November 1, 1890. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
135 
was almost red. We noted a fine lot of one year old 
trees of the Morello Cherry. 
The Glasshouses. 
Grapes are grown to some extent in the houses, and 
judging from those we saw still hanging, are very 
heavily cropped. Black Hamburgh in one house had 
all been cut. A second vinery contained Gros Colmar, 
Alicante, and Abercairney with berries of a fine black 
colour. The houses are not heated, and yet a crop of 
Potatos is taken out of them while the Vines are coming 
on. A third vinery was occupied with Muscat of 
Alexandria and Cannon Hall Muscat, the former being 
very heavily cropped. A house was filled with Tomatos, 
including Perfection, Large Red, and another variety 
with racemes of fruit 12 ins. to 18 ins. long. 
-- >X< —- 
THE CULTIVATION OP APPLES 
FOR MARKET. * 
It is with considerable hesitation and diffidence that I 
appear before you this evening to read a paper upon 
this subject, knowing as I do that many older and abler 
men than myself have already dealt with it, and I can 
hardly expect to say anything new. Still I am aware 
that instruction in the cultivation of fruit as in other 
things must be line upon line, precept upon precept, here 
a little and there a little ; and as it is possible that I 
occupy a somewhat different position, and therefore see 
things from a different standpoint from many who have 
preceded me, I hope it may not be altogether wasting 
your rime in listening to what I have to say upon the 
matter in hand. 
I wish it to be understood at the outset that my 
remarks refer to the cultivation of Apples for profit, 
therefore of course for market, as distinct from the 
growth of extra large fruit for the exhibition table, or 
the growth of a large number of sorts for the supply of 
the gentleman’s table and kitchen for the longest 
possible time. With regard to the cultivation of the 
Apple, one thing has been clearly proved by the recent 
show at the Guildhall—viz., that this fruit can be 
grown, and well grown, over a very much wider area 
than has been generally supposed, and that although 
our esteemed Kentish friends may have led the van, 
they can by no means claim a monopoly of either 
suitable soil or favourable situations for the growth of 
this fruit, but as in the case of the queen of flowers, 
so also with the most useful of fruits. Although some 
soils and situations may be naturally better adapted 
than others, still, with a wise selection of sorts, com¬ 
bined with careful and attentive culture, it is possible 
to succeed almost anywhere between the Channel and 
the Tweed ; nor do I forget that most useful fruit is 
grown beyond the border, and some of our most useful 
kinds have come to us thence. Our secretary also, 
and his companion in travel, have convinced us that 
the Apple at least can be profitably grown with care 
and attention even in the Emerald Isle, and we may 
hope that some of the labour hitherto spent upon the 
Potato may be diverted to the growth of the Apple, 
with the best results of bringing more money into the 
pockets, better health to the bodies, and greater comfort 
and contentment to the homes of our Irish friends. 
How the first point in the successful culture of the 
Apple undoubtedly is “the thorough preparation of 
the ground before planting.” It is not enough simply 
to make a hole in otherwise unbroken ground just large 
enough to thrust in the roots, but the whole field, or 
portion to be planted, should be well stirred to a depth of 
not less than from 12 ins. to 18 ins. I myself in this 
matter prefer not to bring up the sub-soil to the surface, 
nor do I think it necessary to insist upon the ground 
being double-trenched. In my opinion a good prepar¬ 
ation may be made at less cost, either with the “steam 
.digger” or by a good ploughing with a sub-soil 
implement of some kind following the plough, and 
breaking up the bottom of the furrow. This process 
should, if possible, be repeated, and if the second 
ploughing or digging can be done crosswise of the first 
so much the better. If the soil be poor a good coating 
of manure should be carted upon the land before the 
first ploughing ; if the soil be in good condition this 
may not be necessary. 
Having well prepared the ground, the next thing to 
be done is to mark out the lines in which the trees are 
to be planted, and at this stage it will be advisable to 
decide as to what shall be done with the ground_ 
whether it shall be laid down with grass or planted 
with other fruits, as more room should be given in the 
case of orchards than in gardens, as I will presently 
*A paper read by Mr. G. Hammond, Brentwood, at the 
meeting of the British Fruit Growers’ Association, Westminster 
October 15th. ’ 
show. The ground should be marked out both length¬ 
wise and crosswise, and may be done either with a 
marking line and hoe or by an implement made for the 
purpose, such as may be often seen in the county of 
Kent. The trees will then, when planted, be equi¬ 
distant, and straight in every direction. 
The selection of the trees will follow next in order, 
and this depends, both as to the class of trees and also 
as to the varieties of Apples, upon the decision made as 
to the future of the ground. If for orchards, then 
standard trees only should be planted, and these upon 
the Crab or free stock, and of kinds that can be best 
recommended by the nurserymen for this form of tree. 
If the ground be intended for continual cultivation, 
then in my opinion the best form of tree is what is 
generally known as “half-standard.” These are not 
so much exposed to the wind, are much more convenient 
for the gathering of the fruit, and can be grown in a 
greater variety of sorts, and also upon various stocks. 
If the trees are to be well fed and cared for, then I 
think the best stock will be one of the freer-growing 
Paradise ; these will, I think, best attain the desired 
end in fruit culture—viz., to grow a fairly good tree 
while also bearing a large quantity of fruit. But if 
what is known as the starving process is to be followed 
— i.e., plant the trees and take no further trouble about 
them—then by all means avoid every kind of Paradise 
stock, as trees upon the Crab, however vigorous, will 
be none too much so for such a method of treatment. 
I prefer to buy two-year-old untrimmed trees, and to 
make my own personal selection, so as to secure the 
kind of trees which I desire. 
Having secured the trees (which should always be 
obtained from some well-known and established 
nurseryman), it is of all things most important that 
they be properly planted. First let the roots be seen 
to, and all injured ones cut back, and also all long 
straggling roots ; then have a hole made—not deep, 
but of sufficient space to allow of the roots being spread 
out their whole length, not cramped into a heap, and 
then filled with the earth made as fine as possible, so 
that it may shake well into the roots ; then tread 
tolerably firmly with the foot, according to the state of 
the ground, and let the ground when finished be 
slightly higher round the trees than elsewhere. 
If the trees be standards they will need immediate 
staking, or they will soon be displaced and injured by 
rough stormy winds. This should be done carefully 
and well, otherwise much harm may come to the trees 
by chafing against the stakes, a result which I saw 
some time ago in the case of a young plantation. If 
the trees be “ half-standard,” or two years old, such as 
I have described, they will not need staking, except in 
a few cases where the roots are few and feeble, and this 
not until some time after planting, at least such is my 
experience and practice. 
We come now to a part of the subject upon which I 
am aware a great diversity of opinion exists, greater 
perhaps than in any other. I mean that of pruning. 
In this matter I wish to give my own experience and 
belief, in no dogmatic way, but with an honest open 
mind, willing to believe that others may have found 
some other practice to be preferable. It is my practice 
with trees such as are to be obtained generally, to cut 
back severely, the same season as the planting takes 
place, and I have rarely failed to secure good shoots 
with which to form the basis of the trees. Often these 
require nothing more in the way of pruning beyond the 
thinning of the branches and the removal of shoots 
that cross each other, but where the growth is weakly 
1 cut back a second time. But when once, a tree is 
properly furnished with an evenly balanced head, the 
best thing to do is to let it alone, that it may bear 
fruit, which it never will if the pruning knife is con¬ 
stantly used. In this matter the habits of the different 
varieties of Apples must be studied. Some will bear 
more pruning than others, while some apparently will 
Hot bear any. 
With the approach of spring (or even at the autumn 
planting) the trees will be greatly benefited by some 
manure being spread round the stems, and remaining 
upon the surface. This will help to exclude the dry, 
penetrating winds, and will also tend to encourage 
surface rooting, which is much to be desired. 
I have thus dealt with the .preliminary stages in the 
cultivation of Apples, as being the all-important time 
upon which the success or failure of after years to 
a large extent depends. If the land be intended for 
orchards, it will be better to defer sowing the grass 
seeds for at least two years, and planting the ground 
with other crops, such as Potatos or roots, so that 
the trees may become thoroughly established, when 
the grass seeds may be sown and afterwards f 6i; j 
off with young stock or sheep, or if cut for hay, 
care should be taken to replenish the soil, so that the 
trees may not suffer. 
In the case of trees upon land under constant culti¬ 
vation, much more may be done in the management of 
the trees. Where a tree shows signs of running to 
wood, if upon the Paradise stock, it may be lifted and 
re-planted, or if upon the Crab, it may be root-pruned 
with good results, whilst those that appear weakly 
may be encouraged by stirring the soil and by surface 
dressing. So far I have said nothing upon the distances 
at which the trees should be planted. This will vary 
very much indeed, for while 30 ft. by 20 ft. may not 
be found too much for orchard standards of vigorous 
growth, 18 ft. by 12 ft. or 15 ft. will be found ample 
for many sorts upon the Paradise stock. 
It may be expected of me to give a list of sorts that 
I consider most profitable. I therefore append a list, 
not as being in any way complete, but rather as types 
of the classes to which they belong, always remembering 
that any one kind of Apple will not succeed equally 
well in all soils and in all districts, and that in making 
a selection regard should be had to the soil and situa¬ 
tion, and to plant those sorts that seem best to succeed 
in each particular locality. 
For kitchen use I should advise the following :— 
Early Julien, Lord Suffield where it succeeds, Keswick 
Codlin, Yorkshire Beauty or Red Hawthornden, Stirling 
Castle, Duchess of Oldenbui'g, Lord Grosvenor, Ecklin- 
ville, Jolly Beggar, Lord Derby, Grenadier, Small’s 
Admirable, Warner’s King, Hew Hawthornden, Stone’s 
Apple, Tower of Glamis, Bismarck, Lane’s Prince 
Albert, Bramley’s Seedling, Pott’s Seedling, and Dume- 
low’s Seedling where it succeeds. 
For dessert or table use I would suggest the following 
—viz., Red Juneating, Dir. Gladstone, YellowIngestrie, 
Devonshire Quarrenden, on soil that suits it ; Lady 
Sudeley, Worcester Pearmain, which has more money 
in it than any table Apple I have yet seen ; Duchess’s 
Favourite. King of the Pippins (if in orchard Blenheim 
Orange), and Cox’s Orange Pippin. The last-named 
will, I think, be generally found to answer best upon 
the Paradise stock. 
I purposely pass over the cost of planting, which 
may be easily ascertained by reference to catalogues of 
fruit trees, and by a little calculation. I would like, 
in closing, to emphasise a few points. First, do not 
plant a few trees of a large number of sorts, but first 
ascertain what is best for each particular locality, and 
then plant a large number of those sorts. Give pre¬ 
ference to those which eau be gathered from the trees 
and sent direct to market. If possible plant a whole 
field, or at least several acres when planting. Avoid 
all patchwork business. Do not force growth too 
freely when young, but as the trees advance in age, 
and heavy crops have checked their vigour, let them 
be well fed and cared for, which expense and trouble 
they will well repay. Remember that “ whatever is 
worth doing at all is worth doing well,” but that it is 
impossible to do anything well without attention. 
BAMBOO FIBRE. 
A memorandum, together with a sample of the plant, 
lately received from Sir Alfred Moloney, K.C.M.G., 
thejGovernor of Lagos, gives an account of the endeavour 
he is making to encourage the exportation of the fibre 
known as “African Bass,” the fibre of the Bamboo 
Palm, or Raphia vinifera. The Bamboo Palm, or 
Raphia vinifera, is perhaps the commonest tree in the 
swamps and low lands which line the waterways of the 
colony. Dense thickets of these Palms, traversed only 
by the Palm wine gatherer or the Bamboo cutter, push 
their way into the lagoons, and extend over the flood 
grounds, and even to a distance of from fifteen to 
twenty miles up the valleys into the interior. The 
area occupied by these Raphia forests it would be 
impossible to calculate, but it may be accepted without 
doubt that they extend throughout the length of the 
colony, and to a distance of at least fifteen miles from 
the sea coast, and that over this area of about 5,000 
square miles they form a considerable proportion of the 
vegetation ; next only in numbers to the Oil Palm, 
(Elaeis guineensis), and the Mangrove (Rhizophora 
mucronata). The fibre itself is the one in most common 
employment on the coast, being used by the natives 
for all sorts of purposes—cloth, cordage, thatch, fishing 
lines, &c. The cost is only that of collection and 
preparation, the latter being a very simple process of 
soaking and scraping. The price, delivered in England, 
is said to be £30 to £32 per ton for good fibre. The 
cost of production is estimated at £14 per ton, shipping 
and other expenses at £4 10s .—Society of Arts Journal. 
