THE OBCHARD.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18897, 20 December 1924, Page 24 (Supplement)

THE OBCHARD.

i THINNING OUT FRUiT. Some attention should be given at this | season to thinning out of the fruit crops', j for although nature often docs its part I in relieving the trees of., some of its ! burden, there are in most instances some trees that set more fruit than the arees can properly mature. In such cases thinning is really economy, for, if allowed to be over-burdened with fruit, they not only produce fruit of inferior quality, but the energies of the trees are so overtaxed and growth so checked that little or no fruiting material is provided for the following season's crop. Unfortunately the heavy gales experienced last week cannot have failed, where the trees were j at all exposed, to hare done its part in reducing the crop. This method of. thinning, unfortunately, is by no means confined to trees carrying heavy crops but affects light and heavy crops alike. In almost every garden or orchard there ,ro in most instances some varieties that would be benefited by thinning. Inferior fruit, in any case, is'no longer in demand so that whether grown for markets or for home consumption the aim of the grownshould lie to produce, onlv the best. In thinning the condition o'f the trees and their capabilities must be carefully considered. Healthy vigorous growing varieties for instance can carry and matui'o more fruits without their energies being unduly taxed than trees that were.overburdened with fruit last season. DEVELOPING GOOD FLAVOUR. The full flavour of any fruit can onlv be obtained from well-grown, fullydeveloped and ripened fruits. Neglect in thinning is in most instances confined to amateur growers, the commercial orchardists having long learned that inferior fruit is no longer of value for market ' purposes. With such fruits as apples there need be little or''no waste especially if they are useful cooking ■.•;•.-- ieties, as they can be thinned as s en os they have attained a useful size and used for culinary purposes. By judiciously thinning in this way it allows the fruits left on the tree to develop to their full size. Probably in 1,0 case is thinning more necessary than with the. Japanese plum. Many of these trees set [ far more fruits than they can possibly J mature and if allowed to hang produce I fruit of such inferior quality as to be quite useless for either culinary or table use. If they are thinned early, leaving only what the trees can possibly develop and mature, the flavour is quite equal, to many of the European varieties while their cropping capabilities is always mora certain. . i TO CORRESPONDENTS. i .T.M., late of Western Australia.-—The ! Glory or desert pea succeeds, here when i planted in a hot. dry, sheltered situation in I light soil, sandy it possible. Poinciana j refill), (the royal peacock flower), so con- • ! syieuous in tiie tropical regions, is too i tender here, even under glass. 11.L.. Ponsouby.—Monstera deliciosa is the exceedingly curiously-marked plant with its,. j lea'. perforated with various-sized holes, jlt is a handsome plant for sub-tropical i gardening and is of somewhat climbing I habit. lis lartre leathery leaves are, per--1 forated in a singular manner. It produces I fruits of a luscious pineapple flavour, and iis a native ot Mexico. The other cliniomir- | plant with the beautiful bright crimson and I white flowers is Clerodendron . B'alfoun, a. I most ornamental greenhouse climber. i " Bee." K.iitnia.—lt the vines, alter grow- '< in- for live years, have tailed to set trullsI and are, in a healthy condition, it is almost i certain the variety is not a suitable one i for outdoor culture. Should advise grub- ; bins it out and planting some variety that I is known to succeed in your locality. lw i passion fruit: The sucking insect mentioned. ! when left unmolested, is often it scourge I upon passion plants. An occasional _ sprayling with arsenate of lead, applied through I a fine distributing nuzzle, so that everv I portion of the plan! receives 11 portion ot ! the material, is the most effective reined*. I As the fruit aoyroaohes maturity, spraying : may lie discontinued. I " Anxious to Know,'.' City.—The name nephrolenis is derived from Its Greek words ' nephros U kidney) and lepis (a scale), re- '■ ferrim; to the covering of the son or seed' . spores. Nephrolepis arc easily cultivated ' and are now among the most beautiful terns jin cultivation. They are specially adopted. I for basket and pot culture. Numerous and exceedingly beautiful and most elegant', i varieties have been raised from the original i snecies. Nephrolepis luberosa. a most. ! abundant tropical fern, the tubers"of which I aro eaten bv the natives of India, is toana I in our hot lakes district of Rotorun. Jm 9 species is also called cordifolia. J' ISguile hardy where only slight frosts occur. i " Bulbous." Takapuna.—Ornithogallum ! umbellatum is the name <"' the bulb com- ; monlv ca.led Star of Bethlehem. it la a. i native of hmrone, and has become naturalI ised in Britain. The species Arabicuni. a. I native ot Euypt and portion of Scanner Europe, is the one you refer to that mi*' white, flowers, with black centres, Ormtno- ■ Kalinins are an extensive genus. . Some m ■ the African species are very pretty. "' lowers have long-keeping properties alter being cut. Flowers have been bronghj from Africa in perfectly fresh condition cm arrival here. All are ot the easiest cultivation. Montbretias. also referred to .-is tritonias. are natives of South Africa. Wonderful improvements have been Produced from the original kinds by run; hybridisation. They are easily cultivated am. flower freely and are good for cutting. G.W., Epsom.—Name of plum is l'runii.> moseri, a chance seed.ing from Primus piy sardi, the purple-leaved plum 01 L «su. Stable manure being unobtainable with >o». the. best artificial or chemical manure or. runner beans is basic slag thoroughly »> corporated into the soil at tne time 01 dining or trenching the ground in. li. autumn. Use fib to 121b. per 0 M««J yards. If the sod is poor, add 311), .oi kainit. A ton-dressing of trom 3ib. to_oi '■ of super-phosphate m the sprm?:. W sprinkled over the plants when a «w incow high, will impregnate the soil with tn° necessary phosphate. Phosphate of taw. . loz. per gallon of, water. is . a ™» ÜB P£ ■ liquid manure. The best stimulant,tor Lilium aural urn is to thoroughly a ™% around the plant when the flowering Btaga arrive* with well-rotted manure and occ* sioi.aliy well water to convey, the mgj properties to the. roots Liquid ma»* may also be applied when the flowers a™ beginning to develop. „- JxEros.