534 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
June  17.  1897, 
From  the  orchards  we  made  our  way  through  fields  and  belts  of 
trees  back  to  our  resting  place,  passing  as  we  went  tbe  hundreds  of 
chickens  of  which  our  guide  is  so  proud,  and  which  he  expects  to  grow 
as  well  as  Chrysanthemums  and  Apples.  The  shades  of  night  were 
falling,  and  save  for  the  sweet  song  of  the  nightingale,  there  was 
no  sound  to  disturb  the  peaceful  stillness  of  this  charming  Hampshire 
home.  After  another  look  round  in  the  morning  the  return  is  made 
to  Bishops  Waltham,  en  route  not  for  London  but  for  the  iBle  of  Wight. 
— H.  J.  Weight. 
FIRST  REPORT  OF  THE  WOBURN  EXPERIMENTAL 
FRUIT  FARM.  1897.* 
This  book  consists  of  194  pages,  and  contains  the  “  Working  and 
Results”  of  the  above  establishment,  founded  by  his  Grace  the  Duke  of 
Bedford  at  Ridgmont  in  1894.  The  report  is  by  the  noble  Duke  and 
Mr.  Spencer  U.  Pickering,  F.R.S. 
The  ducal  house  of  Bedford  holds  a  highly  distinguished  position  in 
the  annals  of  British  research  in  agriculture  and  landed  estate  affairs, 
and  the  munificence  of  the  present  head  of  the  renowned  family  is  seen 
in  the  Experimental  Farm  placed  at  the  command  of  the  Royal  Agricul¬ 
tural  Society  under  Dr.  Yoelcker,  and  in  the  Fruit  Farm  supervised  by 
Mr.  Spencer  U.  Pickering,  F.R.S.  These  initials,  as  everyone  knows, 
imply  a  person  of  distinguished  talent  and  meritorious  research  in  the 
arts  and  sciences. 
The  report  suggests  that  the  Woburn  Experimental  Fruit  Farm  will 
be  carried  on  on  purely  scientific  principles.  This  is  a  departure  from 
established  precedent.  Science  is  regarded  by  many,  if  not  most,  culti- 
vatorg  of  the  soil,  as  synonymous  with  theory — always  attempting  some¬ 
thing  but  showing  little  that  is  tangible — useful.  Nov,  at  last,  we  hope 
to  have  proved  and  explained,  the  sound,  solid,  and  sure  foundation 
upon  which  has  been  built  the  superstructure  exemplifying  British 
horticultural  art,  as  seen  in  its  highest  aspects,  in  a  manner  unrivalled 
by  any  other  nation  in  the  world. 
In  the  introductory  remarks  our  noble  and  learned  authors  state  that 
“  Tbe  main  object  of  this  experimental  station  is  to  ascertain  facts 
relative  to  the  culture  of  fruit,  and  to  increase  our  knowledge  of,  and  to 
improve  our  practice  in,  this  industry.  Our  object  is  not  to  provide  a 
model  of  a  commercial  fruit  farm,  nor  to  induce  farmers  to  adopt  fruit 
farming  instead  of  agriculture.  We  believe  it  is  true  that  fruit  farming 
might  be  successfully  extended  in  this  country,  and  that  a  certain, 
though  perhaps  a  small  percentage  of  those  who  now  find  agriculture  an 
impossibility,  might  be  able  th  gain  a  fair  livelihood  by  the  culture  of 
fruit  ;  but  if  we  are  to  aid  any  such  extension,  it  will  not  be  by  the 
direct,  or  still  lees  by  an  indiscriminate  advocacy  of  the  industry,  but  by 
increasing  our  knowledge  of  it,  both  from  a  scientific  and  practical  point  of 
view,  so  that  those  who  may  embark  on  it  may  be  able  to  equip  themselves 
better  for  their  profession  than  they  now  can.”  That  is  excellent. 
The  report  is  divided  into  two  parts.  Part  1  treats  of  the  11  Descrip¬ 
tion  of  the  Ground  and  the  Experiments,”  and  part  2  of  the  “  Experi¬ 
mental  Results.”  In  order  to  be  understood  of  my  readers,  I  will  give 
a  few  extracts  that  will  not  only  be  interesting,  but  convey  useful 
information  to  readers  of  the  Journal  of  Horticulture,  who  may  not 
invest  in  the  book  (price  5s.),  which,  however,  I  strongly  advise  them 
to  do,  so  that  they  may  see  for  themselves  to  wbat  scientific  scrutiny 
cur  time-honoured  practices  are  being,  and  are  to  be,  subjected.  But 
there  is  nothing  to  fear  ;  the  methods  adopted  by  our  moat  successful 
cultivators  will  stand  any  test  that  can  be  brought  to  bear  upon  them, 
and  if  they  can  be  bettered  in  any  way  by  all  means  let  science  extend 
ita  hand  and  show  a  better  way  to  increased,  more  useful,  and  economical 
production.  Then,  and  then  only,  will  it  do  great  and  substantia!  good. 
“  The  Ground  and  Soil  — The  farm  consists  of  a  field  of  20  acres, 
situated  close  to  Ridgmont  station  on  the  Bletchley  and  Cambridge 
line.  Soil,  sandy  loam.  The  subsoil  a  bed  of  clay  of  considerable 
depth.  Borings  have  been  sunk  in  two  places  to  45  feet  below  the 
surface  withoat  reaching  the  bottom  of  it.  The  ground  was  all  well 
trenched  before  planting  was  done,  and  repeated  forking  and  hoeing 
have  been  necessary  to  get  rid  of  the  weeds,  which  were  very  abundant. 
Throughout  the  greater  part  of  tbe  field  there  is  a  gentle  slope  towards 
a  brook,  which  runs  along  the  south-west  side  of  it.  The  height  in 
feet  of  various  parts  of  the  ground  below  the  highest  point  is  marked  on 
a  sketch  plan,  the  highest  point  being  about  15-4  feet  above  a  road  by  a 
brook,  the  distance  from  this  road  being  750  feet,  and  the  average  slope, 
therefore,  1  in  49.  The  brook  runs  between  banks  3  to  4  feet  high  ; 
it  is  never  dry,  and  in  flood  time  it  occasionally  overflows  its  banks, 
swamping  the  lower  portion  of  the  ground.” 
A  table  of  analysis  of  soil  gives  the  percentages  in  lime,  carbon 
dioxide,  potash,  phosphoric  acid,  nitrogen,  and  eand,  at  three  different 
depths— namely,  fii st,  9  inches  ;  second,  9  inches;  third,  9  inches,  and 
from  five  stations,  which  strike  me  as  singularly  interesting  and  instruc¬ 
tive,  as  for  instance  : — 
Sample. 
A. 
Lime. 
Carbon 
Dioxide. 
Potash. 
Phosphoric 
Acid. 
Nitrogen. 
Sand. 
1st  9  inches. 
0-36 
0-11 
0-25 
0TG 
0-136 
58 
2nd  9  inches. 
M2 
0-45 
0'54 
013 
6-088 
32 
3rd  9  inches. 
3-84 
2-28 
0-73 
0-09 
0-060 
14 
t  Mean. 
1-77 
0-94 
0-50 
0-12 
0-94 
34 
*  Eyre  &  Spottiswoode  :  London.  f  Not  given  in  the  Report. 
Now  if  the  ground  was  trenched  2  feet  3  inches  deep,  down  goes  tne 
016  of  phosphoric  acid,  and  0T36  of  nitrogen — the  chief  factors  of  fer¬ 
tility,  with  the  58  of  sand — an  important  substance  as  regards  the 
mechanism  of  soil  ;  and  on  the  top  there  are  3  84  of  lime,  73  of  potash, 
and  14  of  sand,  9  inches  of  “  liver  ”  and  sterility,  for  the  potash  does 
not  come  out  well  without  a  due  proportion  of  phosphoric  acid  and 
nitrogen . 
Suppose  we  mix  the  whole  three  together  instead  of  trenching,  then 
we  see  that  a  thorough  stirring  affords  a  mean  of  constituents  and 
staple,  which  mostly  return  an  equivalent  in  crop  equal  to,  and  in  some 
respects  better  than,  a  good  manuring.  If  this  were  carried  out  with 
the  other  remainder  of  the  samples,  the  difference  between  trenching 
and  stirring  would  be  even  more  striking. 
“  Trenching,”  according  to  all  authorities,  and  as  understood  by 
practical  men,  means  making  a  trench  not  less  than  2  feet  deep,  and 
in  this  casting  from  the  next  section  of  equal  width  a  spade  depth  of 
the  surface  soil,  then  placing  the  under  or  subsoil  on  the  top  of  it. 
"  Bastard  trenching  ”  is  another  thing  entirely,  and  generally  very 
much  better  in  dealing  with  a  ploughed  field.  In  exhaustive  experi¬ 
ments  in  fruit  growing,  such  as  those  in  question,  it  is  to  be  presumed 
that  both  methods  are  being  fully  tested,  also  drained  and  undrained 
land,  as  going  literally  to  the  root  of  the  whole  matter. 
The  analyses  of  soil  show  a  considerable  variation,  both  in  consti¬ 
tuents  and  in  staples,  which-  are  clearly  set  forth  in  the  plan  and 
references.  The  field  is  not  a  scientifically  ideal  one  ;  but  all  the  better 
for  that  as  it  will  require  different  treatment  so  as  to  suit  the  varied 
fruits,  necessitate  more  extended  experiments,  and  result  in  informa¬ 
tion  adapted  to  the  requirements  of  the  greater  number  of  persons  who 
must  of  necessity  work  under  very  diverse  conditions  as  to  site  and  soil, 
not  one  area  in  a  hundred,  be  it  large  or  small,  being  "  ideal.” 
Sites  relatively  high  and  low,  dry  aud  wet,  with  soils  strong  and  weak, 
rich  and  poor — mostly  poor — have  to  be  turned  to  account  in  the  best  way 
they  can,  and  if  science  can  prove  by  practice  the  better  way  for  each 
this  will  “  increase  our  knowledge  and  improve  our  practice,”  the  world 
being  the  gamer.  A  dead  level  of  uniformity  might  gladden  a  scientist’s 
heart  and  make  his  work  easy,  but  the  results  accruing  would  not  and 
could  not  meet  the  wants  of  the  majority  who  have  to  Work  under  more 
or  less  adverse  conditions.  Experiments  conducted  on  the  typical 
Woburn  sand  would  be  greatly  limited  in  their  ultimate  usefulness. 
Having  regard,  then,  to  the  vital  and  substantial  question  of  ascer¬ 
taining  facts  for  affording  sound  guidance  to  those  who  most  need  it 
under  varying  and  often  unfavourable  circumstances,  the  field  at  Ridg¬ 
mont  seems  to  afford  excellent  scope  for  attaining  the  object  the  Duke 
of  Bedford  has  in  view — “  equipping  those  workers  on  the  land  who  may 
embark  in  fruit  growing  with  the  scientific  and  practical  knowledge” 
which  so  many  lack,  and  who  therefore  fail. 
Proceeding,  the  report  says  that  no  manure  was  U9ed  at  the  time  of 
planting.  Subsequently  artificials  were  applied,  based  on  an  analysis 
(given  in  the  report)  by  Professors  E.  Wolff  and  J.  Konig,  and  of  which 
the  constituents  and  quantities  are  also  given ;  but  as  there  has, 
obviously,  Dot  been  time  for  ascertaining  decisive  effects,  for  these  we 
must  be  content  to  wait. 
In  the  foregoing  I  have  endeavoured  to  give  the  reader  an  insight 
into  the  situation,  soil,  and  principles  of  nutrition  accorded  to  the  trees 
in  the  Woburn  Experimental  Fruit  Farm,  as  these,  from  a  practical 
point  of  view,  are  tbe  greatest  essentials.  The  descriptions  of  the 
experiments  follow  in  the  report,  and  are  shown  on  a  well-executed 
plan  to  a  scale  of  200  feet  to  the  inch.  Altogether  there  are  672  experi¬ 
mental  plots,  to  which  I  cannot  refer  in  detail ;  but  there  are  repre- 
i-entations  of  nearly  all  conceivable  methods,  and  the  whole  minutely 
referred  to.  Most,  if  not  all  of  these,  however,  have  been  already 
carried  out,  some  in  this  and  others  in  different  places  and  countries; 
but,  and  this  is  the  great  and  grand  distinction  of  the  Duke  of  Bedford 
and  Mr.  Spencer  Pickering’s  objects  and  plans — namely,  in  bringing 
something  of  everything  and  nearly  all  scattered  methods  and  opera¬ 
tions  in  one  field.  In  this  respect  the  Woburn  Experimental  Fruit 
Farm  is  unique.  All  hardy  fruits,  in  every  form  of  culture,  can  be 
compared  with  each  other  under  both  an  identity  of  and  in  differing 
soil  and  environal  conditicns. 
There  are  dwarf  Apple  trees  on  the  Paradise  stock  under  ten  different 
modes  of  branch  treatment  five  of  root  treatment,  six  of  surface  soil, 
ten  of  different  manures,  five  of  amount  of  manure,  five  of  time  of 
applying  manures,  fourteen  of  planting,  and  five  of  time  of  planting,  or 
sixty  experiments,  with  six  trees  each  of  Bramley’s  Seedling,  Cox’s  Orange 
Pippin,  and  Potts’  St  edling  in  each  experiment.  Indeed,  there  appears 
to  be  every  form  of  tree  and  mode  of  p:ocedure  exemplifbd  on  both 
dwarf  and  free  storks,  besides  collections  in  both  forms.  We  are  not 
surprised  that  spring  planting  has  answered  so  well,  but  one  swallow 
does  not  make  a  summer,  and  it  is  hoped  the  planting  exper  ments  will 
be  repeated.  The  effects  of  pruning  and  non-pruDing  alter  plan  ing  are 
fhownin  illustrations,  and  so  far  all  in  favour  of  the  foimer  ;  but  in 
these  and  other  experiments  more  time  is  needed  for  fully  testing  the 
results. 
Eighty-six  varieties  of  Strawberries  are  grown  for  comparison 
“  Farmers’  Plots  ”  in  fruit  trees,  bush  and  standard,  are  demonstrated 
)  and  shown  by  plan,  likewise  4‘  Growers,”  and  “  Cottagers  ”  receive  a 
fair  share  of  attention. 
Then  come  experiments  on  the  arrangement  of  treeB,  with  the  object 
of  arcertaining  the  respective  merits  of  tbe  different  st  stems  in  which 
the  same  number  may  be  arranged  in  a  given  space,  as  quoted  helow  : 
"Each  plantation  coDsis's  of  thirty  six-trees,  twelve  Monarch,  twelve 
Czar,  and  twelve  Victoria  Plums,  surrounded  by  trees  of  Rivers’  Early 
