724 Journal of Agriculture . [10 Xov.. 1910. 



Do^■CA,sTER District. 

 Inspector Hammond reports: — 



A-pfles. — The leading varieties have not yet set their fruit. Jonathans will have 

 •onlv a medium crop. Voung trees which appeared to have a good show of fruit 

 buds are breaking away into leaf. 



The l-'ive Crown and Rome Beaut\- are just coming into bloom. On present 

 appearances they should set a good crop jjroviiling the blossom is not injured by 

 Xhe thrip. 



The Vates and Pomme de Neige are, like the Jonathan, not blooming as well as 

 ■<vas expected. They are, however, much better than the Jonathan and should set 

 a good crop. 



The Duchess d'Oldenberg is conspicuous for its heavy bloom and promises a 

 heavy crop. 



All other varieties promise well and will in my opinion set a good crop. 



Pears. — KeifTer's Hybrid bloomed very heavily as usual, and a fair crop has 

 set. There is a marked difference when this variety is grown contiguous to other 

 varieties blooming about the same time. When this is the case, heavy and regular 

 crops are obtained. The Plowell bloomed heavily, but I am afraid the crop will 

 be light. Gansell's Bergamot and Winter Nelis also bloomed heavily, but they 

 will have light crops. 



The Hlack Achan, Napoleon, Broom Park, Doyenne Bossoch, Beurre Capiaumont, 

 Beurre Clairgeau, and Swan's Orange all promise a good crop, and above the 

 average. 



The Josephine de Malines has a light crop, as is usual. In some orchards the 

 trees are particularly shy, whilst in others there is a medium croj). 



The blossoms of the Williams' Bon Chretien are rather small and delicate look- 

 ing, but I think there will be a good crop. 



There is plenty of blossom, but the fruit is just beginning to set. Taken alto- 

 gether, the pear crop promises to be good and above the average. 



Plums. — Early in the season the plurn crop promised to be a record one but 

 the recent spell of unseasonable weather has made matters in this connexion 

 luicertain. 



\\'ith the late blooming varieties it is yet too early to judge as to the probabilities 

 of setting, but I think there will be a good average crop, and much better than last 

 season. 



The Black Diamond, Jefferson, and Angelina Burdett have set a good crop in 

 most of the orchards visited. The Early Orleans, which is an alternate year 

 bearer, has a good heavy crop in some orchards and a poor one in others. 



Late Red, Reine Claude, Golden Gage, and Green Gage all have a fair crop. 

 Jn some cases a very heavy crop has set, but the non-setting fruits in a large 

 number of varieties have not yet begun to wither and fall, and, until this hapnens, 

 it is uncertain what the crop will be. The prospects, however, are good. 



Cherries. — The fact of the cherries hanging to their bloom for a considerably 

 longer time than usual caused anxiety as to the setting of the fruit. The irregu- 

 larity of blooming was also a matter of concern. I think, however, that a good 

 ■crop is assured. 



Early Purple Guigne is heavier than usual, as also is the Black (de Mezel) 

 Bigarreau — both shy varieties. Burgdorfs Seedling is also good. Beil fords, good. 

 Twyford, fair, bloomed very irregularly. The Evons in all orchards visited had a 

 -very poor crop, and is the only variety noticed that is a failure this year. The 

 Margaret, Florence, and Hortense are now in full bloom, and should have a good 

 ■crop if the weather conditions are favourable. 



Peaches. — There is every prospect of a heavy crop of peaches. Brigg's Red 

 May and Hale's Early will have only a light crop, owing to the shedding of the 

 blossom buds early in the spring. AH other varieties, with few exceptions, have set 

 a good crop. The trees generally look much better than last year, and, despite the 

 -wet weather, the aphis has been kept well in check. 



Quinces are not largely grown, but there is every promise of a good crop. 



Oranges and Lemons. — The citrus crop looks well, and where fumigation has 

 been done the fruit looks bright and clean. 



The absence of bees and other insects during the blossoming period, and the 

 abnormal length of time the blossoms remained on the trees were very noticeable 

 this season. With seasonable weather at the blooming period I am of the opinion 

 that the fruit crop in my district this season would have been a record cne. The 

 hail did slight damage to the early settting plums and cherries, but 1 think thev 

 will grow out of it. 



