102 



willowy and the foliage somewhat delicate, the trees are liable to 

 injury from the high winds. 



In priming, the trees of this variety must be cut down, as 

 directed for others, i.e., to 15 or 18 inches, after planting, and in 

 successive years long tops must be considerably shortened-in, or 

 the trees will soon become broken to pieces from the weight of 

 fruit. 



In varieties we have no hesitation in placing Kelsey, Burbank, 

 Apple, Wickson, and Santa Rosa in the front rank. 



On studying the market reports from different parts of the 

 world, we find these varieties side by side with Domestics fetching 

 very high prices. It is for reasons such as these that we com- 

 mend them to the careful consideration of planters. 



STJNBURNING OF TREES. 



We frequently receive anxious letters from growers giving 

 symptoms of undoubted sunburn, but without their recognising 

 the seat of trouble, we may at once say that this effect is general 

 throughout South Africa, and is a most serious matter when 

 allowed to go too far, affecting the whole tree, resulting in either 

 the entire tree dying to the ground, or perhaps it may affect part 

 of the tree only in this way. 



The remedy is to carefully watch all trees, particularly on the 

 side towards the setting sun. The trouble can be at once detected 

 by a brown discolouration and dull dead appearance of the bark. 

 At once, on discovery, slit up the stem with perpendicular cuts 

 from ground level to spread of lower branches, in several places. 

 This must be done with a sharp knife, and care must be taken 

 to cut clean through the bark ; the spring is decidedly the best 

 time to do the job. If patches of bark are completely dead and 

 dry, the work has been delayed too late to be altogether effective. 



The cause of the injury and dying back is of course that the 

 bark gets hidebound, preventing the sap from circulating and 

 performing its proper functions. 



From careful observation on the Karoo and in the Northern 

 Territories we are satisfied that it is a splendid thing to whitewash 

 the stems of all young trees, or protect them with paper or other- 

 wise, as, owing to the prevalence of the prevailing dry winds 

 in winter and spring, incipient " hidebound " almost always oc- 

 curs : and we strongly advise the slitting up of the bark as here 

 recommended be systematically pursued as part of orchard prac- 

 tice. No harm can possibly result; and if, during the following 

 growing season, the cuts spread and open out. it is a sure sign 

 that great benefit has been effected. 



