The O Orchard. 
OPERATIONS. FOR JULY. 
By James Lane, Harcourt. 
Planting operations will be the princi- 
pal, work of the month, the soil being now 
in the best’ condition for carryimg: out: this 
work. The distance to: plant: the trees 
will depend a good deal on the size. of the 
orchard: ;Inva x-small place, intended: prin- 
cipally for home use, 15 ft. apart.will be 
ample, while in a large orchard 20 ft. will 
be none too much. This gives plenty of 
room for working the orchard with horse 
labor. Be careful not to plant the trees too - 
deep, the same depth at’ which: they were 
growing in the nursery being a-safe guide 
to go by. 
SELECTION: OF VARIETIES. 
In the selection of the varieties of fruit 
to plant, consideration will have to be 
given tothe purpose for which they. are 
required. The supply of fruit now seems 
to haye overtaken local consumption, so 
that more attention will have to be given 
to those varieties that are suitable for ex- 
port. This will confine the choice in the 
case of apples to.those varieties which: re- 
alise the best prices in the markets of the 
world. Cleopatra, Jonathan, and Mun- 
roe’s Favorite are at present the leading 
kinds in Covent Garden market; while the 
same varieties bring the best price in the 
markets of Germany, Cleopatra especially 
being a great favorite with the Germans, 
from its beautiful golden yellow, and its 
sprightly juicy flavor. This variety has 
not been much grown in the districts 
around Melbourne, owing to its being af- 
fected with the scab; but I think it is wor- 
thy of further trial, especially as the Bor- 
deaux mixture has been found to be an 
effective remedy for fungus diseases. In 
the warmer districts of the State it is 
found to do well, and is not affected to 
any extent with the scab. It would do 
well, therefore, in districts where these 
varieties succeed, to (plant the greater por- 
tion of the orchard with them. Other good 
kinds are Rome Beauty, Esopus Spitzen- 
berg, Dumelow’s Seedling, and for later 
shipments, Sturmer Pippin and Newtown 
Pippin. In pears suitable for foreign 
markets, Winter Nelis, Josephine de Ma- 
lines, Vicar of Winkfield, and Beurre Clair- 
geau have so far carried well and realised 
the best prices. 
I now append a list of fruits, being the 
best to plant for home use or market, pur- 
poses : 
Apples —Williams’ Favorite, 
stein, Emperor Alexander, Jonathan, 
Reinette de Canada, London Pippin, 
Esopus Spitzenberg, Cleopatra, Munroe’s 
Favorite, Rome Beauty, Rymer, Stone 
Pippin. 
Pears.—Williams’ 
enne Boussoch, 
Graven- 
Bon Chretien, Doy- 
Buerre de Capiaumont, 
THE AUSTRALIAN. GARDENER. 
Bou e @ 
Beurre Bosc, Beurre rece 
Anjou, Broompark, Josephine de Malines, 
Winter: Nelis. 
Plums—Early. Rivers, Early Orleans, 
Angelina..Burdett, Diamond, Washington,, 
Yellow, Magnum Bonum,,. Porid’s Seedling, 
Cole's Golden Drop. 
Apricots.—Oullins’ Early’ Peach, Royal, 
Hemskirk, ‘Mansfield-Seedhing, Moorpark; 
Dundonald. 
Cherries.—Early ;Purple, Guigne, Burg- 
doff's. Seedling, Twyford  Bigarreau, 
Eagle’s Seedling, Bedford Prolific, Flor- 
ence, St.. Margaret. ‘fl 
Peaches.—Briggs “Red May, Amsden’s 
June, Hale’s Early, Lady ‘Palmerston, 
Crimson: George, Royal George, Foster, 
Salway. 
Figs.— White, Genoa. 
Black .Currant.—Carter’s, Black C@ham- 
pion: 
~ Strawberries.—Edith, 
Trollope’s Victoria. 
La Marguerite, 
SOIL SURFACES IN THE 
CROAUHLELADASEN: “VALLEY. 
‘By C. Bocur fisdeawante 
Agriculturally considered, this region is 
not a valley, but.a. broad and indifferently 
drained.plain. The soil varies considerably, 
in. both depth and character, and is under- 
laid by strata more or less valuable in the 
way of providing food and drainage. 
WHat THE Som Rests On. 
In such a region, and especially when 
subjected to irrigation, what the soil rests 
on is often a more important factor than 
the soil itself. We repeat under drainage, 
because water which runs over land by 
surface fall, or which stagnates till it is 
absorbed into the atmosphere, sooner or 
later destoys the total principles of the soil 
and prevents plant growth. 
Tue Movement of WATER AND SOIL. 
Water to improve soil and preserve the 
growth of crops must pass more or less 
rapidly and laterally through the soil, 
therefore land which will absorb water 
several feet from a channel is more fertile 
and profitable than such ag absorbs 1t for 
-no more than, a few inches. Very porous 
soil over loose drainage material soon be- 
comes exhausted through! the finer proper- 
ties filtering down and being carried away 
in the drainage, thus we are brought face 
to face with several subjects all of vital 
interest to the cultivator of flat land. 
Tur Inertyess oF Fiat Lanp. 
In the first place, flat lands of any ex- 
tent accumulate least material on their 
surface; and, secondly, they are subject to 
the slowest processes of “weathering,” or 
the conversion of sub-material into true 
soil. High winds and fierce desiccating 
heat are the prime causes of flat lands 
gathering least on their surfaces, and. the 
lack of movement or exposure of the sub- 
soil effectively prevents its becoming 
weathered and improved. ; 
Flat land is for various reasons the most 
inert, and therefore the least generous. It 
drawn. off by the heated atmosphere. 
July 1, Melty 
can do little of itself, and calls for more. 
skill and industry in’ the way-of prepara- 
tion and cultivation than soil in any other 
situation. — 
‘The agriculturist who would secure the 
highest returns from flat areas must, there- 
fore, set himself the task of providing more 
movement, more air, a cooler summer sur- 
face, and a better under drainage system 
than, exists naturally, 
Bad ‘drainage either robg or clogs land, 
either of which is sufficient to render it 
unprofitable. Water moves in three 
directions and yields more or less according 
to. the course it, takes. It may spread 
laterally. as through a loose humic soil, it 
may-pass downwards as through a sandy 
surface material overlying a porous wash 
or.clay, or it may lie on a close non-porous 
clay or cement-like material until it Vis 
In 
practical agriculture the latter should 
never be admitted ;. soil moisture must and 
will escape, but no free water should lie 
on the surface for. more than a brief period. 
Should it do so we know that the land is 
distinctly unsuitable for irrigation, or that 
it has been badly laid out and surfaco 
formed. 
Tue Factors in Som Ferrrirrry. 
There are three factors in soil fertility 
—they are its.chemical composition; its 
physical. nature ; and its mechanical gona. 
tion. 
We will explain what these mean. The 
chemical composition of a soil means all 
it does or should hold in the way of food- 
stuffs which the selected crops require. The 
physical nature of soil means the size and 
arrangement of the soil grains, as, for ex- 
aR, sand may be fine or coarse; clay 
smooth or gritty; loam heavy or light : 
and then each or all of these may be in 
separate layers or blocks, or be equally 
blended throughout the entire mass. 
The mechanical condition. of soil means 
either its natural powers of movement or 
that which we miay secure by cultivation. 
Until comparatively recent times the 
chemist thought most of the chemical com- 
position of soil, whilst the experienced ag- 
riculturist paid most attention to its phy- 
sical nature and its mechanical condition. 
Now, however, we have demonstrated 
beyond doubt that the physical nature is 
of the highest importance. The other two 
are not to be thought lightly of, but the 
point is this: we may have a complete soil 
anywhere in the world, and yet obtain 
nothing from it unless the various elements 
are properly blended. 
The best soil is therefore that which is 
most mixed, and that which yields most 
is that which moves and changes oftenest, 
for there can be no mechanical movement 
without physical and chemical change, and - 
in this changing is plant food evolved and 
supplied. 
Now, what does this mean but a confir- 
mation of what hag been said already,, that 
flat land is the most inert. It cannot 
move of itself, and we hhave the hardest 
task to keep it moving. 
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