Fertilising Necessary.

Auckland Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 148, 25 June 1887, Page 2 (Supplement)

Fertilising Necessary.

While engaged in pruning fruit trees for some time past, I have noticed the sickly, feeble, unthrifty appearance which most of them present, indicating plainly that they are in a decline and need prompt and vigorous treatment. The trunks of the trees present a rough, scaly appearance; no roots are seen near the surface of the ground, a condition essential to the healthy growth of any tree, and the top.s present a mass of stunted, crooked, dead, gnarly, knotty, broken limbs, devoid of leaf buds, bub overloaded with fruit buds. This condition of fruit trees may not be common in other countries of the State, but in all the orchards which I have examined in Monterey country this is the rule, with a clean, healthy, vigorous fruit tree as the exception. It is very rare to see a fresh growth of healthy wood in the tops of any fruit trees -which have been loog in bearing, showing plainly that there is lack of humus or food plant iv the soil. In short, it is evident that trees are starving for want of food, and especially for want of potash. While pruning a small orchard in Salinas City a few days since I noticed one large, fine-looking, thrifty tree, which stood near a pile of manure which had been thrown from the stable, while not sixty feet distant •stood other trees of the same variety, having a stunted, sickly aspect.

In another instance that came uirler my observation ashes had been thrown from a leach-tub near a pear tree. This tree presented a clean, healthy appearance, and had made a vigorous growth of fresh v/ood, while another pear tree, but thirty feet distent, presented just the opposite appearance.

No tree or plant will grow and thrive without an abundance of foliage, which is to the tree what lungs are to an animal; and an abundance of leaves will not grow unless the roots can come near the surface of the ground and find air, warmth and plant food. Roots which strike deep into the soil £0 down for moisture, mineral food and to anchor the tree to the ground. No orchard can be expected to remain long in a healthy, prosperous condition which is being constantly cropped* either by its own growth, or, what is too frequently the case, with some additional crop.

In order to maintain its vigour and usefulness there must be an application of fertilisers ; and nothing is better for this purpose than barnyard manure, scattered all over the ground, before the annual rains. Cleanings from the stables and droppings of fitock contain all the essentials needed to insure a healthy growth of both tree and fruit.

It would be a good plan, where it can be done, to dig about a tree to the depth of from fifteen to eighteen inches and at a distance from the trunk of two to three feet, according to the size of the tree, throwing into the excavation broken crockery, bones, broken glass, old shoes, grass and weeds, mingling therewith a liberal supply of ashes, leached or unleachcd, and surface soil. A vigorous pruning should be given to the tops, cutting off half to two-thirds of the long, slim limbs, thus encouraging a growth of foliage and of fruit near the body and large limbs of the tree. Most trees are carrying too many fruit buds and not enough leaf buds; and to allow fruit to grow at the extremities of long, thin liir.bs is simply to insure their breaking down, to the very great injury of the whole tree.

In some orchards I have noticed a sort' of gangrene in the ends of limbs, causing them to die, in some instances, one-quarter the length of the limbs. This dead part, together with all dead sticks and decayed branches, should bo cut off down to the living part, or to the crown or collar, -which is the only true place to cut off a limb. Where the trunks of the trees have become scaly, rough and mossy, they should be thoroughly scrubbed with a preparation of unleached ashes, salt and water, made into a thin wash and applied with an old broom. Where the roots of trees have become deeply covered by repeated turning of furrows to the tree, as is too often the case, or by a deposit of soil about the tree wherelands are overflowed, this soil should be removed, as no tree can long endure with its roots buried deep in the cold, damp soil. It will be found, if forest trees be examined, that their roots are near the surface,1 many of them being exposed above the surface. The practice of cropping the orchard with garden vegetables, as is sometimes done, cannot be too highly condemned, especially where Chinamen" are permitted to grow them, for they utilise every foot of the ground, taking all the cream from the soil and returning little or nothing- thereto. Garden vegetables are very exhausting to the soil.—J. S. TujiiiTS, in " Fresno Republican." Notes. The constant forcing, by continued application of water, of the growth of orange trees, will always result in the production'of a small and imperfectly ripened fruit. Always bear in mind that one acre of an orchard when properly cared for will afford taoye' satisfactory results than five acres slovenly cultivated. Do not forget to try white hellebore to kill insects on vegetation when the value of the plants will -warrant the expense. A tablespoonful of the powder, in two gallons of water is amply strong. Apply with a spraying syringe. The English sparrow in South America is reported as a destroyer of orange blossoms. This is not expected to reduce the crop of brides there, whatever it may do for the orange crop. The boys, however, must gather in the birds in order that later they may gather in the fruit. A writer in " Gardening Illustrated ", says he has found sulphide of potassium an efficient remedy for mildew on the strawberry. Sulphur and old tobacco leaves burned in the poultry-house, the house" behV'closed perfectly tight-, will clean out the red lice. '"' Do not use fertilisers tod lavishly on potted plants A small quantity applied frequently is better than a full allowance at one time. A writer in. the "Farmer and Fruitgrower" advises against the planting of fruit trees, especially peaches, near together: say from twenty to twenty-five feet is not too far apart. He claims the wider planting makes better-shaped trees, with better access' of air and sunshine, while the tree has a greater area from which to draw root-supplies. The Indian jDla'n for saving seed corn is to select the finest,-full-ripened'ears at

husking time, leaving husks enough on the ears sp two ears may be tied, together, when they are strung up over poles in the lodge, and, when' fully dry, before freezing weather sets in, it is stacked in a small pit on a sandy ridge, and covered securely from web during the winter. Farms in some sections of Pennsylvania maintain the fertility of their soils by applying 100 bushels of slaked lime to the acre once in five years. It is ' said that fields which have been subjected to this treatment for the past 100 years are as productive now as when the experiment was first tried. This application depends for its value much upon the original character of the soil. ' In, vegetable-growing, .deep, rich soil, now so generally condemned for fruit gardens, is of the first importance. Soil cannot be too rich or too deep, if we would have good vegetable.9. We go to work differently to get good fruits than to perfect vegetables. While, for instance, we have to get sunlight to give the best richness to our fruits, our vegetables are usually best when blanched or kept from the light. So, also, as we keep the roots as near the surface as we can, in order to favour the woody tissue in trees, we like Co let them go deep in vegetables, because this favours succulence.

Very fevir people are aware of the fact that the Japanese persimmon, when dried, is one of the most delicious fruits imaginable. Those who are acquainted with this fruit know that it must be fully ripe when picked, otherwise the flavour will not be what it should. But the perfectly ripe persimmon is difficult of handling without damage, and therefore, considerable loss is apt to result. Experiments made, however, show that the Jtipanese persimmon may be dried as readily as a fig, , which indeed it resembles in appearance after being cured. The dried persimmon has a very mealy, pleasanfc taste, and will undoubtedly, as soon as its excellence becomes known, take a prominent place among table delicacies. The persimmon ought also to make a very acceptable glace fruit, and a good profit awaits the man who shall take advantage of these hints and prepare this product for market in pleasing shape.