xisting varieties; this can be done by sending
up a specimen of the fruit to the manager of a correspondence column in
some reliable gardening magazine. These gentlemen are generally able to
give the desired information, and no charge is made. =A surer method=
still is to send the fruit which it is desired to identify to some
well-known nurseries, such as those of Messrs. Rivers at Sawbridgeworth,
Hertfordshire; they have acres upon acres of splendid fruit-trees of every
kind, and my readers cannot do better than purchase all they require from
them. Having such wide experience, they can recommend varieties suitable
for all kinds of soil and all sorts of positions. For small gardens,
apple-trees grafted on =the paradise stock= are much to be recommended, as
they are compact in habit, taking up but little room and =begin bearing
almost at once=. Messrs. Rivers guarantee their trees on this stock to
continue in full-bearing for many years. "Plant pears, and you plant for
your heirs" is the old saying, but this is all changed now that the
=quince stock= is used so much. _Cordon_ pears on wire fencing bear
first-rate crops, and are particularly good for small gardens; the
diagonal cordon is perhaps the best. =Cooking pears= can be grown on north
walls, but it is not advisable to try dessert varieties on such a cold
aspect.

=STONE FRUIT.= To grow stone fruit successfully, =the soil must contain a
fair quantity of lime=; moreover the trees, especially if trained against
walls, must be kept well-watered at the stoning period. After the fruit
has been picked, less moisture is required.

=Standard plants are very profitable=, as crops of currants and
gooseberries can be grown beneath them; this double system of cropping the
ground being a great advantage where space is a consideration. =Plums=
require little pruning, and are also not so liable to attacks of birds as
other fruit. When ordering, =do not get too many trees of one variety=, a
good selection will give a long succession of fruit; this applies to all
kinds of fruit-trees.

=Currants are a very manageable fruit=, as they do well in almost any
position; heavy crops can be secured from bushes planted on north borders,
the =black currant= thriving though it only gets a minimum of sunshine;
=gooseberries= are not exacting either, and will give a good return for a
small amount of labour. Both may be propagated by cuttings, and are very
reasonable in price, only costing abo