RAISING SEEDLING FRUIT TREES.

Colonist, Volume LIV, Issue 13410, 7 May 1912, Page 8

RAISING SEEDLING FRUIT TREES.

One of the most interesting feature: ■in connection v/ith tho fruit industr in the Auckland province is the rornrk able increase in new varieties of pencilos. No one seeras to have takcu up th« work of specially breeding this class oJ fruit, and the cross-fertilisation or ©ver tho systematic planting of seleeioc

seeds, yet in nearly every garden where the soil is suitable peach seedlings come up like weeds, and in some ca-sos where these seedlings receive attention they turn out to be valuable new varieties. Two seedlings of this kind have beon brought to our notice this season. On-.:, grown by Mr. Wm. Macklow, of Epsom, is similar to tho Osj^roy in character, being large, well-shaped, .and of exempt-

io.ii&l firmness of flesh

It is of rt'*mark-

ably good flavour, and this, combined with its lateness^ its finimc>:s of ik'sh.

promises to make it a- very -useful commercial variety. Another seedling raised by Mr ; Trevor Lloyd, of Devonl>ort also promises we"l ; it is large, v,-ell-formed and of rich colour, and conu\s in

about the end of March. It pron)is<>:well.for the future of .Auckland pe-aoh- ■ growing that Geedlings of avx-h Rood character can be raised so easily, and wo can recommend amateurs as weJl as

commercial orchardists to devote a cor-

Jier of their ground to this cl-ns-R of work. They need not confine themselves to planting arid near-

ly all manner of fruit offer them-

selves for improvement, and the- art of ' cross-fertilisation is not difficult te .9-r-

quire. Such work should bo tl&sply interesting, and, moreover, might' be very profitable, because the raising «'f a first-class early peach, or a high-cl.i'S.3 Wight-proof apple, or a quiuk-growmg early maturing pear might b«'\yorth a small fortune to its lucky owner.