THINNING FRUIT,

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXIV, Issue 934, 2 December 1933, Page 28 (Supplement)

THINNING FRUIT,

WHY IT IS NEEDED. Too often the fruit trees are left to themselves and apart from a l\*'ne pruning or spraying occasionally the trees are practically allowed to grow wild. Those who wish to grow fruit, fit for the show bench, having size, quality and finish, should give more attention to careful thinning. It appears a waste to start and pull off fruit before it is ready, but is it? Does it not give the tree a chance to produce high quality in those that are left without unduly distressing itself. The advantages are really great with regard to stone fruits, such as plums, peaches and apricots. The strain of producing a heavy crop of plums must be enormous. Frequently trees bear to so great a degree that they may even fail to flower the following spring; and when such trees do blossom the flowers themselves *are too often sterile, lacking pollen or virility in the pollen, ao that the embryo fruits fall from sheer weakness. By judicious thinning it will be found something can be done towards increasing the regular bearing capacity of fruit trees. If we reduce a heavy set of plums by one half, the trees will swell the remaining fruit to a larger size and better quality. The trees will not ' exhaust their energies in over-bearing, and in consequence, given favourable weather, will in all probability bear a good crop of fruit in the ensuing year. If, by thinning, we check any over-pro-duction the trees, will be left with a reserve of strength to produce and carry a crop each year. When thinning either apples or pears some knowledge is needed as to the varieties grown, or small dessert sorts may be thinned to the same degree as the larger sorts. Most of the large varieties of apples and pears should have only one fruit left to a cluster; the medium-sized ones may have two left here and there, and the smaller varieties for dessert may be allowed to carry two or even three to a cluster provided the trees are healthy. Another method of thinning is to allow early sorts of cooking apples to remain unthinned until the fruit is a useful size; then thin freely and the apples allowed to remain will usually swell up quickly and generally to quite a large size. Where fruit trees make an attempt to bear when very young, care must be taken that there is no suggestion of overcropping. Practise thinning the crop when the trees are young, and allow the trees to bear each year in a regular way. THE CARDOON. The cardoon (Cynara cardunculus) is closely related to the globe artichoke, and forms a very useful vegetable, which, however, is more largely grown and better appreciated in France than in other countries. Cardoons require very similar treatment to celery, the principal exception being that the seed should bo sown in pots at once and be placed in gentle heat. It is best to sow three seeds in each pot. and when the resulting seedlings are large enough, a 6 shown at A herewith, thin them' out to one in a pot, as at B. Cardoons thrive best in

a rich, friable soil, a.'d after being grade ally hardened off should be planted ou in a trench in a single row, a distance o from 15 to IS inches being allowed fron plant to plant. They require an abundmce of moisture. During the month of February tile blanching of the stems may Commence by wrapping a hayband round each and. earthing up, as shown at C. As a rule blanching takes eight or nine Weeks, after which the inner stalks will be found crisp and tender and in the best possible condition for use. HELICHRYSUMS. EVERLASTING FLOWERS. These are well-known hardy flowers in several beautiful colours. When in full flower they are an ornament to th« garden. They are specially prized for the winter decoration of vases and for durable bouquets, for which the flowers must be picked at the right stage, as if in too full bloom they burst and drop. There is a mixture of pink and cream shades, clear golden yellow, showy deep crimsons and purples, pure white and distinct silvery whites. The golden globe has handsome globular flowers of a clear golden yellow. There are tall flowers and also a dwarf type. They are no trouble to grow and are very showy interspersed here and there. Planted early, they are in full flower In early summer. STAKING PEAS. A correspondent writing, says:— “When visiting Hastings recently I saw a very good method of staking peaa which T thought might interest you. The ‘stakes’ consist of pieces of No. II steel wire arranged as hoops on each side of the low peas. The pieces of wire are about five feet long and the top of tin loop is about Ift 6in above the ground This method of staking peas is excellent. At the end of the season the hoop* are withdrawn and tied up in bundle* ready for next seafwn. The trouble is ti procure suitable" steel wire, but I man aged to purchase some discarded stranded wire from the stores depart ment of the Tost Office., When nicked with a file the wire is easily broken and MtiefranHoH.”