September 2C, 1894. 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
D uring the past few weeks several newspapers have announced' 
in all seriousness that owing to the glut of Plums in the market 
this year the prices have been so low that many growers preferred 
to allow the fruit to decay rather than run the risk of a loss 
incurred by the cost of gathering and railway tarifP. Further, 
readers of the daily press have been informed that this plethora of 
Plums is the outcome of an error on the part of the growers last 
year, when, being in a similar predicament, they used the fruit as 
“ manure,” and the trees were stimulated to such an extent as to 
produce a heavier crop than usual this season. There may be 
some truth in these statements, but practical growers will at once 
form an estimate as to their correctness and value. It is, however, 
such assertions as these that do much to retard the fruit-growing 
movement, which is destined in due course to become one of 
Britain’s greatest industries. That it will reach this distinction 
there seems to be no doubt, judging by the progress made 
recently, and the activity of the primary movers in the work. 
Everyone who has a practical knowledge of fruit culture is well 
aware of the difficulties that arise in connection with the business ; 
but these apparently do not prevent others entering the arena, 
making the competition keener than ever, and some may say 
lowering the commercial value of the crops. The latter might 
possibly occur in a few instances, and to the advantage of the 
thousands of toilers in large towns, where the bulk of the fruit is 
sold ; but it is generally admitted by growers and salesmen that 
choice samples, tastefully packed, always realise moderate prices. 
This is the phase of fruit culture that makes the business a 
remunerative one, there being a steady but constant demand 
among the affluent for superior produce, and even good sound fruit 
of an ordinary character finds ready purchasers in the masses, 
who perhaps constitute the principal consumers. 
Whilst admitting the glut of Plums which has occurred in the 
leading markets this year, and the consequent poor prices realised 
by the bulk of produce, there is no gainsaying the fact that 
exceptions to the rule exist even among fruit growers. At the 
time ordinary Plums were, according to a daily newspaper, selling 
in Covent Garden Market for “ G lbs. a Id.” the writer visited a 
well-known fruit grower in a south-eastern county, and found he, 
too, had an unusually heavy crop of fruit. Some Plum trees were 
laden with large luscious fruit which would not ripen, the owner 
proudly pointed out, until the main supplies to the market were 
exhausted. This was rn undoubted advantage, and the grower 
anticipated handsome returns for his crop. Indeed, so sanguine is 
he of the future that he is about to increase his plantations, and 
without hesitation recommends the extended culture of Plums for 
profit. This by no means coincides with the experience of thoie 
who, as we are told, “allow their Plums to decay rather than 
gather and consign them to the market! ” and if only as an object 
lesson is worthy of record. The same glower also makes a 
specialty of early Plums, and finds these equally as profitable as 
the late varieties, the trees scarcely ever failing to produce 
enormous crops of splendid fruit. He is, moreover, of a progressive 
turn of mind, and is not without hopes of seeing the fruit drying 
and preserving industry develop in this country. We have already 
numerous growers owning jam factories, but as yet the methods 
of drying, crystallising, bottling, and canning fruits, so common in 
No. 743.—VoL. XXIX., Third Series. 
Ol* ► 
Jb ) 
America and on the Continent, are not generally adopted in 
Britain. It has been mentioned in these pages how easily Plums 
may be dried for winter use in any ordinary oven, while even 
Apples and other fruit can be evaporated at a comparatively 
small cost. So far as the writer’s experience goes, however, 
these methods are not usually practised, there being only one 
private garden known to him where an evaporator is in use. 
Last year at the establishment alluded to the gardener evapo¬ 
rated bushels of Apples, Apricots, and Plums, and has dried 
much of the latter fruit this season. Thus, when the crops 
are abundant, instead of allowing the fruit to spoil, or dispose 
of it at unremunerative prices, it is preserved for home con¬ 
sumption, and can, if necessary, be placed on the market at any 
period when most profitable to the producer. These matters are 
worthy of consideration. 
As most growers know, the fruit crops this year vary consider¬ 
ably. Plums have been generally abundant, as already remarked, 
the same applying to Pears ; but Apples are exceedingly scarce in 
some parts of the country. In Kent, Hampshire, and Essex some 
good average crops are noticeable ; though as far northwards 
as Lincolnshire the trees are certainly less burdened, while in 
many orchards and gardens the fruit appear to be small and of an 
inferior quality. Whether this is the result of the attacks of 
insect pests, imperfect fertilisation, or want of sunshine some 
growers are in doubt, but it is evident that the samples now seen 
will bear no comparison with those of last year. This applies 
particularly to Apples and Pears, the former of which were remark¬ 
able for their colour in 1893, whilst this season they are practically 
devoid of that attraction. With a fine September, however, the 
fruit will doubtless improve in appearance, especially where the 
branches of trees are well thinned and exposed to the sun. This 
reminds one that all fruit trees are not treated in such a rational 
manner. Notwithstanding the literature on fruit cultivation which 
practical growers have contributed to the gardening papers during 
the past decade, there are thousands of mismanaged trees in some 
gardens and orchards of this country. These perhaps are more 
conspicuous because improvements are manifest in most places, 
and it is gratifying to be able to make this announcement. Well- 
managed trees are fortunately the rule now, and it is by no other 
means that profitable crops can be obtained, the neglected ones 
being exceptions. The latter, though, ought never to be tolerated, 
and it ’behoves everyone who has old, decrepit, moss-encrusted 
trees under their charge to replace them at the earliest oppor¬ 
tunity with young and fruitful trees. Some discretion, how¬ 
ever, in this matter is needed, and young gardeners should not 
hastily destroy old trees if they bear fairly good crops until the 
young ones become fruitful. Errors of this kind are not uncommon^ 
they being no doubt the result of a want of foresight, but they are 
easily avoided as directed. 
There seems to be a diversity of opinion am eng growers as to 
what kind of trees are the best for ordinary planting. Mrny 
persons have recommended standards for orchards, with an under¬ 
growth of bush fruit or some other crop. The authority above 
mentioned, however, and who has many acres of Apples, Plums, 
Pears, and other fruits, advocates the planting of dwarf tree«, 
such as bush-trained or pyramids. He avers, and with some 
justification, that the gathering of the crops from high standards 
involves much labour, besides damaging the trees. On the other 
hand the grower in question says the fruit can be readily picked 
from dwarf trees, and, as a rule, they produce as heavy crops as 
the larger ones. If the trees grown on his farm are any criterion 
to go by the contention is a sound one, but the general planting 
of such trees would probably meet with some opposition. We 
know where space is limited, as in small gardens, dwarf Apple 
trees on the Paradise and Pears on the Qaince are the best that 
can be planted, provided the soil and other conditions are 
suitable. From such trees as these the finest of fruit may be 
No. 2399 .—Yol. XCL, Old Series. 
