January 1, 1910 
THE AUSTRALIAN GARDENER. 
21 
Notes for the Month. 
JANUARY is an exceedingly busy month 
with the fruitgrower. He is in most 
cases realising the biggest results of his 
year’s labors. It is a month replete with 
duties, opportunities, and possibilities. 
— Attention to Soil. — 
The soil must have increased attention 
in the matter of hoeing and cultivating 
-as it is much trodden down during the 
harvesting of the fruit, and the general 
tendency is to allow it to become dirty 
and neglected. 
— Peaches and Apricots. —_ 
The above fruit will now be yielding 
‘crops. Peaches must be ripe but firm 
before gathering. Apricots if full sized 
and well colored will ripen after leaving 
the tree. Both should be handled as 
little as possible. 
— Canning and Sun-drying. — 
The canning and sun-drying of the 
before-mentioned fruits is a profitable 
way of disposing of them, and tends con- 
siderably to ease the market when 
threatened with a glut, Fruit should be 
firm, fleshy, and sweet for this purpose. 
The art of preserving prunes, the drying 
of peaches and apricots, to say nothing 
of raisins, currants, and figs, is still in its 
infancy in this country. notwithstanding 
climates admirably suited exist in the 
northern portions of New South Wales, 
and Victoria and in South Australia 
‘generally. Until this industry is 
‘thoroughly developed growers will con- 
. 
tinue at the mercy of a fluctuating 
market. 
— Grading Stone Fruit, — 
Stone fruit intended for the fresh fruit 
market demand a pretty prompt dis- 
posal, as they do not stone well They 
should be very carefully graded. 
Honesty is undoubtedly the best policy, 
and uniformity of size and quality main- 
tained. The lower grades will not thus 
detract from the value of the high quality 
fruit, but can be packed separately and 
offered at a lower rate. Jam factories 
usually absorb a good deal of the inferior 
fruit. It may occur to the progressive 
grower at this season that with improved 
cultural methods all his fruit might be 
of the first grade. All stone fruits for 
transit must be carefully packed in boxes 
lined with soft paper and relieved of all 
possible pressure. For canning only 
fruit of the best quality must be used. 
The Moor Park apricot can scarcely be 
improved upon. Those come in towards 
the eud of January, as also do the 
Williams’ Bon Chretian pears, excellent 
for this purpose. One of the best 
canning peaches is the Lady Palmerston, 
which will not be ready until March. 
— Appearance Everything. — 
Thoze who grow fruit for commercial 
purposes cannot be two particular as to 
the details connected with the appearance 
of the fruit they offer; appearance 
counts for so much. The pity is that the 
large quantity of inferior fruit is out of 
all proportion to the quantity of really 
first-class fruits on offer, and all because 
there is a want of thoroughness in the 
cultura! methods. People attempt more 
than they can conscientiously. accom- 
plish, Liberal supplies of water given at 
this period will help to swell the frait of 
apples and pears. , 
— Summer Pruning. — 
Summer pruning to obtain light wood 
of a fruiting character may now be done. 
Apples, pears, apricots, and plums may 
have the shoots not required for exten- 
sion pinched or broken beyond the fourth 
or fifth bud. This should lead to the 
development of Weak side shoots, which 
will eventually become fruiting spurs. 
Thin out crowding shoots and spurs and 
the leading wood to admit light and air 
to ensure the proper development and 
ripening of the fruiting wood, and to 
keep the trees clean and free from insect 
pests and disease. Peaches do not 
require more than a little thinning of 
their laterals and leading shoots. Goose- 
berries should be thinned and have their 
side growths shortened, Black currants 
only require the old and crowding 
branches removed. ‘They are not summer 
pruned. Remove weak and superfluous 
canes from raspberries, and take care not 
to injure the young canes when gathering 
the fruit, as they will be required to 
furnish future crops. Cultivate all these 
bush fruits, and encourage them to make 
a free growth during the summer. 
— The Strawberry Beds, — 
Thin out strawberry runners, select the 
best for layering, and have beds or 
borders deeply trenched for their recep- 
tion. Keep all strawberry plants well 
watered, and give liquid manure to those 
that have recently borne. 
— Budding. — 
The budding of peach, apricot, cherry, 
and citrus trees can be proceeded with, 
although in earlier districts it can be 
delayed with advantage until the follow- 
ing month. bs 
— Codiin Moth. — 
Bandage traps for codlin moth can 
still be placed on apple trees, while those 
on the trees should be examined from 
time to time to destroy the insects con- 
cealed in them. 
— Attention to Vines. — 
Continue to remove all superfluous 
growth, and see to the fastening of 
trellis-vines, In anticipation of a heavy 
crop, the supports should be of sufficient 
strength. Do not allow more than two 
or three bunches on a branch to remain, 
and nip the shoots a joint or so beyond 
the fruit. Allow the grapes a free 
current of air and light and warmth 
without unduly exposing them to the 
fierce heat. Allow them to be slightly 
screened by their own leaves without a 
heavy mass of foliage choking them. If 
the season should turn cold and wet thin 
the foliage severely, so that the fruit may 
benefit by all the warm ayailable; Keep 
