PLANTING ORCHARD TREES.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2520, 6 May 1882, Page 3

PLANTING ORCHARD TREES.

[From the “ Weekly Press. ”] Thb opening of tho International Exhibition, as was expected, attracted a large number of visitors from all parts of New Zealand. Those travelling by rail from southwards are afforded an opportunity of forming some opinion of the far famed plains of Canterbury. Judging from tho comments which have reached our ears from various sources, the impressions formed are not ia every instance of a flittering character. Although admitting tho possession of n grand expanse of good, middling and bad agricultural land, our visitors are not impressed with either the natural or artificial beauty of our county. Of course there can be little natural beauty, speaking from a landscape standpoint, in a wide expanse of level land extending ns far as tho eye can reach, uninterrupted by forest or lake scenery of any kind. That natural forests once covered largo areas of the best lands in tho plains of Canterbury is amply proved by tho presence of decayed timber in large quantities in many districts. The country must have presented a much more pleasing aspect in those by-gone times than now. But to return to our subject. The question naturally asked by observant strangers ia—How is it that so little has been done in the way of planting in a country so much in want of shelter (a fact painfully illmtrated by the ruinous exporionco of last harvest, when probably one-third of the corn harvest was lost from the uninterrupted fury of continuous N.W. winds), either by Government or by private enterprise. The general nakedness which characterises the majority of farmsteadings, indicating anything out comfortable homes, exposed as they are to every blast that blows, is also a fertile subject of comment from strangers. It is not our purpose in this article to dwell upon the question of forest tree planting, a question of vast national importance, but rather to offer a few suggestions which may have the effect of causing some of our country friends to turn their attention to tho subject. As yet comparatively little has been done by our farmers in this direction. This is very evident if we consider the large quantities of fruit imported from other places. It is calculated that some £50.000 are annually expended by this country for imported fruits—a heavy drain upon the resources of the colony. Some excuse might be allowed for this state of things, if the climate of this country were not favorable to the growth of fruit, or the soil unsuitable. Now Zealand, on the contrary, being favored with a wide range of temperature, ranging from subtropical to temperate, is capable of producing in perfection all the fruits common to this wide range of temperature. The orange, lemon, and olive ripen their fruit in the North, together with all the other hardier fruits; while, in the South Island, we can grow every description of hardy fruit in great perfection. We have never seen a finer or more varied assortment of apples and pears that those exhibited at the Horticultural Show, and at tha fruit show held in the International Exhibition last week, including a fine sample of lemons grown by Mr T. H Potts, of Governor’s Bay, in his orchard. With some little expense and trouble at the commencement, with proper care as to the site and soil of an orchard, obtaining a good quality and variety of trees, tho groat majority being dessert kind, and keeping the land worked amongst them for two or three years after planting, until the trees get a good start, hundreds of small farmers might go in for fruit culture and make it a payable concern. It really is a question for those whose holdings aro of limited extent to consider whether it would not remunerate them better to devote some of their land and their time to growing fruit trees ? The following interesting particulars of what is being done amongst the farmers of America will show the immense importance of growing fruit Some estimate may be formed of the magnitude of the fruit business when it is considered that there are 6,000,000 acres devoted to it, upon which it is estimated there are 120.000. apple trees, tho same number of peach trees, 30,000,000 pear trees, and 150.000. grape vines. An immense trade is done in canned fruits. It is wonderful to what a magnitude this industry has reached in America, and what a vast extent of land is devoted to that purpose. In the same way may our own farmers be benefltted, and the growing of fruit become a paying business. A few acres well fenced, and sheltered by a belt of maorocarpas, Pinus insignis, gums, and poplars, say a chain wide, should be attached to each homestead. The preparation of the land -hould consist of ploughing and subsoiling. ihe latter operation, it found too expensive for hand labor, may bo performed by the subsoil plough. In selecting the trees, the greatest care should be exercised in procuring kinds true to name and grafted on blightproof stocks. Far better to pay a little more for each tree and to procure them than to purchase from irresponsible persona trees, which after two or three years of patient culture may turn out utterly worthless. To an established nurseryman pay him his price, make a plan of your orchard, number yjur trees, and enter their names in a book for tho purpose. Then hold the vendor reeponsiblo it they do not prove true to name. Let tho apples and pears planted bo of the beat keeping kinds. It is a great mistake to plant too many of tho softer varieties ; they create a glut when fruit is plentiful, and are ot little value. The following are good keepers Oox’a Orango Pippin, Golden Harvey, Golden Russott, Northern Spy, and Blenheim Orange, but any reliable nurseryman will supply lists from which good selections can be made. We strongly advise the culture of a few good sorts rather than a mixed variety of many kinds. As to the distance whioh fruit trees should be planted apart, much difference of opinion exists, some advocating close planting, cutting out each alternate tree so soon as they begin to crowd each other, while others advocate planting at the distances at whioh the trees are permanently to stand. In our opinion this is the better plan. The following distances are recommended by practical orchard growers. Apples 30 ft apart, pears 20ft, peaches 20ft, cherries 20ft, plums 20ft, apricots 20ft, quinces, 10ft, walnuts 33ft, almonds (soft shelled) 20ft, gooseberries Bft, currants 6ft, raspberries 4ft. Oar space will not permit of our enlarging on this •important subject further than to urge our readers who have not yet thought of the matter to lose no time. Now is tho time to prepare the soil for planting early in spring. With a good orchard attached to every farm houso on the plains, the appearanon ot the country would soon become more attractive to strangers, and would add greatly to tho comfort of tho possessor and to the value of the holding.

The man who discovers the North Pole will probably be a Chilian. Counsel tor prisoner—‘Did yon see the prisoner at the bar knock down the deoeW*® ‘ Pat — 1 No, yir honor ; he was alive when 1 see him knocked down,’