l.\(jriKiKs AMJ Uepi.iks. 475 



Curing Lemons. 



Rustenhiirg, Transvaal. — We are having- trouble with our 

 lemons. We cut about three tons, stacked them in boxes and covered 

 with a bucksail. An occasional sprinkling- was administered to 

 prevent them shrivelling-. After some weeks some started getting 

 brown in spots and blotches, becoming worse in time, although the 

 inside of the fruit seemed to keep good. 



The Divisio?i of Horticulture replies : The curing of lemons is 

 a difficult matter, unless one has the proper equipment. The fruit 

 should be stored in a cool, well ventilated chamber, and covered with 

 a canvas to control the amount of moisture reaching them. The 

 difficulty usually is in keeping them dry enough so you should not 

 continue sprinkling them. During very dry weather, cover more 

 tightly to prevent excessive evaporation. In California the lemons 

 are washed, before being stored, in a solution of 1 lb. bluestone to 

 one thousand gallons of water. This prevents brown rot and other 

 fungous diseases. Tlie fruit should be graded according- to their 

 degree of ripeness and the " tree ripe " fruit will, of course, be cured 

 first. I would suggest that you store the fruit in as cool n place as 

 jKissilde, and 7iot moisten them ai'tifically in any way. 



New Grasses. 



Natal. — What is the best time to ])lant Setaria sulcata and Pcn- 

 nisetuin unisetum at an altitude of 2000 ft. ? Tlie soil is a i ather 

 poor sandy loam, we are 30 miles fiom Durliaii and have vei-y slight 

 frosts in June. Molasses grass grows s])leiididly here, remaining 

 beautifully green all winter, but uiiforjunately my cattle will not 

 look at it unless starved to it. 



The Acting Chief, Division of Botani/ replies : Pemnisetuni 

 unisetvm and Setaria sulcata would best be planted in December; but 

 if you are able to put the grass in nursery beds under irrigation they 

 may be planted any time from now onwards. Setaria stilcata is a 

 moisture and shade loving plant, and our experience has been that it 

 becomes coarser when grown in the open, and only one cutting can 

 be got from it in a season. Pennis'etxim unisetum, has proved itself 

 to be most drought and frost resistant. On our dry-land station 

 it remained green throughout the winter, and in twelve months we 

 procured four cuttings from it. Under irrigation it grew to a height 

 of 7-8 ft. A sackful of roots will plant an area of 10 by 12 ft. Plant 

 in rows 3 ft. apart, and put the roots 2 ft. apart in the rows. 



The Journal is the Department's medium of making known its 

 activities. It contains information of value to every farmer in the 

 Union Keep it for reference. 



