IRISH GARDENING. 



II 



\)The Month's Work.|( 

 ^^ -^^^ /7=gA 



The Fruit Garden. 



By GEORGE DOOLAN, Instructor in Fruit Culture, Department of 

 Agriculture. 



A RETROSPECT.— The year just past has 

 been a most disappointing- one to fruit 

 growers, and, with the exception of a few 

 whose plantations were specially favoured, the 



returns of crops 

 have been of an 

 unsatisfactory 

 nature. The at- 

 mospheric condi- 

 tions prevailing- 

 last spring-, and 

 indeed through- 

 out the year, 

 were not at all 

 favourable to the 

 fruit g- rower. 

 Two facts were 

 very noticeable — 

 viz., the fruitful- 

 ness of young 

 apple trees and 

 the scarcity of 

 Cra>bs. That 

 young- trees both on Paradise and Crab 

 stocks should bear, whilst older ones were 

 practically fruitless, is a question upon which 

 many theories may be put forth. Many think 

 that young trees, because of their smaller size, 

 escape the harsh cutting winds which are so 

 prevalent in the spring. Still large trees entirely 

 fruitless were to be seen in the most sheltered 

 situations. It was remarkable also that the 

 Crab crop should be almost a total failure. 



Prospects for Fruit Groimng. — There is at the 

 present time every indication that fruit growing 

 is receiving a good deal of attention, and 

 farmers and others possessing holdings are more 

 and more inclined to plant. This is a healthy- 

 sign of the times, and one, too, that is likely to 

 continue. The development of fruit growing is 

 one of the most pleasing features of a country. 

 Better fruit will be the result — fruit that will 

 compete with and displace the foreign article, 

 which is so much in evidence at the present 

 time. It is nonsense to say, as many are 

 inclined to say, that the markets will be 

 " flooded " as a result of all this fruit growing. 

 You cannot flood the markets with the right 

 sorts. There is, and always will be, a market 

 for well-grown fruit in season. In towns and 



GEORGE DOOLAN. 



great cities the consumption of fruit is yearly 

 increasing. People are becoming more alive to 

 the advantages of fruit as an adjunct to the 

 dietary ; hence the demand. 



It will be some time — perhaps eight or ten 

 years — before the wisdom of the present planting 

 will be fully realised. However, long before that 

 time fine fruit will be produced, especially if 

 the trees have been attended to. With the best 

 and most suitable varieties grown, and where 

 attention to pruning, spraying, t^cc, is carried 

 out, there should be fruit of first class quality. 

 But the work must be well done, and there is a 

 lot in doing a thing well. '• Doing things well 

 and in good time," says Austin, " is the secret 

 of success in cultivation." 



Admirable directions on the planting and 

 treatment of young trees are given in the 

 November and December issues of Irish 

 Gardening. It cannot be too strongly im- 

 pressed upon all who contemplate the growing 

 of fruit trees that attention to detail when the 

 trees are young is necessary if the best results 

 are to be obtained. Another means whereby the 

 quality of fruit may be improved and the 

 interest in fruit culture maintained is by holding 

 exhibits at various centres through the country. 

 Competition at such shows do a lot of good in 

 promoting interest and enthusiasm — two very- 

 desirable factors to successful fruit growing. 



Old Trees. — Some g-ood old varieties of apples and 

 pears are still to be met with in many districts, trees with 

 which the owners are loth to part. I know a case where 

 such a tree produced twenty large bagsof fruit. The fruit 

 as a rule is small ; in such cases it is the quantity that 

 pays. Much may be done, however, to improve some of 

 these good old sorts by thinning- out the branches where 

 they are too close, by clearing the tree of moss and 

 lichen, and by top-dressing the surface with manure. In 

 thinning the branches it is advisable not to cut too 

 severely, because such trees may not have been pruned 

 for years, therefore the tree is liable to get a check if 

 the knife or saw be used too much. It is better to give 

 a gradual pruning for a few years. All long, straggling 

 branches should be cut out of the centre, also those 

 shoots which cross each other. The great point is to 

 have the centre open and the branches sufficiently apart 

 to allow air and sunlight to freely penetrate. It is then 

 quite obvious that the fruit will be improved as a result 

 of such treatment. When the growths are dense and 

 crowded a great deal of the crop is sure to be poor, 

 because the wood on which the fruit is borne is not 

 properly matured. If the trees are badly infested with 

 lichen and moss, freshly slacked lime is a simple remedy 

 to applv. It should be du.sted on to every part of the 

 tree in very calm weather, preferably in the morning 

 when the moss will be damp and able to hold the lime. 

 In two years the worst infested tree may be made quite 

 clean if hot lime is used. The following winter 

 a second application should be applied. The lime 

 which falls to the ground will not be wasted, but 

 will be of great benefit to the roots. The caustic 

 solution, as recommended in the December issue of Irish 

 Gardening (pag-e 223), may also be used with good 

 results. Before top-dressing old trees (if in an 

 orchard) have the grass surface removed, and apply 

 anv time during spring a good mulch of well-rotted 

 far'm-vard manure. It pays to put the mulch six or 



