10 May, 1917.J Apple Culture in Victoria. 285 



picked, and tliree months before the trees would blossom again under 

 normal conditions. Tlie soundness of the late fruit may be attributed 

 to the absence of heavy frosts, and low teiii])eratures, and to the com- 

 paratively mild weather conditions whicli prevail throughout the year, 

 m this State. The lack of good flavour and the cause of general im- 

 perfection otherwise of this unseasonable class of fruit, is due to its late 

 setting on immature wood, and to the decay of the trees' foliage during 

 the process of the fruit's development. Fruit, appearing on this class 

 of wood as a result of the tree's early drastic Summer treatment, is often 

 erroneously regarded by orchardists as having been produced from late 

 blossoms, whereas, in reality, it is the production of prematurely deve- 

 loped fruit buds. 



Late blooms are, correctly speaking, produced on fruit buds, built 

 up during the previous period of vegetation, but these blossoms do not 

 appear until after the recognised time for the regular flowering of the 

 particular variety. The fruit on buds of this kind usually sets early 

 enough, and owing to its growing on matured wood, it is enabled to 

 mature during the ripening ]>eriod. 



The three specimens of spur growths with the fruit of 1915 attached, 

 and also carrying the blossoms of 1916, as well as the one wifliout bloom 

 shown in Plate 82, afford further evidence of Victoria's genial climate. 

 Figs. 1, 2, and 4 are the Reinette du Canada, Jonathan, and Sturmer 

 Pippin varieties respectively. Fig. 3 is a Rokewood, but without blos- 

 som. 



The fruit was produced under normal conditions on buds which 

 were in full bloom on or about 10th October, 1915, as this is the 

 date registered for "full bloom" of these varieties in the Tunstall dis- 

 trict, where the specimens were grown. They were removed from the 

 trees on 10th and photographed on 11th Octolser, 1916. 



Quantities of apples "wintering over" on the trees in this manner 

 is by no means an uncommon occurrence. Put, owing to the abnor- 

 mally heavy crops of 1916, with a mild winter supervening, the amount 

 of sound fruit, which remained on the trees, was much in excess of 

 that present during any previous year. 



A high percentage of the comparatively large quantity of fruit 

 on the ground beneath the trees was also sound, when the specimens 

 shown in the illustration were collected. 



Fig. 1 (the Eeinette du Canada) shows what usually happens in the 

 case of this variety, when- the fruit ceases to grow, but this was much 

 more in evidence during 1916 than formerly. Frequently large num- 

 bers of apples, at various stages of growth, cease to develop, but, in- 

 stead of falling off the trees, they cling tenaciously to the parent twigs, 

 shrivel, and dry up. While in this condition the fruit often affords a 

 safe harbour for the apple beetle (Doficiis pest it ens). 



Figs, 2, 3, and 4, Jonathan, Rokewood, and Sturmer Pippin respec- 

 tively, when photographed, were cut through and found to be perfectly 

 sound. Closer tests, however, revealed the fact that thev had parted 

 with the good flavour and pleasing aroma which characterize these 

 varieties. < 



SHELTERING THE ORCHARD. 



Throughout Victoria, whether established on level, or undulating 

 lands, orchards generally require protection from prevailing winds. 



On flat country, where the plantation sites are not afforded natural 

 immunity from tliese wind.s through belts of forest growths, wind-hroak 

 hedges should be planted. 



