206 FRUIT FARMING 



lands, because healthy and early leafage affords pro- 

 tection, and upright growing varieties, as a rule, 

 suffer less than pendant sorts. Colorado orchard 

 smokers are referred to elsewhere. 



Weeds will now be growing, aided by April showers, 

 and should be vigorously kept down. 



The final hoeing of Strawberries, before the straw 

 is put on, should be completed this month. 



MAY. Gooseberries will be the first crop to send to 

 market in the third or last week of May. Fancy 

 prices can be made by picking over the bushes and 

 selecting the largest only. The next picking should 

 be those berries that are near the ground, following 

 with the outsides, and finishing with the centre of the 

 bushes. If, however, prices are good, it may pay to 

 clear the bushes at the second picking. 



Should Cherries and Plums promise a short crop, a 

 portion of the crop of Gooseberries may be left for 

 selling in a ripe state. The red ones sell best. 



Strawberries will want "strawing" early in the 

 month. Barley straw answers the purpose, being 

 cheap, but wheat straw is best. If done quite early, 

 say mid-April, there is no objection to long straw 

 dung from the stables, as the rain, sun and air purify 

 it before the berries are ripe, and the manure stimu- 

 lates growth. 



Apple Blossom will now be abundant, and the Apple 

 sucker fly grub may necessitate spraying, and a late 

 crop of winter moth larvae may also be in evidence ; 

 a thorough spraying, as soon as the petals of the 

 blossoms fall, will be advisable in plantation that 

 have been injured in the past year; the check to 



