308 QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL souRNAL. [1 Apriz, 1902. 
Qrehard Notes for April. 
By ALBERT H. BENSON. 
The Orchard Notes for March dealt largely with citrus fruits, especial 
attention being drawn to the importance of taking every precaution, now that 
the fruit is reaching maturity, for preventing its destruction by the various 
pests that attack the ripening fruit. At the same time I pointed out the 
necessity for the proper handling, sweating, and packing of the fruits, in order 
that it shall be placed on the markets either of this or the other Australian 
States in the most attractive manner and best possible condition. All that I 
stated in last month’s Notes applies with equal force to the present month, and 
in fact as long as the citrus season continues, so that I need not repeat what 
I then wrote, but will simply draw the attention of all citrus-growers to the 
importance of my remarks, as itis useless to take every care throughout the 
ear to keep the trees well pruned and free from disease and the orchard in a 
igh state of cultivation if we do not do our best to protect the result of such 
work and to market it to the best advantage. 
With the exception of the marketing of citrus and a few other fruits— 
such as persimmons, pines, bananas, custard apples, &c.—April is a somewhat 
slack time for fruit-growers, especially those who depend on deciduous fruits, 
so that the opportunity should be taken to clean up the orchard before winter, 
and to finish up any odd jobs that have been neglected during the previous 
months. Such work will consist of looking after all fences, drains, headlands, 
&c.; the casting back of soil round trees where same has been washed away by 
the heavy summer rains; the ploughing in of all weeds and trash that have 
accumulated in the orchard during the wet season; the removal of all dead or 
worthless varieties of trees that it is desirable to get rid of; and any other 
work—such as the collection of material for and making of compost heaps— 
that may be necessary. 
Cyaniding for all kinds of scale insects may be continued during the 
month, taking care not to treat any trees bearing fruit when same is either wet 
with rain or heavy dew, as, if treated under these conditions, the fruit is apt to 
be marked. 
Strawberry-planting can be continued during the month, but the planting 
of all kinds of fruit trees should be delayed till the wood has been thoroughly 
matured. Keep the nursery clean, see that all young buds are growing 
properly, and that all unnecessary shoots are removed; the young tree being 
trained to one straight stem till high enough to form the future head of tree, 
when it should be topped. 
Farm and Garden Notes for May. 
Fretp.—There will probably be a few crops of late maize ready for pull- 
ing notwithstanding the late very dry season. These should be got in at once. 
Lose no time in sowing wheat, barley, oats, rye, and vitches. Earth up potatoes. 
This is a good month for sowing wheat. Do not sow too thickly. Note the 
experiments recorded in the Journal on rolling wheat when about 6 inches 
high. If wheat becomes too rank owing to rainy weather, turn in sheep to eat 
it down, the plants will then tiller and give as heavy a crop as if it had been 
sown thickly, or probably a much héavier one. Lucerne may still be sown, in 
fact, it is the most favourable time to get it in, as the insects and weeds will now 
