28 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



and known as the " Garden of the World," our fruit crop is 

 occasionally injured by frost. The greatest drawback, perhaps, 

 is the scale and other insects which infest the fruit trees. 

 These, however, may be kept in check by using proper sprays, 

 as was mentioned in an article on " Insects and Fungi, with 

 Kemedies," published in the Journal of the Royal Horticultural 

 Society for December 1897. 



Pear and Apple trees are attacked by the codlin moth,* and 

 the crop is materially injured unless sprays are used. Paris 

 green is the spray generally used for codlin moth. An average 

 of 1 lb. to 150 gallons of water is a good strength for general 

 purposes. The poison is first made into a thin paste in a small 

 quantity of water, and powdered or quick lime added, in amount 

 equal to the poison used, in order to take up the free arsenic, 

 and to remove or lessen the danger of scalding. The trees are 

 usually sprayed four times, and the cost per acre averages about 

 6s. The brown scale has been almost annihilated by the 

 Australian ladybird. The San Jose scale is also scarce. 



Prune trees have seldom to be sprayed now. The average 

 crop for Prune trees from seven to eight years of age is about 

 80 lbs. to the tree, though sometimes it runs from 100 lbs. to 

 125 lbs. If the tree is twelve years of age, from 125 lbs. to 

 200 lbs. may be secured. Six tons to the acre is a fair average. 

 Prunes sell from £i to £1% a ton. The average price last year 

 was £6 a ton, and this season from £6 to £G. 2s. Apricot trees 

 from seven to eight years old will average 100 lbs. per tree. 

 The price last year was very low, ranging from £5 to £5. 10s. a 

 ton. Peach trees from seven to eight years old will produce 

 from 175 lbs. to 200 lbs. a tree. Early varieties a little less. 

 The average price is about £5 a ton. 



Fertilisers have as yet been but little used, but the results 

 clearly indicate that artificial manuring pays if those elements 

 are supplied in which the particular soil is deficient. Bone dust 

 is good, but costs £6 a ton. Gypsum, from San Benito County, 

 is now most largely used, as it furnishes necessary plant food, 

 and can be had in carloads for £2 a ton. About GOO lbs. an 

 acre is usually applied, but more or less according to require- 

 ments. Ordinary manure may generally be had for the carting, 



* Sec the Strand Magazine for December, 1897, on " American Pests." 



