January 28, 1893. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
337 
THE SOUTH DEVON 
FRUIT FARM. 
Whilst on a visit to Torquay a short time ago, I 
took the opportunity of looking over the South 
Devon Fruit Farm. Started only in February last, 
the scheme may fittingly be described as still in its 
infancy, the farm at present comprising only some 
fifteen acres in extent. The soil is a good red loam, 
several feet in depth, and is, in Mr. Pender’s words, 
"good enough to grow anything." 
Several acres are already planted with Apples, 
Pears, and bush fruits, and the other part is being 
rapidly got ready for planting. Strawberries are to 
be largely grown, and all the leading kinds of Apples 
and other fruits are to be planted at first for trial. 
The most suitable will then only be kept, the others 
being weeded out and replaced by those which prove 
most valuable. A large quantity of glass is already 
erected, and many of the houses are already in 
working order. One block comprising ten houses, 
each house ioo ft. long by 12 ft. 
wide, is already planted, three with 
Tomatos in various stages, and 
three with Peach trees, the spare 
ground of the border between the 
trees being planted with Lettuces. 
Three more are planted with Vines, 
which have made splendid canes 
during the past summer, and the 
last house in the block is devoted to 
forcing Beans. The houses are 
glazed without putty, strips of lead 
holding the glass in its place, and 
there are no rafters showing from 
the outside. The glass structures 
are being erected by Messrs. Mum- 
ford & Vanstone, of Torquay, and 
the whole are heated by two of the 
Thames Bank Iron Company’s 
powerful boilers. Behind this block, 
on a higher level, facing due south, 
is a huge span-roofed Peach house, 
225 ft. long by 25 ft. wide, rapidly 
nearing completion. Behind this 
again is a Vinery, the same length 
by 16 ft. wide, a lean-to being got 
ready for planting, chiefly with Ali- 
cantes and Lady Downes' Seedling. 
At the back of the Vinery are packing 
sheds,fruit rooms,Mushroom houses, 
and stables. Mushrooms are al¬ 
ready grown in ridges out of doors ; 
also a great number of Asparagus 
beds were well developed. 
To criticise a scheme so recently 
started would be unfair, but it is 
refreshing to see in these days 
of land depression and agricultural 
distress that there are enterprising 
spirits who, if the land cannot 
be of use in one way, have energy 
enough to endeavour to turn it to 
good account in another. Situated 
in a charming spot in one of 
the sunny vales of Devon, with 
a salubrious climate, the South 
Devon Fruit Company appears 
to have every prospect of a suc¬ 
cessful future before it. I cannot conclude this brief 
notice without tendering to Mr. Pender,the company’s 
able manager, my best thanks for his courtesy.— H. W. 
-- 
LATE-KEEPING BRITISH 
APPLES. 
It is satisfactory to note that numbers of the public 
are beginning to recognize the superiority of British 
Apples in the matter of quality, independently of 
their relatively unattractive appearance when com¬ 
pared with the large, highly coloured and attractive 
Apples of America. As the season gets older so do 
the most of our Apples lose their polished appear¬ 
ance, and some of the colours which they originally 
possessed when first gathered. The dessert kinds 
particularly are wanting in brightness, and some of 
the best are either yellow, greenish yellow, or 
russety. Underneath a rough exterior, however, 
they possess sterling qualities which only those who 
are really familiar with them know. As the proof of 
the pudding is in the eating, so the fact applies in 
the fullest sense of the term to Apples 
The question is occasionally asked why there are 
no British Apples in the market and fruiterers’ shops 
at this season of the year. The reply is obvious, as 
there is now scarcely any to be put upon the market, 
all having been sold. In a few cases where the 
shops are owned by market gardeners a supply of 
British fruit is still kept up and finds a ready sale. 
Blenheim Orange and Dumelow’s Seedling, better 
known as Wellington, are the chief or only kinds to 
be seen now, and even they must fail before long. 
Both kinds are retailed at 3d. a pound, and are 
cheap to the consumer at that price compared with 
many of the spongy and relatively tasteless foreign 
kinds. The moral is obvious. Grow more of the 
late-keeping British Apples and the demand will 
increase with the increasing supply in proportion as 
the public and its taste is educated. In private 
fruit rooms, where many varieties are grown, there 
is still a good supply of late kinds. The number of 
varieties still in good condition in the gardens of the 
Royal Horticultural Society at Chiswick, is relatively 
very great ; but the undermentioned sorts, which we 
noted there, would constitute a selection of very 
choice Apples that ought to be encouraged for a late 
supply. In the gardens and orchards of private 
establishments, all the sorts mentioned might be 
planted for the sake of variety, but for market 
purposes a man of business could reduce the list to 
one-half with advantage to himself, and the public 
would lose little, if anything, by it. 
Dessert Varieties. 
Cox’s Orange Pippin may still be placed at the head 
of the list on account of its reputation and because 
it will remain in condition through the next month. 
It possesses, however, less of the aroma which it 
originally had, but retains all its sweetness and agree¬ 
able qualities. The tree delights in a light but rich 
sandy soil and should be largely planted where tint 
prevails. The fruit of Braddick’s Nonpareil is larger, 
more flattened, and keeps till April. The skin is still 
smooth and shining, greenish yellow, shaded with 
red on the exposed side, and more or less marked, 
with rusty patches. The flesh is sugary, aromatic 
and most agreeable to those who are fond of Apples. 
Baumann's Reinette keeps till March and still 
possesses its rich colour to a great extent, and, 
although not equal in quality to either of the above, 
it is a free fruiting and profitable Apple to grow. The 
flesh is crisp and juicy with a certain amount of aroma, 
and is now mild and agreeable. We ought not to 
lose sight of Dutch Mignonne, as it is, like the last, 
of appreciable size, yellow suffused with red, and 
the tree bears abundantly. The flesh is juicy, sweet, 
and aromatic. A very pretty Apple is Rosemary 
Russet, broad at the base and tapering upwards, 
greenish yellow and suffused with red on the ex¬ 
posed side. The flesh is juicy, sweet, and richly 
aromatic. It keeps till February or longer as it is 
still perfectly firm. King of Pippins is still in use 
and so well known as hardly to need comment. 
Blue Pearmain, certificated at the last meeting of 
the Royal Horticultural Society, is of American 
origin, but does not seem to be so well known as it 
ought to be. The flesh is tender, crisp, juicy and 
sweet with a pleasant aroma. An older and better 
known Pearmain is Claygate Pear- 
main, bronzy green, shaded with red 
at this season, with a crisp, juicy, 
and agreeably flavoured flesh com¬ 
parable to that of Ribston Pippin. 
Another fine sort, lasting till Feb¬ 
ruary, is Adams’ Pearmain, a 
somewhat conical Apple, more or 
less highly coloured on the exposed 
side. The deep yellow flesh is 
tender, soft and moderately juicy at 
this season of the year, but more so 
earlier, and even now it is sweetly 
aromatic. Ross’ Nonpariel is by no 
means an attractive Apple, but 
the pale flesh is very tender and 
remarkably sweet. The skin is of 
a deep russet all over, and even 
as early as December the flesh under 
the skin becomes brown, and 
should be peeled off to get the pure 
unadulterated flavour of the flesh 
beneath. The latter is by no means 
juicy, but pleasant to eat all the 
same. The skin of Lucombe’s Pine 
Apple is pale yellow and rather 
shrunk by this time; but the 
flesh is crisp, juicy, tender and 
richly aromatic. In fact, it has been 
compared with the flavour of the 
Pine Apple. The fruit at best is 
small, and the same may be said 
of Golden Pippin, one of the 
oldest of our cultivated varieties 
of Apple, and very highly 
esteemed by those who know it. 
Larger fruiting sorts tend to oust 
it from the garden, but few excel 
it in flavour. The flesh is yellow, 
tender, juicy and sweetly aromatic, 
although in sweetness it scarcely 
comes up to Ross’ Nonpareil. 
The old Nonpareil is greenish 
yellow with a red cheek, and 
covered with a much thinner 
layer of russet than the last 
named. The greenish flesh 
is wonderfully rich in flavour, 
aromatic, crisp, juicy, and most agreeable to the 
palate. A firmer and brisk Apple is London Pippin, 
that keeps from November to April, and shows very 
little, if any shrivelling even then ; it may be used 
for dessert or culinary purposes. 
Culinary Varieties. 
One of the best late keeping varieties of this class is 
Annie Elizabeth, that received a First-class Certifi¬ 
cate from the Royal Horticultural Society as long 
ago as 1868, but cannot be said to be half so much 
cultivated as it ought to be. The white flesh is firm 
and crisp, but tender, and suitable even for dessert 
purposes after it gets mellow. It has a shining yellow 
or flesh coloured skin when grown under different 
conditions, and may be kept till May or longer. 
Lane’s Prince Albert may be placed alongside of it 
for keeping qualities and is at all times a clear-skinned 
green Apple ; and the tree bears abundantly. Bram- 
ley's Seedling is similar in colour but a differently 
shaped Apple, with a briskly acid flesh. Dumelow’s 
Seedling or Wellington is well known for its keeping 
qualities, richly acid flavour and fertility. In respect 
to its keeping qualities, the ancient Galloway Pippin 
Mr. A. J. Manda. (Seep. 341.) 
