For October, 1921 



739 



Departments of Foreign Exchange and Book Reviews 



DARKNESS AND THE RIPENING OF FRUITS 



EXPERIMENTS carried out by Messrs. Gustave Riviere and 

 Georges Pichard sliow that where the object of storing fruit 

 in a fruit room is to dclaj- its maturity and thereby enable its 

 use to be deferred, darl<ness is important. The authors experi- 

 mented with two small lots of the Apple Calville Blanc, exposing 

 one to diffuse light and the other to darkness. At the beginning 

 of the expermient (Xo\ ember 27), the composition of the fruit, 

 as determnied by analysis of a specimen similar to the fruits used 

 in the expermient, was: total sugar 12.55 grams, glucose 9.25, and 

 cane sugar 3.3U. On February 12 of the followmg year, only 

 those fruits which had been exposed to diffuse light were ripe. 

 Those which had Ijeen kept in darkness were not ready until 

 several weeks later. Analysis of the dark-kept and light-kept 

 fruits showed that whereas tlie total sugar had decreased in both, 

 it had decreased considerably more in the light-kept .Apples than 

 in those maintained in darkness, the amounts being : — total sugar 

 in light-kept, 11 grams, in dark-kept Apples 11.85 grams. It is 

 interesting to observe that the decrease in sugar which accom- 

 panied ripening was due almost entirely to a decrease in glucose. 

 Thus, whereas the saccharose (cane sugar) fell from 9.25 grams 

 on Noveml)er 27 to 8.78 grams in the dark-kept Apples analyzed 

 on February 12, it was so low as 8.05 grams in the Apples kept 

 in the light. This is in conformity with what the plant physi- 

 ologist would expect, namely, that glucose is the sugar which is 

 used up in the course of respiration. It would seem to follow 

 that respiration of fruit, such as Apples, is appreciably more 

 rapid in light than in darkness and that light would, in some 

 circumstances, l)c a useful aid in speeding up the ripening process. 

 The decrease in total sugar in the kept fruits may perhaps sur- 

 prise some people ; but it is to be remembered that Apple fruits 

 are living things, and. like all such things, they continue to use 

 energy which they get by decomposing the sugars they contain. 

 The other ripening changes, the softening of the cells, have for 

 their result that the somewhat smaller quantity of sugar produces 

 a taste of .greater sweetness in the ripe fruit than the larger 

 quantity does in the unripe fruit. — The Gardeners' Chroniele 

 iBritish.) 



GARDENS AND WATER 



NO class of the community has been hit such hard, repeated 

 blows by the prolonged spell of dry weather as gardeners. 

 W'licther their particular fancy was among flowers, fruits or 

 vegetables, it has failed to realize expectations and, consequently, 

 it has not sustained the reputation (often self-accordedj of its 

 grower as an expert in this or in that among his friends. An ordi- 

 nary drought causes a certain amount of perturbation, but it is 

 not difficult to find means adequate to prevent complete failure, or 

 even serious disappointment. The present period is not English — 

 "it is not cricket." Week after week, month after month with 

 no rain or not enough to be appreciable, resources were strained 

 and finally broken — the plants had to take their chance. 



Those who read as they run in their own or their friends' 

 gardens will have learned one valuable lesson in every case, and 

 a second one in many instances. The immense ad\-antage of 

 deeply cultivated, firm soil over that which is shallow, and per- 

 haps loose, too, has been emphatically demonstrated. In the 

 former the plants grew steadily and strongly for many weeks 

 without extraneous aid : in the latter they ceased to advance much 

 sooner, wilted badly and collapsed eventually. 



The supplemental steps taken immediately that the soil ap- 

 proached total dryness took the form of a very heavy watering, 

 pointing shortly afterwards, and finally a mulching of short 

 manure, lawn ch'ppings or fine, dry mould. Later, wlien dryness 

 was again imminent, came the removal of the mulching, a second 

 soaking, pointing over and the replacement of the mulch or a 

 fresh supply. This process, continued as necessan^ carried the 

 crops to a finish. In the case of .shallow ground the treatment 

 ran on identical lines, hut because of lack of depth tor the roots 

 and to hold moisture the drying-out was much quicker. The per- 

 sistent application of water kejit. tlie soil so cold that the roots 

 gradually perished, and following that came the death of the 

 plants. The lesson learned is that very deep, firm soil docs not 

 dry out rapidly, whereas shallow, loose soil does do so. 



Correct watering is. perhaps, the most difficult detail of garden- 

 ing to master. The secret lies in giving apjilications only when 

 they are required to maintain sufficient moisture in the ground 

 for the plants to feed. Considered judgment must decide the 

 duration of the intervals. In the case of iilants in pots llie sides 



can be rapjied sliarply with tlie knuckles or a small mallet. If 

 the note in response is clear, water is needed; but if it is dull, 

 none must be given. After a little experience this test mav be 

 accepted as inlalhble, pro\ ided that the drainage is in perfect 

 condition. Out of doors this course of procedure is obviously im- 

 possible. The decision must be based on the appearance of the 

 leaves or on a soil test at a depth of about six inches, and the 

 latter is the more reliable and, incidentally, the more trouble, 

 lake out the soil to the depth of an average trowel; if it is dry 

 at the bottom, give water; if damp, withhold it. 



The quantity of water given at one time is of paramount im- 

 portance as far as plants in the garden are concerned, but not so 

 much so to those in pots, since the grower has substantial control 

 here. The bulk of water used in gardens comes through mains 

 ill these days; it varies in quality (for plants) and it is generally 

 exceedingly cold. .\s regards the quality, the gardener has no 

 alternative to using it when a supply is imperative, and the result 

 is usually satisfactory, though some plants may be checked for 

 a brief season. The coldness is always prejudicial, and it will be 

 to an innocuous or a dangerous degree according to circumstances. 

 There must be an immutable law in garden watering. When the 

 soil approaches dryness apply enough water to moisten it to a 

 depth of nearly three feet, and give no more until it approxi- 

 mates to total dryness again — the interval may be a week, a fort- 

 night, a month, a year, its duration is of no importance. VVhen 

 main water is used the temperature of the best soil will be re- 

 duced by about two degrees, which will be recovered almost dur- 

 ing the day following an evening soaking, and unless there is 

 something peculiarly objectionable in the quality, no harm can 

 result. Suppose, however, that instead of the occasional soaking 

 directed by intelligent judgment water is given from a main each 

 evening. The original loss is put at two degrees ; the recovery 

 the next day is not quite complete and, consequently, the tem- 

 perature will fall slowly lower until the soil is so cold that the 

 plants cannot feed — they die from starvation. Such watering is a 

 folly in which too many amateurs indulge and it cannot de depre- 

 ciated too strongly. The point can be demonstrated in any garden 

 liy choosing two plants of the same kind growing under precisely 

 tlie same conditions, but far enough apart to ensure that the 

 treatment of the one cannot influence the other. Do not give 

 water to one unless the soil is dry at a depth of six inches: .give 

 eiiou.gh water to the other to soak in two inches, each evening; 

 the former will flourish and the latter will die in a fortnight, or 

 three weeks at the most. Far different from regular soil water- 

 ing, and always beneficial in hot weather, is evening .syringing of 

 the tops of the plants in which the quantity reaches the ground 

 will be too small to affect the temperature either way. 



In all circumstances it is necessary to assist in the conserva- 

 tion of soil moisture. The simplest means is incessant shallow 

 hoeing or pricking over to encourage a surface layer of dust, per- 

 haps two inches thick. The capillary tubes are then broken and 

 there can be no waste, while there is the inestimable benclit that 

 it is impossible for weeds — interlopers and robbers in a garden — 

 to establish themselves. The second step to preservation is 

 mulching with short manure or lawn clippings, and it is uiiques- 

 tinnably the better; but all gardeners are not. unfortunately, in 

 a position to adopt it owing to lack of suitable material. 



There is one other aspect of soil watering which may be treated 

 of before the subject is dismissed — it is in relation to beds spe- 

 cially prepared for seeds, including Cabliages, Onions. Spinach, 

 Turnips and others, which must be sown w-hen the ground is. 

 even in iionnal seasons, hot and dry. It is impossilile to get a 

 perfectly dry soil down as fine and firm as it ought to be for 

 this purpose, as, indeed, it must be if success is to be achieved. 

 Therefore soak it heavily once or twice as required in advance 

 of sowing and do not give any more water until the hour of 

 necessity, which ought not to come before the seedlings are 

 through the surface. Similarly, when seedlings have to be trans- 

 planted in dry weather the sites should be watered beforehand, 

 as dry soil will draw moisture from the roots and cause the 

 plants to wilt seriously and perhaps die. Except for limited areas 

 where very small seeds are to be sown, all stones must not be 

 removed, as they lend to keep the surface cool and moist. — The 

 Garden. 



WILD CHERRIES AND BLACKBIRDS 



HE Wild Cherry or Gcan {Pruniis A;-uim) is not planted as 

 freelv as it might be for esthetic effect. It is a beautiful 

 sight in Spring when covered with blossom, especially if .seen 



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