Planting Fruit Trees.

Feilding Star, Volume xv, Issue 335, 9 June 1894, Page 4

Planting Fruit Trees.

Apples .—The apple will thrive in cost places for a time, but does best n rich, moist, deep loam. No stagnant water should lie about the roots. [t grows best in shelter, but keeps in exposed -situations. Apjles grown in the warmer part ot the jolony bear well, but will not keep, and me therefore unsuitable for ex portation. I should recommend growers to plant only a few varieties on blight-proof stocks . Pears. — Deep and alluvial flats will grow the pear- to perfection. If worked on the quince, it will stand wet ground ; if on the peir stock, it will be much stronger in »rowth« and longer lived. It is not particular to soil as long as it can gfit depth for its roots. It requires shelter from the we?t to save its heavy fruit. Peach, nectarine, apricot. — 'Ibese willsucceeG in any porous sandy loam. The forest and bus>h land of the colony, if worked deep, or if naturally of a free nature, sui's them well. When they are not allowpd to run up too high, but are well cut buck when young, and no hacking or multiplying is done when they prow up, the trees will live and yield for an indefinite period. Judicous summer pruning and pinching are all that nre necessary in trees in full bearing. 'I he tree is very tender in ihe bark, and bruising the bark with boot nails in pruning or gathering fruit is sure t» cause canker. Planting in stiff clay soils, or where water lies, is only los? of time and money. Cherry. — The cherry is partial to free sandy soils, like those found on the banks ot rivers and creek*. Where the water is not stagnant in will grow to perfpetion. Stiff clayey soils are unsuitable. After the trees have grown up no pruning should be allowed with the Knife ; and but little summer pruning is necessary, as nothing but fruit spurs are formed. Plums.— The plum will adapt itself to circumstance-, and will thrive in most situations. It will yrow strongly in strong soil, and will thrive in moist soil As it is a surfacefeeder, mulching and irrigation would [ do wonders. As stocks on whi^h to graft for fruit. I recommend the free stock, the cherry, or the American plum.