ORCHARD FRUIT FOR OTAGQ.

Otago Witness, Issue 2310, 9 June 1898, Page 8

ORCHARD FRUIT FOR OTAGQ.

Mr George Broyrnlee, tk« well-known Oamarn nuraerjmau, writing in the North Otago Times, gives some valuable hints in tke sd&ction of fruit; trees for the. coming planting season. He says :— Fob keeping apples the following kinds are good: Stone pippio, French crab, redstreaV, winter greening, Newton pippin, and Borne beauty ; and , for dessert kind*, scarlet nonparieJ, ribstona pippiD, scsrlet pa&rmain, golden russet', king pippin, and Gox'a orange, Some* of the larger appies are : Gloria Mundi, Lady Henniker, Mobb's royal, and Beauty of Kent, Fruit trees and bushes may now be praned, using the knife sparingly, and working the trees into symmetrical form, keeping the centre of the tree &s open as possible, and removing &\l branches growing out of place. Young trees, if properly attended to, require little pruning ; older trees require more care, much of the old wood should be out out. After clearing up when the pruning ia ove* dig between the rows, taking care not to disturb the surface roots. Fruit growing has become an industry for home consumption as well as for exportation. The apples best suited for New Zealaud markets sre Alexander, Wellington, stone pippin, French crab, stunner pippin, golden harvey and Blenheim orange, and from a shipment sent to London the apples commanded the market 'in the following order : Blenheim orange, [stormer pippin and scarlet fpearmain. The apples were wrapped once round in tissue paper, and packed tightly in boxes lined with paper (no «tr&w allowed), and were placed in the cool chamber with an even temperature of from 45 to 50 degrees.

The pears whioh sell best in New Zealand are j Williams's Bon Chretien (very best), Gandell's Bergamot, B«urre Boss and winter neiis. The jargonelle for early and Napoleon for late varieties generally command fair prices, but peats for the London market have as yet been more or less a failure. Plums fou the New Zealand market are placed in the following order i Angelina Burdett (ver^teat), blue Belgium (a favourite), cherry plum, bluegage, Orlesn, black diamond, and greengage ; the black sorts always sell the best. After making a selection of the besbaorb of fruit trees, the proper working of tho soil is the next point to receive attention, and the more thoroughly this is attended to the more profusa will Pomona be in showering her bounties upon the tiller of the soil. . .

Dukstan Grapes. — " The Danstan Times says : We have to acknowledge with thanks a splendid box of grapes from the garden of Mr J. L. Seofct, Cromwell. One bunch turned the scale at 21b. 7 ' These grapes, we (Wyndham Herald) happen to know, were grown in the open. This will surprise our readers, as it shows what a grand place for fruit-growing Central Otsgo is.