61 



every one of the unlucky victims of bad management com- 

 pletely out, and begin over again by trenching up, draining 

 properly and replanting. 



SELECTION or SORTS. Such parts of the country as 

 belong to the coast region, and do not rise above 

 500 or 600 feet above sea level, have the best 

 chances of topping the market with early sorts and 

 securing the high prices brought by their first appearance. 

 At higher levels, earlies are not of much account. They 

 are elbowed out of competition when they appear by middle 

 sorts from the lower and more precocious level, and they 

 are very likely to catch a snap of late frost when blooming. 

 This is the danger of our clear, cloudless nights in early 

 spring. The heat of the day, accumulated in the earth, is- 

 radiated away rapidly into space when there are no clouds 

 to send it back, and during the hour before dawn the 

 mischief is done. It is u black frosts " due to radiation that 

 mostly cut off the early blossoming fruits of the high veldt. 

 As to the modes of comlating the evil by smudges of smoke 

 and by netting, consult the Agricultural Journal, vol. v., 

 p. 252. Peaches intended for canning should be white or 

 yellow self-coloured sorts. Those which are red-stained at 

 the stone colour the syrup. They are much better suited 

 for drying, for the rosy tint on the inside curve has an 

 inviting appearance. All that can be done here is to give 

 details of a few of the very best sorts. It cannot yet be said 

 that known pedigree kinds have been to any extent recog- 

 nised as peculiarly suitable to this or that special locality. 

 No one has troubled himself about pomology and the 

 climatic distribution -of fruit sorts at the Cape, and nearly 

 all the data are yet to be received and recorded. The best 

 approved sorts are Alexandra, Brigg's Kedmay, Crawford's 

 ttarly, Crimson Galande, Grrosse Mignonne, Noblesse,. 

 Royal George, Sea Eagle, Susquehauna. 



Peaches. 



SORTS. DESCRIPTION. 



ALEXANDRA. A freestone peach of the largest size. Fruit 



marked with a deep suture. Colour, pale with 

 red dots next the sun. Flesh, white, quite 

 pale at the stone, tender, melting, juicy, very 

 pood. 



