Fruit and Vegetables. 93 



in evening with the syringe. Though this remedy 

 is effectual in killing the scale, they still remain 

 tightly glued to the leaves. 



Eriobotrya japonica Loquat Beshmeyleh. Native 

 of ^ China and Japan. A small tree with large rough 

 leaves, bearing clusters of plum-like fruit of a yellow 

 colour, and containing a large brown seed. The trees 

 are sometimes attacked by a maggot, which eats 

 away the pith in the stems. When this occurs it 

 will be found beneficial to paint the stems with a 

 mixture of equal parts of whiting, petroleum, and 

 soot, and to cut up the soil in the early spring. 



The Loquat rarely makes any superabundant 

 growth, and therefore does not require pruning. A 

 good dressing of manure ought to be given in 

 January, and water frequently throughout the summer. 

 It is propagated by seed, which should be sown soon 

 after it is ripe, as it quickly loses its germinating power. 



Fragaria vesca Strawberry Frowley. Strawberry- 

 growing in the gardens on the coast has, during the 

 last few years, greatly increased, and considerable 

 areas are now under cultivation for the markets. The 

 larger varieties are unfortunately unnamed, but this is 

 possibly done to prevent a glut in the market, and 

 growers even go so far as to destroy all surplus 

 runners, so as to prevent the variety becoming com- 

 mon. Many experiments may therefore be made 

 before a variety suitable for the country is obtained, 

 but, as a rule, those that produce the least foliage 

 invariably give the best crops on light soil, while the 

 Black Prince is thought to succeed best on a heavier soil. 



The beds should be made in August, the surface 

 soil being well dug, without turning the sub-soil. Well- 

 decomposed horse manure or night soil and ashes 

 should be applied heavily, and the beds made three 

 metres wide in order to facilitate irrigation. 



In preparing the runners, those nearest the parent 

 plant and the largest of the remainder should be 

 taken and planted about Qin., with ift. 3in. between 



