CALENDER

Otago Witness, Issue 1796, 24 April 1886, Page 8

CALENDER

The froolsexpeiienreil on the mornings of the loth and 10th, nil hough rather sharp, have not had any very injurion-. effect on the more tender of our plants; French beans aud scarlet runners, which are among r.lu- first of the vegetables to suffer still look gioen, although the season for their best results is over.

Digging shrubbon borders is au operation which must be <lec»led in a great measure by the nature of the Those who object to the practice assert that more or less destruction of surface root occurs, and that consequently direct injury is inflicted on the trees and shrubs which occupy the ground, whilst those who approve of it maintain that the evil is counterbalanced by the freer admission or" water to the roots. The nature of the soil, m a great measure, determines whether digging or no digging is the proper course. It' the soil is free and retains moisture, the less the roots are disturbed the better, but if the soil bo in a hard aud baked condition, then stirri.ig is absolutely necessary to produce a health., condition. It. sometimes happens that the. soil about the roots is almost quite dry from one year's end to another, in which case stirring ii absolutely necessary. In doing so the soil should be loosened with a fork to a depth of :i few inches — that i.-, simply breaking up the haul surface cruoC, whereby the admission of rain as it falls is secured. The work should be done ; s earlj now as possible, as deferring it to the s}r .ng w very objectionable.

The weather has been f.ivoui able for the ingathering of fruit, v. «'ich should not be delayed any longer. Ko il>>ubt .some descriptions of' pears are better to hang on the trees as long as possible, but the destruction which iakc-s place by the birds is very yivat, and will be worse as the winter advances. Some very fine specimens of apples trom the orchard of Mr D. M'Dougall of Wanaka, have be."ii shown in Duuedin during the past week. Finer fruit could not be desired, and we incline to the opinion that while the Teviot district excels iv the production of stone fruit, the Wanaka will carry the palm for apples. The pears in anil around Dunedin are for the present at the front, but this maj' arise from the faofc that the pear, taking longer to come to maturity, has not yet had the time to prove the' suitableness of the other districts for its successful growth.

We regret to have to record the death of Mr W. H. Burrows, gaiv.enertn Henry Driver, Esq., which took place at i-Corseshoe Bend Estate on Monday, the 12th Lift., very suddenly, without any previous illness. Mr Burrows was for several years employed at Invercargill, in the nurseries of Mr Cleave' we be.liever, pincipally. Besides bping called on to act as judge at several of our horticultural shows — Balclutha in particular, he was a very successful grower of fruit and vegetables, and his exhibits at the Duuedin show, aHrajted particular notice. Although of retiring disposition he was a favourite with very many of those who had his acquaintance.

HoitTicui/ron.