NOVEMBER, 327 
~ Owing. tothe failing crop of 1859. and the fine hot summer, the 
trees last spring were in a good state, and people looked hopefully 
forward. for a good crop this year. We had an old-fashioned winter, 
sufficiently so, I should say, to satisfy any of those who think that our 
winters now-a-days are so much milder and more open than in former 
times.. We had a very late spring, and the fruit trees were, in con- 
sequence, late in flowering. I do not ever remember to have seen a 
finer promise of an abundant fruit crop than there was the latter part 
of May; but the violent storm on the 28th of that month (May) 
wrought sad havoc among orchards. A temperature considerably below 
the average, and a deficiency of bright solar ght, have had their effects 
on the fruit crop of 1860. Strawberries were about ten days later in 
ripening than in 1859, but notwithstanding the plants suffered in many 
places last winter, particularly, British Queen, the crop of fruit was 
good; our own was never finer, . Raspberries, Gooseberries, and 
Currants were about a fortnight later in ripening than in 1859; they 
were very. plentiful and fine. Cherries were also plentiful. Apricots 
were a heavy crop, and nearly a month later in ripening than in 1859 ; 
our own.were very fine. Figs, Peaches, and Neéctarines were plentiful 
and good, and fully a month later than in.J859. Plums have been an 
extraordinary crop ;_ the Victoria has been fine on standards, the Wash- 
ington bears abundantly as a. standard, but does not ripen well; the 
Jefferson has been fine on walls, but the Reine Claude de Bavay will 
hardly ripen with me this year on asouth wall; all the hardier sorts of 
Plums haye been most abundant. Pears and Apples have been heavy 
crops ; In general they are smaller than usual; ours are nearly as good 
as usual.. And here I would call attention to the very great difference 
in.a, season like the present between fruit from trees properly pruned, 
thinned, and cultivated, and fruit from trees unpruned, unthinned, and 
uncultivated; the latter is small, deformed, and pitted, whilst the 
former is clean, fine fruit,.and nearly the average size. In every 
-place,thatI haye visited this season, where the management has been 
good,.the crops have been abundant, and some very fine, notwith- 
standing the extraordinary season, but all have been late in ripening. 
That my own fruit was not bad will appear clear from the fact that at 
all the local shows which I attended I obtained prizes for it. ? 
_ If, then, in.a season so unfavourable as 1860, satisfactory fruit crops 
canbe obtained in the open air with good cultivation, we need not 
‘trouble ourselves as to what kind of season that. of 1861 or any suc- 
ceeding season may be, We have only to plant such kinds as are 
suitable to each locality, to attend timely and regularly to the training 
of the shoots and the thinning of the wood and spurs, and never, under 
any pretence, allow any trees to carry too heavy crops; by these means 
and .by constant watchfulness in keeping down insects, &c., we may 
reasonably expect average crops of good fruit even in unfavourable 
seasons. 
Stourton, Yorkshire. M. SAUL. 
