168 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Manuring. — Of all manures good farmyard manure is the 

 best ; but as this is not always obtainable, especially for a large 

 acreage, artificial manure has to be used. If possible, farmyard 

 or stable manure should be put on once in three years, and 

 about £5 worth of artificial per acre should be used on planta- 

 tions in full bearing the other years, and so on year after year. 

 It is here that we find an analysis of the soil so useful. For 

 example, if you refer to the analysis of the soil of a plantation, 

 which I have already given (made by Dr. Bernard Dyer), you 

 will observe that there is a fair amount of potash, but poverty 

 in lime. On this soil Dr. Bernard Dyer points out that very 

 acid manures should not be used. Bone-meal, guano, or super- 

 phosphate neutralised by mixing with an equal weight of bone- 

 meal would answer well, and a dressing of lime would do good. 

 It is better, if possible, to purchase all artificial manures with a 

 guarantee, and to have a sample analysed. In young planta- 

 tions it is a mistake to manure too heavily, as it only causes the 

 young trees to run to wood. In determining what manures to 

 use on the different crops, refer to the analysis of the soil and 

 note what particular properties are wanting ; then consider the 

 mineral constituents of the crop, and manure accordingly. 

 Shoddy, fish guano, leather dust, damaged decorticated cotton- 

 cake, dissolved bones mixed with superphosphate, dried blood, 

 horn and hoof, soot and Peruvian guano are all excellent 

 manures for fruit. 



Picking and Packing. — In picking choice fruit care must be 

 taken with Apples and Pears not to bruise the fruit, and with 

 Plums to keep the bloom on ; also to pick all fruit for market 

 when dry, and keeping the seconds as far as possible separate. 

 It is better to have all the fruit brought to one central packing 

 shed where the baskets are stored, and where a number of 

 men can be kept constantly employed in packing, and women in 

 sorting. Apples and Pears are usually sent to market in bushels, 

 but the choice Pears should be packed in half- bushels and pecks. 

 Plums are sent in half-bushels and pecks, choice Plums in the 

 latter. Firsts and seconds should be distinguished by packing 

 with different coloured paper — say firsts with blue and seconds 

 with pink ; this is a great assistance to the salesman when he 

 has some hundreds of packages to dispose of and handle in a 

 short space of time. As I have already said, we might take a 



