284 



Journal of AgricuUtire, Victoria. [10 Mat, 191T 



the full bloom of the Jonathan in the Croydon district, where these trees 

 are growing. 



Now it will be observed that the result of the (e) cuts was the pro- 

 duction from the buds, which in the natural course would have blossomed 

 on 10th October, 1916, of short growths which bloomed on their ter- 

 minal buds on the 10th January, 1915, or twenty-one months sooner 

 than if the specimen was not iSummer pruned. 



Fruit, partly matured in this manner, out of season on deciduous 

 trees, is rarely of any commercial value, and its production is conse- 

 quently a waste of energy on the part of the trees. They also suffer 

 considerable injury as a result of their partial defoliation through the 

 action of Summer pruning during the currency of the vegetative period. 



Plate 8: 



The orchardist may assist Nature to a reasonable extent in the deve- 

 lopment of his trees, and in the production of fruit; but he must be 

 prepared to suffer the penalty which she invariably inflicts for any seri- 

 ous transgression of her laws. 



VICTORIA'S GENIAL CLIMATE. 



It has been stated that the fruit, which appears on the trees in 

 Plates 79 and 80, although only partly developed and lacking good 

 flavour, was perfectly sound when the trees were photographed on the 

 15th July, 1915, or about five months after the seasonable crop was 



