poodle can be trained 
into a valuable shepherd’s dog or retriever. So-called cheap trees are 
often seen in markets with the roots as dry as hay, and the swelling buds 
shrinking in spring. Leave such trees severely alone. They may be 
the dearest of trees in the end, for many that do not die refuse to thrive, 
and not a few so obtained have proved untrue to name and inferior in 
variety. Of all the disappointments in culture few can be greater than 
growing trees for some years only to prove their worthlessness. The 
time thus lost can never be regained, and a bad vpriety occupies as 
much space and takes as much nutriment out of the land as does a 
good one. In buying trees always take particularly into account the 
characters and reputations of vendors. This, with natural trade compe¬ 
tition, is the best guarantee purchasers can have for getting good value 
for money. 
Planting .—The sooner fruit trees are planted after the leaves can be 
shaken off them the better. They will grow afterwards if moved, even 
when the buds are swelling in spring, provided the roots are kept moist 
when out of the ground, and the soil is in free working condition. 
At no season plant when the ground is in a wet sticky state. Cut off 
mutilated roots and jagged ends, then the wounds will heal quickly and 
produce new fibres. Spread the roots out straight, and do not cover 
them deeper than they were in the nursery, the earth mark on ihe stems 
being a line of guidance. Do not place manure either in contact with 
the roots or under them, but spread it on the surface of the soil over 
them, and for a foot beyond their extension, leaving it to decay. Do not 
check roots near the suiface by deep digging, but encourage them by 
top-dressings of manure and vegetable refuse, especially in hot dry 
weather, for keeping the top soil moist. Roots will then multiply there 
and produce fruitful growth ; if driven down to the poorer subsoil for 
moisture the resulting growth may be strong, but not productive. 
Pruning. —This is a puzzling subject to not a few amateurs. There 
is no mystery about it, and the learned who would make one are perhaps 
not quite so learned as they seem. Broadly speaking, it is a question if 
more fruit has not been prevented than produced by the action of the 
knife. The principle to grasp is this ; If there is a well balanced pro¬ 
portion between root growth and branch growth, and the branches 
are so thinly disposed that the sun’s rays can pass between them, fruit 
buds will form plentifully. First, then, have a sufficient number of 
stout main branches for forming a tree, then thin to prevent overcrowd¬ 
ing, instead of shortening the branches to create it, or the growths will 
be crowded or shaded and the leaves spoiled. Good leaves are manu¬ 
facturers of fruit. Shoots may be shortened after planting, because the 
roots have been shortened in digging up, and the balance between the 
two for the time destroyed. We want to restore it as soon as we can, 
and as we cannot stretch out the broken roots to the length of the 
branches or shoots we cut back these to correspond with the roots. 
When an Apple or any other tree grows too luxuriantly in summer, 
cutting back the shoots in winter is simply followed by more and 
stronger growths, and so the combat between man and Nature may go 
on for a generation, and Nature will win in forcing growth. The 
branches of a strong-rooted tree, if kept thin and not shortened, will in 
time counteract the root power, form blossom buds, and bear fruit, 
weather and insects permitting ; but if for special reasons the growth 
must be arrested and kept within certain bounds the roots must be 
shortened to an equal or a greater extent than the branches. 
Insects. —These must be subdued, and not many can resist the effects 
of a soap and petroleum mixture made by dissolving 2 ozs. of softsoap 
and a teaspoonful of soda in a gallon of boiling -water, stirring very 
briskly in at the same time a small wineglassful of petroleum, such as is 
burned in lamps. Applied at that strength in the evening, not in the 
morning, it does no injury to anything but insects, though if the leaves 
are wet when hot sun reaches them they are apt to be scorched. Some 
of the best trees known to me are well syringed with that mixture 
every winter, and are free from American blight, moss, and caterpillars, 
though it may not be equally effectual in districts where the latter 
greatly abound. The remedy then to apply is Paris green. 
Manuring. —A word may be useful on manuring fruit trees. They 
are often too generously treated when young, and over-exuberant 
growth incited ; while when exhausted by bearing, or impoverished soil, 
they are left to starve, or, in other words, are first jampered then 
neglected. All fruits contain more potash than any other substance in 
their composition, and simple mixture generally useful will be found 
in four parts, lbs. or cwts., of nitrate of potash (saltpetre), and super¬ 
phosphate of lime, two p.arts of sulphate of lime (gypsum), and one 
part of common salt, this last to be excluded near the sea coast. But it 
is obviously wasteful to apply these or any other manure to feed weeds. 
These must be kept down, and hoeing the ground frequently will 
greatly promote the growth of fruit trees, bushes, and plants. In 
reference to applying manure a plain line of guidance is this :—If trees 
