the second spraying, that is, when the fruit is setting, as it is at this time that the moths lay the eggs that form the first crop of worms, in most cases depositing their eggs in the blossom end of the young fruit. By doing this you kill two birds with one stone, viz., keep down the scab, and destroy the moth; and Paris green, when mixed with Bordeaux mixture, besides being of considerable value as a fungicide, has a much less injurious effect on the foliage than when used alone, while its properties as an insecticide are not in any way impaired. Codling moth should be persistently fought by sprayings at intervals of ten days, the first spraying to be done when the bulk of the blossoms have fallen and the fruit is setting. Even where there is no pear or apple scab present it is a good plan to use the Bordeaux mixture and Paris green combined when spraying first for the moth, as, should the trees be covered with moss or lichen, or have canker or powdery mildew, the Bordeaux mixture will have a very beneficial effect. The peach aphis must be carefully kept in check, and the best means of doing this have been fully described in the Orchard Notes of previous months; so I need not repeat them here. All winter ploughing, all pruning, and all planting should have been completed in August, and the orchard should now be kept well cultivated and free from weeds of every kind. As soon as the young growth takes place, and the shoots are 2 or 3 inches long, then start pinching back the superfluous laterals of apples, pears, and plums, so that the growth of the tree is confined to the permanent branches. These branches, instead of being long straight limbs devoid of fruit spurs, will be covered with fruit spurs which will often bear fruit the following season, and this fruit will be borne where the tree is best able to carry it, and where it will be protected from wind-storms and sun-burn. All soluble manures should be applied when the trees start into active growth, taking care not to apply too large a quantity at one time to light porous soils, or a quantity is apt to be leached out of the soil by heavy rain and lost. In all cases it is better to apply highly soluble manures in two or more dressings than all at once, as their effect is then more lasting, and the trees can make a better use of the plant-food. In young orchards, if desirable, crops may be planted between the rows of trees, but do not plant too close to the trees-5 to 6 feet is quite close enough-or the plants will take the moisture and plant-food required for the proper development of the tree. Peas, beans, cabbages, potatoes, or corn can be grown without injury to the trees, provided the amount of plant-food extracted by the crop from the soil is returned to the soil as manure. Growing grain crops for bay, or growing pumpkins, &c., between young fruit-trees, is not advisable. If the soil of the orchard is deficient in organic matter and nitrogen, a crop of cow-peas, red clover, vetches, or corn should be planted and ploughed in as green manure. Of these crops the cow-pea is the most valuable as a green manure, and when sown fairly thick it will have the advantage of smothering out such weeds as couch and sorrel, besides its manurial value. Cow-peas should not be sown till all danger of frost is over. Green crop manuring, besides adding nitrogen and organic matter to the soil, would have a very beneficial effect on the heavy, cold, wet soils of Cumberland, as it would tend to lighten the soil and improve its mechanical condition, thus rendering it warmer, more friable, and consequently more easily worked. Good drainage, liming, and green crop manuring combined will do more than anything else to improve the citrus orchards of Cumberland, and, with the careful selection of good varieties for planting, should result in the production of good fruit in the place of the worthless rubbish now glutting our markets. General Notes. IN the May Gazette there. appeared a note on "Severe Winters and Wild Birds," in which it is stated the frosts and dry weather had a very serious effect upon our forest trees in many parts of the colony, and as a result there has been a great dearth of flowers, and the fruit-growers' crops might be levied upon by the birds to make up for the dearth of honey. Stringent measures were recommended to be taken with the birds to mitigate as far as possible the destruction of fruit. One means recommended for destroying these supposed enemies was by means of poisoned honey smeared on the branches of the trees. The fact had been overlooked that honey-eating birds are rarely frugivorous, and the smearing of honey on the branches will be no inducement for the birds to visit the trees for food. Honey-eating birds are attracted by the blossoms only. But the poisoned honey on the branches will be an inducement for bees to visit those trees, and may result in the destruction of tens of thousands of them. The destruction of bees is a far more serious loss to fruit-growers than the loss of fruit by birds. Bees fertilize the blossom, and therefore produce the fruit that the birds destroy. Articles on "The Influence of Bees on Fruit Crops" are now in preparation, and will duly appear in a future Gazette. AUSTRALIAN SANDARACH. WITH reference to the paragraphs which have from time to time appeared in the Gazette, regarding the collection of Australian sandarach, the difficulty has always been in finding a market. There is little difficulty in collecting marketable quantities. With a view to assisting the sale, the matter has been brought under the Export Board, with the result that the Board has expressed its willingness to co-operate in placing this commodity on the market. Those persons, therefore, who have collected, or are in a position to collect, sandarach of good even quality should communicate with the Secretary to the Export Board, Sydney, who will doubtless give the matter prompt attention. BRUSH BOX (Tristania conferta). MR. FORESTER BROWN, of Port Macquarie writes:-"I find that, besides the many valuable uses to which brush box is put, the following may be added, gleaned from Mr. A. Jennings, Port Macquarie. A countershaft, which drives from the main countershaft, also drives a planing machine, band saw, and two gulleting machines, is 15 feet long. The centre bearing is of brush box end on. It has been in use twelve months and shows no perceptible wear, whilst the bearing at one end of brass has been renewed in nine months, and now shows -in. wear. The other bearing of cast-iron, which has been renewed twice in twelve months, also shows -in. wear." SEED MAIZE. A SMALL quantity of seed maize grown at the Hawkesbury Agricultural College was sent to Mr. M. J. Hautrive, of “Halecote," Bringelly, who has kindly sent a very complete report. The land on which the maize was planted is about 90 feet above sea level, ironstone country, red loam surface and red clay subsoil with open aspect. The maximum temperature was 117° in the shade and 144° in the sun; the minimum 70°. The average yearly rainfall is about 30 inches. No copious rains fell during the growth of the crop, but there were frequent showers, totalling about 8 inches. The seed was sown on 4th November, and germinated on 9th November, 1895. The land was ploughed and harrowed in March, 1895, and allowed to rest until October, 1895, when it was cross-ploughed and thrice harrowed with a disc harrow, bringing the soil very fine. Colonial Sugar Company's manure No. 2 was applied at the rate of 2 cwt. per acre. The average height of the plants was 8 feet, though some reached over 10 feet. They flowered on the 15th January, and matured on 1st May, 1896. The seeds were sown in drills 3 feet apart and 18 inches between the plants. About two inches of rain fell while they were being planted, and a very high temperature ruled after this, which probably accounts for the quick germination. Some of the plants were showing above the ground three days after sowing, and all were up five days after; 2,248 seeds were sown, 2,225 germinated, 1,620 cobs were gathered, from which 860 lb. of maize were obtained. This gives a result equal to 132 bushels per acre with drills and plants as stated, two seeds being placed at each 18 inches. SPOTTED GUM. IN commenting on the Report of the Spotted Gum Commission, which appeared in our issue for April iast, the Australasian Coachbuilder and Saddler says:-"It is only a few days since a coachbuilder, who has been using a large number of spotted gum hubs, gave it as his opinion that the days of elm hubs, even for the lightest wheels, will, as far as Australia is concerned, soon be at an end. So satisfactory have they been found that it only remains for commercial enterprise to step in and put colonial hubs on the market, seasoned and in mortised the same way that American hubs are, to completely displace the latter. It is now clear that liability to check while seasoning is not a fault peculiar to Australian timbers, but that it is common in foreign woods also, and that the prevention of checking in Australia is as elsewhere only a matter of care exercised in storing and seasoning." SEEDLING APPLES. THE following information has been supplied to a correspondent by the Fruit Expert:-Apple seeds must be planted as soon as taken from the fruit, as they soon loose their power of germination. If it is necessary to keep them till spring, they should be buried in dry sand. Apple seeds grow readily when fresh. They require a light, sandy soil, and should be sown in drills about 1 inch deep. Keep the ground mulched to prevent it setting, and also keep it well watered, as the young plants quickly die off if neglected. When large enough, transplant the seedlings to nursery rows, where they may be worked with any variety desired. AN INSECT PEST CHART. WITH this number is published (loose), so that it can be pasted up for easy reference, a chart giving a description of each of the principal insect pests, usual time of attack, and remedial and preventive treatment. 25, 26 Southern New England P. and A. Association (Uralla) J. D. Leece Tumut A. and P. Association ... Alstonville and Richmond River F., C., A., and H. Society ... Candelo A., H., and Dairy Farmers' Association Camden A., H., and I. Society Lithgow A., H., and P. Society Manning River A. and H. Association (Taree) Robertson Agricultural Society Bega A., P., and H. Society ... N. Emanuel J. H. Brooks ... R. G. Ferguson Mar. 3, 4 4, 5 Armidale and New England P., A., and H. Association W. H. Allingham Port Macquarie and Hastings District A. and H. Society ... Gundagai P. and A. Society Lismore A. and I. Society ... Cooma P. and A. Association Blayney P. and A. Association ... Castle Hill and District A. and H. Association... ... W. Williams ... 10, 11 ... ... F. W. Hoskin... ... 11, 12, 13 Cudal A. and P. Society National Pomological Society Molong P. and A. Society ... Bathurst A., H., and P. Association Upper Hunter P. and A. Association (Muswellbrook)... D. H. Allan ... * Abandoned in consequence of drought. 15, 16 J. Riddle ... ... ... P. Doust 23, 24 22, 23, 24 22, 23,124 23, 24 Liverpool Plains P., A., and H. Association (Tamworth) A. M'Leod Date. », 28, 29 » 28, 29 30, Mayl May 4, 5 J. C. Wilcox S. L. Cohen C. S. Guest F. R. Salt T. Clarke W. Redford ... June 3, 4 18, 19 23, 24 Secretaries of Societies are asked to forward dates of forthcoming Shows as soon [8 plates and the chart.] |