Country Life
THE Marisa MARK.
A suggestive example of the interactions of progress came to my "fibtide this week itt- a not unimportant branch of horti- culture. The " National Mark " (a figure of Britannia suitably encircled)• if-Steadily establishing itself as a criterion of merit, increasing the vogue of British products and giving consumers an 'absolute guarantee of quality and freshness. But it also reacts most fruitfully on the consumer. It was first applied to fruit, and the only trouble at the moment is to find enough fruit that comes up to the standard : th demand exceeds the supply. Growers of apples have become so conscious of the wisdom of improving their produce- so that it shall come up to the " National Mark " standard that they have dOubled their efforts to ensure quality, both in the use of sprays, especially tar distillates, and of pruning. In the coming season one single grower of apples is proposing to sell under national mark several hundred tons of Coxls apples. He refused in other years, because his fruit was not quite highly graded enough ; but the trees have now reached the ideal, or near to it, by the increase of scientific methods .a pruning and spraying. The national mark, which has increased the returns from British eggs by some 10 per cent., -can do the same for fruit.
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