95 



ally been able to collect the data as to the >eu>n of blossoming 

 (.f all the varieties we stock. As a matter of fact, the majority 

 of varieties blossom almost simultaneously, and again in the 

 different classes of fruit we would say that, speaking generally, 

 apples, pears and plums blossom later than apricots and peaches; 

 almonds, of course, being earliest of all. 



IMPROPER STARTING INTO SPRING GROWTH OF DOMESTIC 

 PLUMS AND OTHER FRUIT TREES. 



It is known that throughout Africa the seasons are variable, 

 especially the spring. Nothing has a more immediate effect on 

 fruit trees than this. We are not here speaking of the fruit- 

 getting possibilities of the tree, but the growth-making only. 

 This result is particularly noticeable some seasons in plums of 

 the domestic type and in prunes, and also occasionally affects 

 apricots, some sorts of peaches, mostly earlies. and a few sorts 

 of pears. 



The effect is that instead of the buds at the extremities of 

 the perpendicular and lateral growths swelling first and then 

 throwing out a younger growth, the buds at the bases of the 

 several growths start out first, and often the result is that the 

 base of the head is full of a growth of strong suckers, and the 

 rest of the head is dormant, and remains so practically through- 

 out the growing season. Now. unless the question is tackled in 

 an intelligent way the trees will be permanently injured. When 

 the grower has made up his mind that some of his trees are going 

 to play him the fool in this way, he must see at once that all this 

 growth resulting from the forcing of these base buds is pulled 

 away, and he must keep this up by pulling away the growth as 



thrown out. Tjy this course of treatment the sap will be 

 forced into its proper channels, which is. of course, the limbs 

 of the head, which perhaps the grower may have taken several 

 years to secure, and. which is the result of a great deal of pains, 

 trouble and expense. 



We wish to draw growers' special attention to these instruc- 

 tions, as we think they will prove of considerable service when 

 these conditions arise. Should this erratic style of spring 

 growth continue for two or three consecutive years, the orchard- 

 only course is to work over the tree to another variety, 

 e habits are regularly in his particular district. We have 

 -everal complaints about early peaches acting in this manner. 

 We consider cold winds to be the main factor towards the un- 

 healthy effect. 



