94 



Lime-sulphur 1 solutions can also be satisfactorily used in 

 combination with arsenate of lead, the addition of which in- 

 creases its fungicidal and insecticidal properties. 



LATE AND EARLY BLOOMERS. 



This subject is one of great importance to most growers in 

 South Africa; almost all our letters of enquiry contain some 

 reference to it. One cannot help noticing that in this connection 

 almost all growers jump to the conclusion that because a tree 

 bears late it must necessarily blossom late, whereas as a matter 

 of fact one may almost state that the reverse is the case. The 

 date of blossoming is affected by very many weather conditions 

 in each year, and may even vary in almost any variety to the 

 extent of one month, but, however, there are certain fruits whose 

 habit it is under the same conditions to fruit earlier than others, 

 and it is naturally safer to plant these sorts where late spring 

 frosts occur. 



The selection of a site for an orchard is a very important 

 factor in its freedom from late and unseasonable frosts. This is 

 a matter which can be only left in the hands of the individual 

 grower. It is quite extraordinary to note, on most farms in 

 Africa, the variation in the temperature in stretches of land 

 practically adjoining. Touching on the point that we raised when 

 we said that the earliest fruits often blossom latest, we may 

 bring up the fact that in parts of the Transvaal severe frosts are 

 encountered, and where trees blossom late. Let us take apricots ; 

 they blossom late, and the fruit is ripe and on the market from 

 two weeks to one month ahead of ours in the Western Province. 



In peaches, again, we have Early Alexander, Briggs Red 

 May, and, indeed, all the other well-known earlies ; they all blos- 

 som late. 



In pears, amongst other well-known sorts, the Bon Chretien 

 blossoms late and ripens its fruit early. 



In Japanese plums, Kelseys blossom very early and ripen the 

 fruit very late. Simoiii. again, blossom late and ripen their fruit 

 early. \\V only mention a few striking instances offered as a 

 caution to growers not to order late fruits to escape late frosts, 

 but order the varieties that blossom late. This is again, we con- 

 sider, a point on which the Government should get information 

 and publish it for the benefit of growers. We have not person- 



