156 QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAT. {1 Fes., 1899. 
Orchard Notes for February. 
By ALBERT H. BENSON. 
Dvrine this month there is no great output of Queensland-grown fruit, 
though there will still be a few pines and mangoes to market on the coast and 
grapes from the Downs and Roma districts also, as well as European plums, 
pears, apples, quinces, peaches, &c., from the Downs, especially the Stanthorpe 
district. Growers should take every care to send nothing to market unless it 
is sound, as diseased fruit is unsaleable, and its presence prevents the sale of 
sound local fruit. Large plums, such as the Yellow Magnum Bonum and 
Pond’s Seedling, which do well in the colder districts, will pay for extra care 
in handling and packing, and the same applies to good peaches or pears. ‘The 
plums should be carefully packed in shallow boxes, but the peaches should be 
wrapped in tissue-paper and packed in single layers in trays fitting into well- 
ventilated crates, so that they can reach the market with the bloom on and 
without being bruised. For sound fruit in this condition there is a good sale, 
and it will pay growers to put such fruit on the market in the best manner 
possible. Chip baskets holding about 5 lb., and fitting into crates, are also 
excellent for marketing high-class plums or firm-fleshed peaches, but soft- 
fleshed peaches that bruise readily are best wrapped and packed in single layers 
in trays. 
As the month is usually a more or less wet one, the cultivation of the 
Orchard is apt to become somewhat neglected, owing to the impossibility of 
getting horses on to the land and to the rapid growth made by weeds of all 
kinds. 
However, when the land is dry enough, cultivators fitted with surface 
knives should be used to cut down the weeds, and when such are too strong 
to be treated in this manner they should be mown down before they mature 
their seeds, and the trash buried bya shallow ploughing. In the drier districts, 
however, the cultivator should be kept going to retain the moisture in the land, 
especially after a rain, when the sooner the surface can be stirred after the rain 
stops the more moisture will be retained. Where needing it, citrus trees 
should receive an irrigation during the month—not a mere sprinkling, but a 
thorough soaking—as it is much better to give the trees a good watering and 
to be done with it than to be continually applying small quantities. Surface 
waterings induce the growth of surface roots, and this is a drawback in hot, 
dry districts. 
Scale insects of all sorts attacking citrus or other evergreen trees should 
be systematically fought during the month by spraying or fumigation ; and 
where spraying is used, it is advisable to use a poisonous spray that will destroy 
scale and leaf-eating insects at the same time. 
The planting out of all tropical and semi-tropical fruits can be continued 
throughout the month during suitable weather—viz., dull or showery days. 
Mango seeds should be planted either in nursery or, where possible, where the 
tree 1s to be permanently located. Plant the seeds as soon as they are taken 
from the fruit, as if exposed to the air they rapidly dry out and lose their 
vitality. Don’t plant seeds of any mangoes unless they are of extra quality 
and good bearers. There is far too much rybbish propagated for which there 
is no sale now ; soif we don’t want to increase this, only selected seeds of the 
best varieties should be planted. 
