15 Oct., 1919.] Pear Growing in Victoria. 



585 



affected. Here and tliere stunted, unhealthy trees will be seen, while in 

 some positions, having the advantage of natural drainage, perhaps even 

 in the same row as their sickly neighbours, the trees will make good 

 growth and probably build up a fine framework, and bear heavy crops of 

 fruit. A thorough system of artificial drainage remedies this defect of 

 patchy tree-development, with its consequent profit-leakage, and enables 

 the rows of trees to develop regularly and uniformly, thus making it 

 possible for maximum results in cropping to be achieved. 



Without such regularity in the development of the rows of trees, and 

 notwithstanding all the attention which may be given to scientific prun- 

 ing^ cross-fertilization, and other details of orchard practice, the crop of 

 pears per aci'e must be considerably reduced. 





Plate 18. —Regular tree development, due to proper drainage. 



Access to Land. 



In undrained land after heavy rains the soil remains boggy until the 

 water has evaporated. This unfavourable condition often hinders cul- 

 tural operations till late in the spring, and prevents the growth of winter 

 crops for green manuring purposes Whereas, under the better condi- 

 tions brought about by drainage, the land soon parts with its surplus 

 water, even in winter, and enables any seasonal orchard operations to be 

 proceeded with satisfactorily at the proper time. 



Effect of Bad Drainage upon Pear 5cab and Root Borer. 



More difficulty is experienced in ridding pear trees of Pear Scab 

 when the trees are growing in " wet " soil. Probably this is partly due 

 to the increased humidity in early spring caused by the evaporation of 

 surplus soil water usually found when the land is not properly drained, 

 but which in well-drained land passes off through the soil by the process 

 of filtration. 



