1881. ] 
OUR FRUIT CROPS : THEIR PRESENT AND FUTURE. 
139 
Some judgment must be exercised in watering 
at the roots, and the man that waters, if he 
does not know, must be instructed as to what 
kind of material the roots are embedded in, and 
if much moisture be needed. It will take, for 
instance, four times the quantity of water to 
give an adequate root-supply to a Masdevallia 
that it will do to a Cattleya, unless the Gattleya 
is actually suspended on a block in a 
high airy house. The Masdevallia , in fact, 
will take nearly as much moisture, even at the 
root, as you can give it during summer, if it be 
under-potted, only there is a danger that if the 
moisture lies about the young leads which are 
coming up, some of them may probably damp 
off. Mark this, they abhor anything in the 
shape of drought, particularly in the atmo¬ 
sphere, at any period of the year. Let the young 
grower observe particularly that, with very few 
exceptions—which in the course of these papers 
I hope to dwell upon—one of the golden rules 
of Orchid-culture is the creation and keeping 
up of a moist atmospheric medium, correspond¬ 
ing in some degree to the heat of the climate. 
With that he will find mere watering at the 
root, especially of plants in pots, not so absolutely 
essential, that is, there will not be the same need 
for so much of it. —James Anderson, Meadow 
Bank, Uddingstone. 
OUR FRUIT CROPS: 
THEIR PRESENT AND FUTURE. 
<Uju^p)HE uncongenial character of the sum- 
iners an d winters we have recently 
passed through has not only lessened 
the supply of fruit for the present, but many 
of the orchards, those of Worcestershire at 
least, show unmistakable signs of permanent 
injury. The Apple-trees in numerous instances 
present a seared and enfeebled aspect, and 
are so much crippled that there is little hope 
of many of them recovering, even with the 
advantages of the present favourable season. 
The Apple and the Pear crop in this locality 
are much under the average, and are particu¬ 
larly partial, for whilst in some sheltered situa¬ 
tions fair crops are to be seen, in other orchards 
there is scarcely a fruit. 
Altogether, the growing of Fruit must of late 
years have proved anything but a safe and 
remunerative speculation. The variableness of 
our climate and the uncertainty of securing 
even an average crop, should incite us to make 
every possible effort to secure the best results. 
It will be well, therefore, to bear in mind that, 
with so much foreign competition, fruit-culture 
can only be conducted profitably by the 
aid of skilful cultivation, and by growing 
such sorts as have merit, and are known to 
be suited for the locality, which have, 
moreover, the qualities of abundant bearing 
and good flavour, and, beyond this, are 
suitable for kitchen use. Worthless sorts are 
quite as much trouble to produce as the best, 
and are valueless when grown ; and by far too 
many of our orchards are encumbered by trashy 
sorts, that barely pay for picking. 
The land in Worcestershire is, upon the 
whole, highly favourable to the growth of the 
Apple and Pear, and fair results are realised 
with ordinary culture, or, so to speak, with no 
culture at all. At the same time, by judicious 
management, and by choosing favourable situa¬ 
tions, very superior results can be attained. 
A situation sloping towards the south is to be 
preferred as that likely to secure the finest- 
flavoured fruits; and if sheltered naturally 
from the north, north-east, and north-west, so 
much the better. Shelter is of the greatest 
importance, but is too often lost sight of in the 
choice of orchard-sites. Shelter should always 
be provided, if not naturally present, but at 
such a distance as not to obscure the sunlight. 
O 
The Apple thrives best in a deep, substantial 
loam, which is not too dry, yet sufficiently 
drained to remove subsoil yvater, superfluous 
moisture being detrimental to the roots. The 
ground must in every instance bo thoroughly 
well trenched, previous to planting the trees. 
High planting should be avoided, for even 
upon wet soils it is objectionable ; and it is 
much safer to depend upon deep draining than 
to plant upon raised mounds, which look un¬ 
sightly, and in which the roots are apt to suffer 
during severe droughts. As to the question of 
pruning or non-pruning, which is now being so 
much discussed, it is certain that injudicious 
pruning is worse than none at all, as it has led 
to much disappointment and many failures. 
Hence it is better to renounce all the fancy 
systems of torturing trees into particular forms, 
which have no better results than to sacrifice 
profit to shape. Guide and regulate the shoots 
so that they may attain uniformity of develop¬ 
ment. This is the only rational system of 
pruning, and that by which trees are benefited. 
One other objectionable method of manage¬ 
ment often observable, more particularly on 
farms, is the grassing down of the surface im- 
