7A 
Ax soon as planting has been done it is advisable to draw a 
plan of the orchard on which is indicated the respective position of 
each tree, with numbers which will refer to an index recording the 
name of the trees or rows of trees planted. Labels may be lost or 
torn away, but with such a plan no possible mistake can happen 
at any time regarding the correct name of any tree grown in the 
orchard. 
LABELS FOR F'RUIT-TREES. 
More especially in the home garden a variety of trees is often 
planted, and as it would be inconvenient to keep continually re- 
ferring to the map of the ground to ascertain the name of trees, it 
is advisable to attach labels to them. 
Of these several kinds are sold by seedsmen and florists. If 
the surface of the zine label is greasy, kerosene or petrol rubbed 
over it will cause the lead pencil to bite, the writing remaining long 
unaltered by the action of the air, while the metal itself may be- 
come oxidised. The zine labels at first look very neat, but unless 
they are punched with letters or definite marks the writing disap- 
pears after a few seasons. 
Cheap and convenient labels are ordinary painted pine labels, 
14% inches wide and 6 inches long. Apiece of galvanised wire is 
fastened to them at one end. The name of the tree or plant is 
written with a soft pencil upon the label, which is then dipped in 
white of lead well thinned with oil. The paint at first obscures the 
writing, but on drying the lettering comes out again more distinetly, 
and remains visible for quite a long time. 
Summer CULTIVATION 
is in a hot and dry climate even more important to the well being 
of fruit-trees as is pruning itself. In Europe orchard land is 
generally grassed. In Australia, where climatic conditions are 
totally different, the old methods have likewise been tried and have 
failed. Vines and fruit-trees, to be profitable in this climate, must 
not only be kept scrupulously clean, but the surface of the soil 
must be stirred at frequent intervals. 
Fruit land should not merely be kept clean of weeds, but it 
should be thoroughly tilled: clean cultivation is not all that summer 
cultivation implies; it is only part of it. Summer cultivation acts 
besides in a variety of other ways; it maintains the soil in a con- 
dition favourable to the growth of the roots of the plants} it re- 
tains moisture in the ground, and it also leaves it in the most fav- 
ourable condition for absorbing more moisture from the atmosphere; 
by opening up the soil it promotes its sweetening through the action 
of the atmosphere on the particles of the soil. 
