FRUIT CULTURE. VI.

Otago Witness, Issue 1934, 19 March 1891, Page 5

FRUIT CULTURE. VI.

The varieties of plum in cultivation are as great in number as those of apples and pears. In order to facilitate distinguishing them they are divided into two claßseß, according to the shape of the fruit — round and oval. These again, are subdivided according to the colour of the skin, dark and pale, and still further into free and cling stone, which again are known as follows: Round with skin dark, nectarines and Orleans ; skin pale, gages and apricots ; oval with skin dark, prunes and perdrigons ; with skin pale, imperial and Mirabellaa. As with the other fruits bo with the plum, it would be impossible to give a list of the beßt or most suitable varieties from which to select, as oertain varieties favour oertain districts. It is a well-known fact to growers that in certain localities, even when there is not much difference as to soil, one variety will flourish and bear abundant crops year by year, whilst others will not bear enough fruit to repay for the first outlay. As an example of thi& take the cherry plum, or as more common still the greengage. Round about Dunedin there are spots where both are prolific bearers of handsome fruit, while in others they are not worth the space they ocoupy. Praotioal experience and observation are the best guides in making a selection. One reason for the shyness in bearing in different localities may be a deficiency of a particular prinoiple in the soil suited to the habit of the tree. Another may be found in the fact that the eoion had been worked on a stock not suited to it. The plum has this peculiarity marked more decidedly than other fruit. The greengage grows oauoh finer fruit if grafted on the apricot than if on a plum stock. The mussel plum is the most largely grown for stooks, as the majority take most kindly to it. It is also largely used for grafting peaohes, neotarinea, and apricots. It has also the recommendation of being less liable to throw up suckers than stocks raised from superior varieties. It is a common practice for nurserymen to save the time and extra trouble of raising this stock from the plum stones to collect all the suokers they can procure and work these different varieties thereon. This proves a source of great annoyance to the fruitgrower, who has to be continually stripping away the root shoots or leave them an unsightly growth around his tiecs, to their speedy and certain destruction. The general remark may be made that selection of stocks for all kinds of fruit trees should be attended to with the greatest care, the stook selected being the one best adapted to the nature of each. An old writer, when the subject had not been so closely studied as it has been in these latter days, remarks that the stook on which some of the sorts are worked have a great influence on the longevity of the tree, some varieties doing well on one kind of stook, while others will hardly grow upon the same, but require to be worked on an entirely different one. Some varieties again will do well for a while upon, several sorts of stooks^ but will^ultimately exude gum, andjdie off. This is found in New Zealand to be particularly thd case with peaohee, apricots, and nectarines.' ■ There is one very prolific fruit-bearing tree which is now becoming common among us, and whiob, though not requiring any great amount of attention, has the merit that in its cultivation its fruit has considerable merits which ar4 either unknown or overloked, and this is the mountain ash or Roman tree; belonging to the genus Pyrus. It ia an eleeant tree of medium size, and the snow-white flowers produced in large ohurpheß in November, which are thiokly soattered over the surface of the tree impart to it a lively appearance. These are succeeded by numerous bunches of berries, which in February turn to a brilliant scarlet, and are then highly ornamental. The berries are not so attractive for eating as most other fruits, but they possess particular medicinal qualities peculiar to themselves. A tincture is made from them which is highly esteemed as a stomachic ; but their principal claim lies in their suitableness for making jelly, which has an agreeable, peculiarly astringent flavour. It may be used for all the purposes which red currant jelly is used, and as it is prepared after the same manner nothing further need be Baid on tho point, except that the more it comes to be known the better will it be appreciated. All fruits should be gathered from the tree when the leavea show symptoms of withering, as after that it will neither increase in size nor further ripen, indeed it will become bard and less fit for use. The pear is a peculiar fruit \n one respect, and this should always ba kept in mind. Most varieties are much finer in flavour if picked from the tree and ripened in the house than if allowed to beoome fully matured on the tree. There are a few exceptions to this rule, but very few, and a numbet of kinds which are only second or third rate when ripened on the tree possess the highest flavour when gathered at the proper time and allowed to mature in the houtia. The fruit should be gathered when it begins to colour or when the stalk easily separates from the teen. In bringing these notes on fruit culture to a close it is very satisfactory to note the prograss which fruit exportation to different countries is making. Auckland — or perhaps it may be more correctly Baid the North Island — is directing its attention to San Francisco as an opening for its surplus products, and it is understood that a good market and fair prices are obtained, as the fruit arrives at the proper time when the Californian crops are exhausted. Possibly some of the aorta may bo sent to the eastern seaboard of America by railway. Our next dow neighbours in Canterbury are also making substantial progress in their efforts, which it is to be hoped will be crowned with complete sucoass. By eaoh direct steamer at present laige consignments are being forwarded in cool chambers to London, and they should reach there when tbe Canadian and American supply is off, and before the Home orop ia ready. The quantity of fruit reaching London from different countries is enormous. Steam and refrigeration have created quite a revolution in the trade, affeotiDg prloen to a considerable extent, but this does not daunt or binder the operations of tbe growers in the Old Land. On the contrary, they are being stimulated to greater exertion, and are bringing all the aid science and experience place in their po»ver to hold their own with growers in more favoured climes. It is to be regretted- that no organised effort is being made in Ofcago to inaugurate an export trade also. Surely some of our principal orobardiets might combine and try their

I hand. If taken in hand it must be done witl the greatest care in selecting and packing having everything in tip-top condition. Weri a start made it is probable a readier looa market at a fairer price would be had thai is at command now. HORTIOULTOB.

Stand Them in Water. I have bad such great suoobbs it the cultivation of plants by standing them it water that I feel compelled to send you a lev, lines about it. lam no writer, and must saj my word in a rough way :—: — Trumpet lily (Oalla sethiopica) ia not we! - grown generally. It does not get enougl water. I pot mine in large pots, in a mixture of stiff loam and rotten dung ; keep them it the greenhouse all tho winter, giving plenty oi water. From the middle of April to the end of October, I keep them out of doors in the full sun, standing in pota inside a tub full oi water. The rootß are immersed only aboul 2in. The effect is wonderful. They grow Btrong, and are almost always in flower. Royal Fern (Osmuuda regaHo) and crested male fern (Lastrea filix-maa cristata) are fine subjects to treat in this way, but it must be under glass, shaded, and with a free circula tion of air. I prefer to have a glazed par — such as a bread-pan, for instance— for suet plants, and some of my specimens are novs gigantic, being in 15in and 20in pots. I an: convinced that hundreds of plants might be grown during summer in this way, and would attain to a grandeur of which we know nothing at present — unless, indeed, we have explored the warm wet hollows of the West ol England. What a strange thing it is that we plant all sorts of things in the Bame.eoil, and leave them to flourish or perish under uniform influences. Nature does not do so ; she takes care to provide rivulets, ponds, and marshes for many of her choicest gems, and we mua! do the same. — Amateur Gardening.