324 QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. [1 Arrin, 1899. 
Orchard Notes for April. 
By ALBERT H. BENSON, 
Cirrus are undoubtedly the fruits of the month, especially in the Maryborough 
and Northern coastal districts of the colony, so that a few words on their 
gathering, handling, and packing may not be altogether out of place, as the 
success or failure of an orchard depends quite as much on the careful handlin 
and packing of the fruit as on any other orchard operations throughout the 
year. 
In the first place, too great care cannot be exercised in the gathering of 
the fruit so as to prevent injury from bruising or otherwise, as a bruised fruit 
is always a spoilt fruit and will not carry. All citrus fruits, especially manda- 
rins and lemons, should be cut instead of being pulled from the trees, clippers 
made for the purpose being used. In pulling citrus fruits you are apt to injure 
the fruit ; the skin at the stem end being either lifted or entirely pulled out 
(plugged), which causes the fruit to decay from this spot, and this cause of 
loss is entirely obviated when the fruit is carefully cut. When cut, the fruit 
should be gently handled so as to prevent any bruising, and should be placed 
in cases to sweat, so as to toughen the skin and render it less liable to injury 
when packed. When sweated, the fruit should be graded to size, and then 
firmly packed into the cases in which it is to be marketed or exported, 
Ordinary fruit, if firmly packed, will not need wrapping for intercolonial trade ; 
but all fruit for export, and also extra quality fruit for intercolonial trade, wil] 
pay to be wrapped in good-quality, tough tissue-paper. Careful gathering, 
andling, grading, and packing are the secrets of success in marketing citrus 
fruits ; close attention to same will result in a profit to the shipper, and neglect 
will mean failure. 
During the month the orchard should be kept thoroughly cultivated, and 
where not already done should be got into proper shape after the summer 
rains so as to be ready for the winter work. New land to be set out to 
orchard should be got into order, as it is advisable to start early in order to 
get the land thoroughly pulverised and sweetened before planting the trees. 
Insect and fungus pests should be fought wherever and whenever found, 
and all fruits, citrus especially, that are exported from the colony, should be 
cleaned from all scale or other insects infesting them. ‘These remarks apply 
not only to citrus fruits but also to bananas, pineapples, custard apples, &e., 
as no fruits should be exported from Queensland unless they are free from 
disease of any kind. 
Care should be taken to gather and destroy any guavas that may be lying 
under the trees, as these fruits are the breeding-grounds of the fruit fly, andif 
not destroyed are the medium of carrying this great fruit pest over from one 
Season to another, so that it is impossible to devote too great care to the 
destruction of all fallen guavas or other fruits during the autumn, as by care- 
fully attending to this the crop of fruit flies for the succeeding season will be 
materially diminished. 
