18 
THE. AUSTRALIAN GARDENER. 
AUGUST J, 1902, 
earliness with those started in the green- 
house. | When grown in a cold frame the 
seed were planted in bottomless tin cans or 
’ like holders which made transplanting to 
the field easy. This method is practical 
only for small areas. Among the heaviest 
yielding tomatoes for the first half of 
August in 1899 were Earliest of All Salzer, | 
Earliest of All, Vaughan Earliest of All, 
and Early Leader. For the whole season 
“Karly Leader, Early Bird, Bright and 
‘Early; and Early Ruby were the heavicst 
yielders. -Some experiments are under 
way at the station in crossing tomatoes to 
secure a smooth variety which will ripen 
its main crop in July and August. Red 
Cherry has been used as a mother, and 
crossed with Early Ruby, Bond Early, 
Minnesota, and'Ponderosa. At the New 
Hampshire Station two methods of start- 
ing tomato plants have been tested. In 
one the plants were transplanted into 
small boxés so arranged that the bottom 
cculd be easily removed and the dirt al- 
lowed to slip out, and in the other they 
were transplanted into 4-in. pots. The 
percentage of loss from transplanting was 
very much less when the pots were used. 
The pots seemed to induce early maturity 
and early fruitfulness. The pot system 
takes more time and occupies more space, 
but it surely pays. The kind of soil in 
which the tomatoes were planted seemed to 
have an effect on the amount of rot pro- 
duced. Where the soil was inclined to 
dcy out the rot was much more prevalent, 
while on a loamy moist soil there was very 
little rot. | Where the soil was the most 
clayey the rot was worst. ‘ 
The Ontario experiment report states 
that such varieties as Karliest of All, Ex- 
press, Plentiful, and Atlantic Prize were 
practically free from rot, while some other 
varieties, such as Livingstone, Favorite, 
Ignotum, Paragon, and Volunteer lost 
from one-third to nearly one-half of the 
crop from this cause. It is thought that 
this loss might have been prevented had 
the plants been sprayed with Bordeaux 
Mixture, but this was not done in order to 
ascertain the susceptibility of the different 
varieties to the disease. 
Varieties standing at the head of the 
list for total yield of sound, ripe fruit were 
Earliest of All, Plentiful, - Express, 
Atlantic, Prize, and Ignotum. The first 
three yielded about 11 Ib. of ripe fruit per 
plant. : 
DIOSMA. 
The name “divine perfume” is given to 
this favorite shrub on account of the 
sweet smell of the leaves, but the flowers 
give out a most unpleasant odor. The 
Hawthorn and Pear blossoms have a 
similar smell, reminding one of herring- 
brine, and it probably arises from the 
presence of the same substance, Trimethy- 
lamine. If the odor is given out to at- 
tract insects it shows that in this instance 
they and ourselves have different tastes! 
The bad odor of Stapelia and of Arum 
maculatum seems intended to attract the 
flies that lay their eggs on carrion. 
CULTIVATION OF THE APPLE. 
BOS 
An exceedingly interesting and practical 
paper upon this important subject was 
read before the Australasian Science Con- 
gress held last year at Hobart by Mr. S. 
Shoobridge, the well-known orchardist of 
Glenorchy. The contents of the paper, 
published in the proceedings of the Con- 
gress by the Hobart “Mercury,” are the 
deliberations of many years’ experience, 
and should prove of exceptional interest to 
orchardists throughout Australia, parti- 
cularly in the hilly districts where the 
climatic and soil conditions are similar to 
those in Tasmania. 
The first consideration in fruit-growing, 
the writer says, is the 
SELECTION OF THE SOIL AND SITUATION. 
In Tasmania almost any soil is suitable 
for this purpose, from the lightest soil to 
the heaviest clay. Where possible, an 
eastern aspect is preferable to any other, 
for many reasons. First, because of the 
mcrning sun; and, second, because it is 
generally sheltered from the strong north 
and north-westerly winds. In all cases 
where the soil is not naturally drained, it 
should be done artificially, either with 
tiles or brush or stone, to a depth of not 
less than 3 ft. This is most impartant, as 
the trees will not thrive where the water 
lays for more than a few hours. I should 
like to lay special stress upon this matter, 
as itis not given nearly enough considera- 
tion by intending planters. Varieties of 
fruit, such as the French Crab, Sturmer, 
and Stone Pippin require more moisture 
than most kinds, and this should be taken 
inte consideration when selecting soil and 
situation. Again, the Cleopatra, King 
Pippin, Cox’s Orange Pippin, and others 
of the earlier varieties, can manage with a 
lighter rainfall, as well as soil, to come to 
perfection. 
SELECTION OF VARIETIES. 
These, to the ordinary grower, should 
be, I think, limited to about eight differ- 
eit kinds, viz—Dessert: Ribston Pippin, 
Cleopatra, Cox’s Orange Pippin, Aromatic 
Pearmain, Scarlet Pearmain, Nonpareil, 
and King of the Pippins. For Culinary 
Purposes: French Crab, Sturmer Pippin. 
There are several hundred other varieties, 
rmiany of which do well in Tasmania. At 
the same time, from a practical and also 
commercial standpoint, the varieties above- 
mentioned give the best results in Tas- 
mania, owing to our comparatively low 
rainfall and strong westerly winds in the 
summer and autumn months. In select- 
ing varieties careful consideration should 
be given that the stocks are of the best 
blight-proof sorts, such as the Northern 
Spy or Winter Majetin. In some dis- 
tricts, however, the blight-proof stocks do 
not do as well as the ordinary ones, partly, 
I think, owing to the artificial richess of 
the soil the stock is raised in as compared 
with the soil of its permanent location. 
Again, it should always be borne in mind 
that trees grafted on blight-proof stocks 
do not come into bearing as soon as ordi- 
nary ones, yet, at the same time, they last 
longer, and are more satisfactory to the 
grower. In selecting new and early kinds 
in other parts of the globe, many people 
in Tasmania are much disappointed with 
the results. The chief reason for this is, 
I think, they overlook the fact that climate 
is a far-reaching factor in successful fruit 
culture. 
PREPARATION OF LAND AND PLANTING. 
The land should be ploughed in the late 
summer, and again in the autumn, scari- 
fied, and, if rough, a disc harrow should 
be used to break the clods, so as to bring 
the land into thoroughly good order. Too 
much attention cannot be given to this, as 
the benefit derived from good cultivation 
cannot be overestimated in the latter 
growth of the trees. Before planting in 
poor land, it is as well to put some com- 
post round the roots, as it gives the trees 
a better chance of free growth from the 
beginning, which is very desirable. The 
roots of the young trees should be cut with 
a sharp knife all round, as it throws vigor 
into them. ~From six to eight inches is 
quite deep enough, and the roots should 
be carefully spread out after any tap roots 
which may be present have been removed, 
as they only strengthen one particular part 
of the tree, which is most undesirable, the 
chief aim being fo feed the tree in every 
diyection. Planting should be done not 
later than June or July, and the soil placed 
lightly round the roots, and then pressed 
firmly about the collar of the tree; by 
this means enabling it to benefit by the 
later winter rains and make a good start 
in the following spring, as the roots begin’ 
to throw out fibres long. before the stem 
shows any sign of growth. The trees: 
should be placed about eighteen feet apart, 
and this leaves ample room for cultivation. 
It is good practice to plant the different’ 
varieties together, thus saving labor in 
picking. Fara 
(To be Continued.) ° 
BURSARIA SPINOSA. 
Tf the leaves of this native shrub be left 
in water for a day the water has peculiar 
optical properties. When looked through 
it is of a tea brown, when looked at*it is 
of a beautiful blue. Upon analysis the’ 
Professor of Chemistry in the Adelaide: 
University found that the leaves contained » 
Aesculin,. the same substance which gives 
the bark of the Horse-chestnut similar pro- 
perties. Is it only a coincidence that the 
slcpes of the Mount Gambier Blue Lake . 
are covered with this. shrub? The 
blue color hag hitherto not been accounted 
for. “Br ane Hts fi 
