CARE OF THE BLOSSOM

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21906, 15 September 1934, Page 8 (Supplement)

CARE OF THE BLOSSOM

ENSURINQ QOOO SETTINGS A keen fruitgrower can do much at blossom time to ensure a good crop. The production of fruit depends on the successful union of tho dust-like pollen of tho flowers with the seed vessels, which are inside the tiny green ovaries in the centre of the blooms, and this is largely within the grower's control. The majority of flowers contain both ovaries and stamens which are the pol-len-producing portions. Thus no one blossom can be designated male or female. This is true of orchard. fruits although not of nuts such as filberts. The pollen needs to be conveyed from the ripe stamens to the sticky stigma, and in the case of apples, pears, cherries, plums, and most other fruit, this > transference ib effected mainly by bees, and also, in some cases, by other insects. In a thicklypopulated area there may be comparatively few bees. In such a district much fruit fails to set. The work of the bees can bo done by the owner with the aid of a rabbit-tail on a long stick. Pollen is easily transferred from one bloom to another in this way on a dry day. Weather Conditions The absence of bees at blossoming time may not be due to any lack of hives in the neighbourhood, but to inclement weather conditions. If this is obviously the case, some precautions must be taken to prevent the flowers becoming damaged. One night's frost may ruin a whole season's crop by shrivelling the tiny stigmas, or the stalks which connect these to the ovaries. Probably the most successful method of maintaining a higher temperature is to light one or more bonfires among the trees. The number needed will depend on the number of trees to be protected. The fires should be made of rather damp material such as leaves, for the smoke produced by the prolonged smouldering will form a protective pall over the branches. Fierce' burning fires should be avoided as they produce too great a difference in the temperature. It is possible to keep light frosts off small trees by stretching some light scrim or similar material over them before the sun sets. The frost will settle on the covering material rather than on the tree. Very often gooseberries fail to produce a crop by reason of the blossom becoming frosted. A Disadvantage Wet weather is always a disadvantage, and one which cannot be overcome. In showery weather it is essential to pollinate during periods of sunshine and to avoid wetting the pollen during transference. For this reason the middle of the day is normally to be preferred to the early morning, when considerable quantities of dew may remain from the previous night. One problem which caused much loss of fruit before it was investigated scientifically, was that of self-sterility. Cherries are the worst offenders in this respect, though plums, pears, and appleß are all affected. By a selfsterile tree is meant one which sets little or no fruit if dusted with pollen from any of tho flowers on it, or from other trees of the same variety. Thus an orchard containing trees of only one variety may yield very disappointing crops if they are in a district where bees cannot easily convey pollen from other varieties. Considerable work has been done on this problem, and much has been discovered of the varieties which are inter-fertile. Gardeners who know or fear that their crops aro suffering from this trouble can effect a temporary remedy by exchanging branches of blossom with those of their friends who may have suitable trees. SNOWDROP TREES When the Snowdrop Tree (Halesia tetraptera) is swinging its clusters of silver bells in tho shade of its fresh green leaves, it attracts much attention. Its season is October, but may continue into November, when the flowers give place to four winged seed pods which often remain till the following season. It seems that there are several varieties of this remarkable tree, these differing in the size of the blossoms, the downiness of tho leaf and other features. In the specimen referred to the blossoms are fully three-quarters of an inch long, and nearly as wide across the mouth of tho bell. The corolla is not a snowdrop white, for it is delicately shaded with a rosy fawn, which seems to afford the blossoms an appearance of greater substance. H. Carolina or (totraptera) which is a more ornamental species than H. diptera, is fairly hardy. It iB deciduous, tho leaves taking on a bold golden colour before falling in tho autumn. Among the named varieties of H tetraptera there do not appear to be any of outstanding merit, but Halesia Carolina mouticola—which however does not seem to be obtainable in the trade —is reported to be the handsomest of the genus. MOWING SEEDLING GRASS Where lawns have been sown down, a doubt sometimes exists as to when the grass should be cut. It is impossible to lay down any stated date, as the proper time depends entirely on the growth. Whenevor it reaches 3in. or 4in., it should be lightly tipped, removing ouly the top inch or so of thp blades. A scythe is the ideal tool for this job, but as few amateurs and quite a numbers of gardeners are not capable of using this formidable tool properly, it is better to rely on the mower Bet to its higher extent. If the roller is run lightly over the surface a week prior to cutting, thore should be no danger of pulling the seedlings out by the roots.