150 QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. [1 Fen., 1902. 
Urchard Notes for February. 
By ALBERT H. BENSON. 
As this month is usually a more or less wet one, especially in coastal 
Queensland, the cultivation of the orchard is apt to become somewhat 
neglected, owing to the inability of working the land; and a heavy crop of 
weeds of all kinds is the result. If possible, the weeds should be kept down 
when young by means of one or two horse cultivators fitted with surface- 
working knives; but if the weather prevents this from being done, no great 
harm will take place if the weeds are mown down before they go to seed. The 
trash so obtained should be ploughed in, and will tend to maintain the supply 
of organic matter in the soil, and this, as has been stated frequently in this 
Journal, is of the greatest importance, as, besides rendering the soil more 
friable and easier to work, it increases the power of the soil to retain moisture, 
a most important consideration in a climate as changeable as this. In drier 
districts the orchard should receive good cultivation after every rain, as 
by this means the growth of weeds will be prevented and the greatest amount 
of moisture will be retained in the soil. In dry districts where irrigation is 
available, all citrus trees should receive a thorough soaking during the 
month, unless there has been a fall of several inches of rain, as a soaking 
now will carry the fruit on to maturity, provided that it is followed by 
cultivation. In irrigating fruit trees, always give a watering, say equal 
to 4 inches of rain all over the orchard; as this is infinitely better than 
giving a number of surface waterings. One soaking irrigation saturates 
every part of the soil, and will last for two or three months if followed 
up by proper cultivation; but surface waterings dry out in a few days, 
and unless kept up do more harm than good. In any case, surface water- 
ings induce the growth of surface roots, and unless these surface roots 
are kept well supplied with moisture they will die off, and more harm 
than good will be done to the tree. On the other hand, when the land is well 
saturated, the roots strike down, and are therefore less likely to dry out or be 
affected by sudden changes. The marketing of fruit still continues an 
important branch of orchard work. The main crop of rough-leafed pines, 
besides mangoes and bananas, in the Southern coastal districts, as well as the 
later varieties of plums and apples in the Stanthorpe district, have to be 
disposed of. As stated in last month’s notes, every care should be taken to 
place the fruit on the market in as neat and attractive a manner as possible, 
and to see when packing it that it is free from fruit fly, San José scale, or other 
disease. I am sorry to say that few growers realise the importance of proper 
packing, as a large proportion of the locally grown fruit that comes to market 
1s put up in retire but an attractive form. Clean cases, even grading, and 
neat packing always take the eye of the buyer; and fruit so got up will pay 
the grower handsomely for the extra trouble he has been put to, and not only 
that, should the market be glutted, fruit so got up will always find a sale when 
other fruit marketed in a slovenly manner is unsaleable. 
February is a good month for transplanting mangoes and other tropical and 
subtropical fruit. The ground should be in thorough order, and dull or showery 
days should be chosen for the work; if this care is taken, there will be 
little risk of failure. Plant mango seeds either in nursery row for working over 
next year, or, if seedlings are wanted, then in the position they are to occupy 
permanently. In selecting mango seeds for trees to stand permanently, choose 
none but those obtained from the very best fruit—fruit that is of fine flavour, 
large size, handsome appearance, as free as possible from fibre, as well as being 
a prolific variety and strong grower. 
