1 Mar., 1898.] QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 187 
The Orchard. 
ORCHARD CULTURE IN QUEENSLAN D. 
By ALBERT H. BENSON. 
Director of State Farms and Instructor in Fruit Culture. 
In my last article in the Queensland Agricultural Journal I endeavoured to 
draw especial attention to the important question of the propagation of fruit 
trees, and pointed out the necessity for exercising the greatest possible care in 
the selection of stocks and scions, but did not enter into the details of the 
various methods of propagation. In this and the next succeeding articles on 
“ Orchard Culture” [ purpose dealing with details, and will endeavour to show 
the simplest methods of propagating from seed, budding, grafting, layering, 
propagating from cuttings, &c. 
PROPAGATING FROM SEED, 
Though this is the natural and therefore the simplest and easiest method 
of propagation, something more than the mere sowing of the seed is necessary 
if we wish to obtain the best results; be the same stocks for working over 
with selected varieties or intended to stand as fruit-producing trees. As stated 
in my previous article, it is impossible to devote too much care to the selection 
of the seed, and, in addition to careful selection, if we wish to obtain strong 
vigorous stocks or seedling trees, the seeds must be carefully planted and 
attended to when young. 
The stones of peaches, apricots, or plums that are required for planting 
should be obtained as fresh from the fruit as possible, and should be stored in 
dry sand till the end of the following winter, when they should be thoroughly 
wetted and kept wet, so as to cause them to burst the shell and start into 
growth. When this takes place, the kernel may either be removed from the 
stone or not, as desired, and planted in rows about 3 feet apart, the kernels or 
stones being set about 6 inches apart in the row. The land selected for this 
purpose should be a deep, friable, well-drained, sandy loam, not too rich, as 
such a soil will develop a good root system in the young seedlings, and is 
easily kept in good order. The stones or kernels should not be set too deeply, 
about 8 inches being the best depth. The young seedlings should be kept 
well cultivated and free from weeds, and, when required to be worked, should 
be budded over as they stand in the nursery row. 
Another plan is to plant a number of stones broadcast or in narrow rows 
in a specially prepared bed or piece of land, and, when the young seedlings 
are strong enough, to transplant them to the nursery row ; personally, I prefer 
to plant the stones in the nursery row at once, as it is a saving of expense. 
Custard-apple seeds may be treated in a similar manner, but the seeds of 
mangoes, citrus fruits of all kinds, and most tropical and sub-tropical fruits 
should be planted as soon as they are taken from the fruit. 
Citrus seeds should be planted in specially prepared beds, which should be 
shaded from the excessive heat of the sun, as well as kept well watered, and 
when the young seedlings are large enough they should be transplanted into 
nursery rows—choosing a moist, dull day for the work. 
Mangoes are best planted where they are to remain permanently, as this 
method insures the best tree. Two or three stones or kernels should be planted 
together, and the best tree allowed to remain, the others being pulled up and 
destroyed. This method is coming into vogue in India, the seedling left being 
