DECEIVED BY SEASONS

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 371, 4 June 1928, Page 16

DECEIVED BY SEASONS

PLANT LIFE PUZZLED ORANGES BLOOM IN AUTUMN (From Our Oxen Correspondent) HENDERSON, Saturday. Plant life in many instances seems to have been put “out of step” by the dry summer, and the recent wet mild weather. The dry weather caused many hedge plants and ornamental flowering shrubs to die out completely. Some varieties of trees were seriously affected. The citrus family, being evergreen, of course suffered the most, but apple and pear trees carrying large crops matured their fruit well during the dry spell. When the rains set in, a remarkable recovery was immediately noticed in all plant life and trees and shrubs and many plants which became defoliated during the dry weather, apparently deceived as to the seasons, took on spring growth and flowering. The most notable under this heading were the orange trees. These carried an enormous blossoming at the usual October flowering season, and a good crop was set generally, but the dry summer caused a set-back. A new flow of sap was caused by the rains. Spring conditions were brought about, which resulted in an exceptionally heavy blossoming—a most unusual occurrence in oranges (although a. main flowering of the lemon is usual in the autumn). These set fruits which in this district are now about the size of a large pea, will either fall or be cut by frost. Plum, peach, apple and pear trees are also now making second growths, and almond trees in ornamental plots were in full bloom some weeks ago.