15 Nov., 3919.] Pear Growing in Victoria. 669 



1 inch long, and a horizontal cut to form the T, as shown in D, In 

 making the cross-cut, the knife should be forced gently in a downward 

 direction, thus forming a slight lip, which facilitates the insertion of 

 the bud. If the sap movement in the stock is fairly free, the bud will 

 slip into its position without any undue pressure being used. After 

 the insertion of the bud in the T cut as shown in E, it is tied round 

 firmly and snugly with raffia, which is a fibre obtained from the palm. 

 This completes the operation, as seen in F. 



It is found .that if buds are placed on the south side of the stock, 

 or on the side least exposed to drying winds and sun, the success of the 

 operation will be more assured. After the lapse of about two weeks 

 after budding, it will usually be found necessary to cut the ties, owing 

 to their becoming too taut, consequent on the swelling of the bark caused 

 by the restriction of the sap movement. 



In Plate ISTo. 33 is shown two young pear trees worked by budding. 

 Fig. 1 being a rod or single-stemmed tree, and Fig. 2 a branched tree. 

 The letter B in each case shows where stocks were budded. 



Plate No. 34 shows rows of young pear trees ready for planting out 

 in the orchard. 



The most satisfactory trees for planting, if single-stemmed trees are 

 not used, are those of medium size, fairly short in the stem, well balanced 

 with three or four leading shoots, fairly uniform in their development, 

 and with a good root system. 



Owing to the pear tree being naturally of an upright-growing habit, 

 the distance from the surface of the ground to the first branch of the 

 young trees should not exceed 15 inches. Such short-stemmed trees 

 assist the orchardist in his subsequent work of shaping the limbs 

 obliquely, which is quite a difficult task with high-stemmed trees. 



THE SUGAR INDUSTRY. 



The general superintendent of the Bureau of Sugar Experiment Sta- 

 tions in Queensland (Mr. H. T. Easterby), has stated that probably the 

 estimate for the 1919 sugar crop was in the region of 155,000 tons, which 

 was considerably lower than that formed in May. This was due largely 

 to the long and continued drought and damage by frosts in the southern 

 sugar districts. Fortunately the sugar content in the cane was very 

 high, otherwise the output would have been lower. Compared with last 

 year there would be a reduction of 35,000 tons of sugar made, and the 

 total Avould be 152,714 tons less than the amount manufactured in 1917. 

 The variations were due largely to climatic reasons, but the high prices 

 of implements and fertilizers, and the scarcity of fertilizers during the 

 past few years, had had a deterrent effect upon the production. 



