18 
yearly. The oldest apple in cultivation 
is a variety called “the Lady,’ which 
originated in Britain early in the 17th 
century. Other very old sorts are Cat’s 
Head, Golden Pippin, Joannetting, and 
the Improved 
varieties are obtained by means of seeds? 
and whilst some are the result of carefu] 
crossing, a large number are of chance 
origin, Amongst the latter are such 
high-class sorts as Ribston Pippin, Blen- 
heim Pippin, Dumelow’s Seedling, and 
Devonshire Quarrenden. Claygate Pear- 
main was found in a hedge, Keswick 
Codling on a rubbish-heap, and Cornish 
Gilliflower in a cottager’s garden. We 
cannot, however, rely upon seeds for the 
perpetuation of any particular variety ; 
thus seeds of Ribston Pippin would not 
yield one in ten thousand of equal quality 
to the parent.—‘‘ Sandard Cyclopedia of 
Modern Agriculture.” 
Summer Pearmain. 
The Prickly Pear. 
In a recent bulletin, issued by the 
United States of America Department of 
Agriculture, a full account is given of 
the species of opuntia which produce 
edible fruits. Tuna is the Spanish- 
American synonym of the English 
“Indian fig,’ the American and Austra- 
lian “‘ prickly pear,” the “ Barbary fig” of 
the French, and the ‘‘ higos chumbos’’ of 
Spain. In Mexico, Texas, and Sicily 
the plant is regarded with great favor, 
but it is reviled in Australia, South 
Africa, and India. The following note, 
in view of various magazine articles on 
‘spineless cacti,’ is worth quoting :— 
** All the so-called spineless forms (the 
fruit of which is not spineless, however) 
concerning which there is definite know- 
ledge, are less hardy, especially under 
conditions of drought, than spiny native 
forms.” It is evident that the spineless 
forms have a very limited range of culti- 
vation The plants in Mexico are pro- 
pagated, when any attempt at cultivation 
ig made at all, by cuttings of two or three 
joints, and from these a crop of fruit is 
produced in three years. Not only are 
they planted in orchards, but the most 
prickly forms on the hillside. The fruits 
THE AUSTRALIAN GARDENER. 
are sold in the markets, and eaten after 
being pealed. The price varies, according 
to locality and variety, but sometimes as 
many as twenty fruits are sold for’ one 
cent. The fruits are fully described, and 
chemical analysis given of the different 
portions. The mode of harvesting is also 
alluded to, and a description given of 
the machinery used in making tuna pro- 
ducts. The products described are “Miel 
de Tuna,” a sort of fruit syrup; “ Mel- 
chocha,” somewhat like the foregoing, but 
becoming candied more quickly ; ‘ Queso 
de Tuna,” or tuna cheese ; “ Colonche,” 
a fermented drink which will not keep ; 
and dried tunas, the thinly-peeled fruits 
dried in the sun. The fruits of upwards 
of a dozen kinds of opuntias are used as 
food. 
Notes on Mulching. 
The advantages of mulching trees and 
shrubs in this hot and dry climate of 
ours are great, but soine little common- 
sense is necessary in carrying out the 
process. A mulch simply means some 
kind of top-dressing to prevent rapid 
evaporation of moisture of the soil, and 
also it is often intended that the material 
be a means of supplying food to the 
plants whose roots it protects. 
The best all round muching material is 
decayed or partially decayed stable 
manure, This may be used for nearly 
all kinds of trees, shrubs, and plants ; but 
there are a few exceptions. Manure is 
inimical to such plants as heaths and 
allied subjects, and for these leaves or 
lawn mowings may be used. Stable 
manure is a little unsightly when placed 
round plants growing in a trimly-kept 
lawn ; but short grass is less objectionable, 
In the orchard there need be no squeam- 
ishness on the score of appearance, for 
here seaweed and almost any kind of 
litter may be used with advantage Very 
wet close manure tends to keep the air 
from the roots; therefore it should be 
avoided as much as possible. 
There are two mistakes often made in 
applying a mulch. One is that it is put 
on two thickly ; the other that it is not 
put on at the right time. A very light 
December 1, 19.8 
mulch applied when the tree or shrub is 
planted will be of service, but te lay on a 
thick coating while the soil is cold, and 
perhaps wet, is a mistake. [t prevents 
the sun from having its beneficial influ- 
ence in warming the soil; and so retards 
the growth of the plants it is used on 
It should not be put on after a long 
period of drought, for it would largely 
absorb the moisture when the rain falls, . 
which the roots so much require. The 
full benefit of a mulch is felt when the 
soil has become warmed, and when it ig 
put on directly after there has been a 
heavy soaking of rain. Should the soil 
be dry and no prospect of immediate rain 
then give a good watering and apply the 
mulch soon afterwards, Whenever the 
mulch is laid on the surface the soil 
should be first lightly loosened with hoo 
or fork, 
The mistake is often made of laying 
on too heavy a coating of mulching 
material. This may do considerable 
harm. It is done to save trouble, but it 
is better to apply two or three light 
‘mulchings rather than one very heavy 
one. In our hot climate the mulch soon 
dries up, and when this occurs fresh 
material should be laid on or Mischief 
may follow. The thickness of the Coating 
will vary according to the material used 
and the nature of the trees or plants to 
be treated. In many districts it is diffi. 
cult to procure good mulching stuff. 
When this is so, the surface of the soil 
should be frequently well stirred with 
fork or hoe. 
—_—_————___ 
Experiments haye been made by M, 
J. M. Simon, Says a writer in the 
“ Gardener’s Chronicle,” with a view of 
restoring vigor to decaying fruit trees, by 
injecting certain nutritive Hnids into. 
their tissue, with considerable Buccegs, 
The method of procedure is to place a. 
vessel containing the fluid, about Six feet 
from the ground, near the tree ; from this. 
a pipe connects with a tube, which is 
forced into the tree just above the level 
of the soil. By this means the liquid is 
subjected to a certain amount of pressure. 
It mingles with the sap, and is carried to. 
all parts of the tree. 
