546 



GARDENERS' MAGAZINE. 



The Seasons Fruit Crops. 



Ample evidence has been obtained, were such evidence rendered necessary, that the 

 tree fruit crops of the year generally are somewhat unsatisfactory. Slips between 

 cups and lips are proverbial, and the promise of the spring bloom, a cup literally 

 overflowing, has met with a serious slip, for that promise is very far from being in 

 process of realisation. Oddly enough, we have had a splendid crop of bush 

 fruits, and strawberries. Seldom has there been better, and that fact naturally 

 leads to the conclusion that something other than the cold spring and long spell of 

 low temperature prevalent in April and May had to do with the general tree fruit 

 crop failure. But in relation to tree crops there has been the undoubted fact that 

 if others are thin cherries have been pretty abundant, the crop of these stone fruits 

 having been a very good one. Do, therefore, the atmospheric or root conditions, 

 which seem detrimental to apples, pears, and plums, favour cherries ? That is a 

 nut for the clever ones to crack. Who will try to do so ? Now the cause of the 

 poor fruit set on trees generally, in spite of such a grand bloom, is very commonly 

 ascribed to the coldness of the spring. Is that rightly ascribed ? If it be so, why 

 were cherries so good and bush fruits so very abundant, because these are 

 fruit trees that bloom in the spring, and early, too. Then it is 

 noticeable this year that some trees here and there, amongst others, of 

 apples, pears, and plums are carrying very good crops. Now, I have 

 but just seen out of some fifty young half-standards of Yorkshire Beauty 

 apple, for instance, just a few fruiting well. But last year the bulk of the trees 

 fruited freely ; a few did not, It is these few that are fruiting this year, although 

 all the trees bloomed profusely. The moral of that fact is that non- fruitful trees 

 of last year possessed ample stamina to produce pollen in aburdance for purposes 

 of fertility, and that all those trees that were fruitful last year did not. But it 

 sometimes happens that trees will bear two crops well in successive years. That 

 being so, why did they not do so this as well as last year ? The obvious reason 

 seems to be found in the general dryness of the subsoil, and the incapacity of trees 

 for that reason to recuperate and produce fertile flower buds because of the com- 

 parative lack of moisture at the roots. That evil has not applied to bush fruits 

 and strawberries, because these root closer to the surface, and they found ample 

 moisture in that upper soil that got so fairly moistened in the spring. It may be 

 said, why should cherries be an exception amongst the tree fruits? Possibly 

 because these trees have produced very light crops for the previous two 

 or three years. Without doubt, the singular nature of our fruit crop this 

 year, following upon one of the greatest of flower-times ever seen, does pre- 

 sent an interesting problem which the suggestion as to the spring's 

 low temperature seems not fitly or tully to solve. If the dry 

 soil suggestion be at all correct, then our prospect of a good tree-fruit crop next 

 year is far from promising. At present the soil is drier than ever, and a perfect 

 flood of water is needed to saturate it. If we do not get that during the winter, 

 we can hardly hope to get it at all ; and, although a wet winter is a wretched 

 season, yet such a winter seems very needful. As evidence of the dryness of the 

 soil, we have on every hand statements as to the deficiency of the water supplies 

 in urban districts, and the great need there is for economy in the use of that 

 element. Wells, springs, streams, and rivers are all getting low, because the 

 rainfall for many months has been so much below the average. We have great 

 need that that average should be supplied to enable our trees to carry abundant 

 fruit crops. Even now, where there are but moderate, indeed quite thin crops on 

 trees, the very small size of the fruit is marked. Only where there happens to be 

 specially retentive soil, or water is artificially supplied, are fruits of fair size. 

 When would-be patriots later, as they assuredly will do, quote statistics relating to 

 the immense imports into this country of foreign fruit — probably not largely 

 gooseberries, currants, raspberries, or strawberries— they will tell us that we 

 should plant more trees and grow more fruit. Well, that is excellent lecturing ; 

 but did our trees this year but give to us the produce the spring bloom fore- 

 shadowed, we should have had truly an immense crop, and vast quantities of the 

 inferior would have been spoiled. If we do not have such fruit produce as we 

 could wish or look for, let the reason be looked for elsewhere than in cultural 

 neglect. A. D. 



Horticulture in New South Wales. 



Perhaps no portion of the world, of the same area, is better favoured than 

 New South Wales, with its varied climates and soils, for the production of fruits, 

 vegetables, and flowers. It is really surprising how great a variety of plants can 

 be grown to perfection and at a minimum expenditure of labour. Exotics from 

 cold, temperate, and even tropical countries thrive equally well within the limits 

 of this comparatively small area ; and still more remarkable is the fact that so 

 many of these plants from different climates will grow side by side in many 

 favoured localities. 



With all these advantages it seems strange that comparatively little attention 

 should be devoted to the raising of vegetables for home use, or to the cultivation 

 of flowering and ornamental plants for the adornment of the home of the settlers 

 in the country districts. Occasionally one may meet with a well cared -for, 

 beautiful garden, like an oasis in a wilderness, but, as a rule, few attempts are 

 made even to grow the commonest vegetables for family requirements ; and 

 dependence for supplies is placed on Chinese gardeners, whose gardens are 

 generally to be found dotted about the country, especially in the more largely 

 populated districts. The raising of vegetables, the selling of fruit, and the 

 hawking of goods would seem to be almost entirely in the hands of the Chinaman, 

 the Italian, the Syrian, and the Indian ; despite the fact that a considerable pro- 

 portion of the white colonial population consists of unemployed men tramping 

 through the country in search of work, and dependent on the hospitality of the 

 settlers. Considering the little difficult v 



SU 



colony, it is incomprehensible that the settlers or farmers do not grow everything 

 they need. Instances have been known where vegetables were brought hundreds 

 ot miles to locah ties in which the same kind of vegetable could be grown to 

 perfection with but little trouble. In some places G hinamen will travel from forty to 

 inVJ SPSft ve g eta , blcs ^ settlers who have soil sufficiently rich to grow 

 the work?" tr ° Uble to devote but ™ hour 01 tWO da y to 



twe I ^ 0 S?^ U r«° 0d °r S v >dncy fiower-gardening has been made a remunera- 



ornament but SeSSS^fSS^ demand for bou <l uets > wrea ^S' «"* ^ 

 older nurseric, [fi!£h« S TRfe**** n,etro P° litai1 sub " rbs ,s d »™g the 

 florists in txilms „f v,^; \ • , COD5, derable business is done by nurserymen and 



•hich is Indigenous ?o Lord H S ' that knoWD aS Ke - ntia Belmo "*™» 



*l>out Sydne^and when pUnte^ ^ftS ^ -cce^ds admirably in gardens 

 wonderfully enVtiw tE- I l . tr ee-ferns grows freely and quickly, and is 



y ene.tive. The bush-house is one of the most useful of structures in 



AOGUST 20, 1898 



connection with the garden in all the warm r»rf* A f v r. 

 multitude of plants can be grown whS*S£ff£ £ I 80 "?^ I» « 

 It can be, and is, constructed of all sorts T of nSS^J? 1 * ,D tbe hot «*». 

 laths, bamboo blinds, and indeed anything that wi 1 1 h, J* w£ l ta ' tree 

 out altogether obstructing them. In numerous P ardenf,h '/T ° f the sun 

 large towns there are glals buildings SSS^SS^S^S 1 ^ metr0po,U 

 thai of New South Wales, are grown ^S^^^J^J^ th « 

 Everything indicates that the colonial taste fo, ^florkulture 1^,1° ^ 

 and will continue to improve, a result due in some measu/e to tfeTtTW* 

 are many excellent gardeners, professional and amateur, in the colony 



A large proportion of the potato and other vegetables consumed in New Soath 

 Wales is ; imported from \ictona, where market-gardening is more largely iX 

 hands of white men than in the older colony. The vegetable products of ChinS 

 gardens are mostly of poor quality, insipid and watery, owing to the oecaW 

 method of over-watering and over-manuring adopted. Although these veHE 

 are of such an inferior character, they are absolute blessings in many places whew 

 the colonists either will not or cannot grow those they need. Vegetables of 

 excellent quality can be produced, even in dry districts, with but little irrin 

 tion, if they be properly managed ; but unless a Chinaman has a superabuod 

 ance of water he is lost. ^With a fair supply of water and experienced labour 



or America can be grown 



John Pi.ummer. 



with ease, generally yielding abundant crops, 



Sydney 



Apple Growi 



in New Z 



While the Tasmanian grows apples in fifty acre blocks, and gets his neighbours 

 to do the same, the New Zealand fruit grower has generally planted out but a few 

 acres, and those in a large number of varieties, ripening at different times. This 

 fact accounts largely for the higher commercial standing of Tasmania as an 

 exporting colony. But New Zealanders are beginning to realise the disadvantage! 

 of their system. A recent offer of their Agricultural Department to send a ship, 

 ment of apples to England, and give the growers a guarantee of a penny a pound 

 clear, disclosed the weakness of the situation very clearly. Although the Canter 

 bury growers succeeded in completing a shipment in March last, a similar effort 

 in the Auckland province to raise 50,000 bushel cases had to be abandoned 

 owing, principally, to the impossibility of getting contributions in quantities worth 

 handling. 



New Zealand apples are probably the best in the world, but the men who 

 grow them are mostly small settlers, who have neither the means nor the ex- 

 perience necessary to develop the industry. The Government pomologists hate 

 lately been urging the growers to adopt a different system. The energetic Mr. 

 Blackmore has this season been visiting the orchards of both islands, and his 

 advice may be summarised in a few words : u Plant late apples ; nothing but late 

 marketable apples. Plant acres and acres of them. Plant only a few varieties 

 and get your neighbours to plant the same varieties. Then it will be worth while 

 for a dealer to come into your district and buy the crop, instead of being coo- 

 fronted with never more than thirty or forty cases of a sort at any time during tbe 

 season." ; , 



Mr. Blackmore, being a vigorous advocate of spraying, is not dismayed at tht 

 codlin moth. In dealing with this pest a Californian pump called the Bean a 

 coming into great favour. It was first sent to New Zealand by Professor \V icksot 

 after whom the latest and best of all Burbank's wonderful Japanese plums a 

 named. Its cost is £7 10s. Its good points are its enormous pressure per Hi 

 inch— on which the force and fineness of the spray depend— and the fact that • 

 be worked single-handed, the operator being free to hold the nozzle until ftc 



can 



eyes 



ppl 



progeny 



200 eggs in ik 

 getting throw! 



used 



1 >ugb 



the apple skin without tasting the Paris Green, he makes a bee line for lhe PJJ 

 without which he cannot develop. Having sampled these and tilled the corcw^ 

 excrement, he eats a way out through the side of the apple, and makes a cocuw 

 a crack in the bark of the tree or some other sheltered place, where, 



business is repea 



r»f* carkini T round 



mm 



pelted. 



CD O J — - — — — 



stem of the trees. These attract the grubs, 



they 



examined and the grubs are killed. . , . , nT T , tin « 



In pruning orchard apple trees and pear trees, the twelve-branch or * J 

 system is considered the best. The result of the system is to make tne «■ 



and productive of heavy crops, good fruit, and c 

 For shaping on this method, yearling t^es are p anted, in ^ 

 are grown during the first season. These are pruned back to tnr « The W . 

 in the winter, and two shoots from each are grown in the next seaw . ^ 

 lowing year the process is repeated, and then there are twelve brancne . . ^ ^ 

 is then complete. Future pruning has the object of confining aUtne 



reached. 



branches, *>« 



....^ncdoDOC 



— & — m > *^-v.vj**i*. 11 ual spurs, a 11c iw»iw*««» . They 



ever, are always allowed to grow unchecked till the w * ni "" j wit ' h 



ranches, t>0\ 

 ~hey are U** 



next spring. Trees of a spreading 

 pright growth to an outer bud. 1 



appreciate mis style ot pruning, too ; ana it is aisv '"™r~ h ; D 

 is borne on the main branches— as it is bound to be t>y in K 

 always is. And it will weather much heavier winds.— Tm r 



unedc**" 



, long ro« * 

 ckets gr*2 



wre tne 

 -the noer I 



Winter 



have 



mer. B** e -, 

 I It is evident the 



. hcie -V. 



ive tbty 



I have seen many hundi 



sown onions in gardens and on allotments this su 



suited them. But almosfwkhout exception the v « ietie f-^ 0 b * u I ibs a h«ve reauy j 

 and Roccas, and I have wondered how many of these nne ^ 

 utilised properly, and how many have become soft and w° beM *» * 



they could be used. Spring sown onions, though rather h wt^-Jz. 



good. A failure has been rare, and mildew only h f" h ^ 0 l unty of Surrey 

 very hnest of all the autumn sown onions I saw in all ne . ^ a thatfj^ 

 an allotment, and they were evidently Ailsa Craig. I * « * lhe hard 



and rntta^r, „i;i,„ Lilt :-A.L~A tn sow in the autumu u»d 



very fine.— A D. 



