FARM AND GARDEN,

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 160, 10 July 1886, Page 1

FARM AND GARDEN,

• Horticultural Society. The annual meeting of the Auckland Gardeners' Horticultural Society was held in the Newmarket Hall on June 28, There was a pretty fair attendance of members. The annual balance-sheet showed the Society to be in a fairly flourishing position, a small balance of cash being in hand, besides about £30 worth of properties One of the main questions discussed was the name of the society. Some members thought that the Gardeners' Society was too much of a claBS name. Several names were proposed, but did not meet with favour. Most of those present were of opinion that the beet name would be the Auckland Horticultural Society. But as that name is still held by a society -which has done nothing for the last three years, and till either an amalgamation takes place or the old society is wound up no steps should be taken to alter the name. Nearly all the old committee were re-elected to carry on the business of the Society for the ensuing twelve months. After passing a vote of thanks to the late committee, and chairman the meeting was brought to a close. Immediately afterwards the new committee held a meeting and elected 0. McDonald, nurseryman, chairman. They also diecubsed the advisability of holding a camellia show early this winter. As the evening was pretty- well advanced it was decided to call a meeting for Monday, the 7th, at which that and other business will be brought forward. The eld committee are to be commended for bringing last year's business to such a successful close. The new committee mean to try and further horticultural matters in Auckland during the next season. This Society, though only three years in existence, has done much to promote a good feeling amongst the lovers of fruit, flowers, and vegetables. Gum Rot in Fruit Trees. This disease ig noticed by small excresences forming on the plum, apricot, and cherry trees near the ground, and often extending up into the limbs. It is generally i very prevalent after heavy rains, which extend late into spring. The blight on the pear and apple, and curl leaf in the peach tree, are in a great measure traceable to the same condition. This diseased state of the fruit trees, which is becoming more prominent every year, and invites the attacks of a large number of insect pests, which would not be able to do so much damage if fruit trees were kept in a more healthy condition. Some learned professors and many practical fruit-growers ascribe these diseases to the sudden changes of atmosphere, others to insects and abrasions or wounds. Scientific investigations, however, clearly point out that the disease is caused by an unhealthy state of the roots, induced by excessive moisture, which chills the soil below the growing plants. This condition of the soil, rots and scalds the young roots, and so dis- j arranges the flow of sap, which soon brings about the unhealthy state. If it is desired to avoid these diseases especially in stiff clayey or wet soils, a thorough system of I deep drainage, so as to take away all superfluous water from the roots of fruit trees, is necessary, and during winter as little labour aa possible should be done especially digging or cropping till all the heavy s rains are over. Where orchard trees are planted upon wet soils any labour done to the soil simply causes the soil to get stifier and run together, the opposite of what is wanted for free root action and the promoting of healthy roots — one of the greatest objects to be attained. Soils. Soil maybe defined as an area of the earth's j surface, having sufficient surface and depth to be capable of being adapted for agricultural purposes, that is of a nature calculated to admit of the generative growth and the elaboration of plant life. It must be composed of two classes of ingredients organic (derived from vegetable and animal decay) and inorganic (derived from the disintegration of subsoil and the crumbling of | subjacent rocks) Living organisms found nourishment in the crumbling rocks of the primitive ages, and the soil formed by the crumbling rocks, enriched with the decay of these simple organisms, became fitted to sustain a snperior order of existence, and the result gradually attained we see in the present condition of the surface of the earth. The organic part oi a soil is composed of oxygen, hydrogen, carbon, and nitrogen, which are derived partly from what is called humus (vegetable mould, a substance derived from thedacay of woody fibre), partly from ammonia (the last product of animal decay), and partly from the component part? of water. The inorganic parts of a soil are potash, lime, soda, sulphur, magnesia, silex, phosphorus, chloride, oxide of iron, and oxide of manganese. To be fertile a soil requires a percentage of both organic and inorganic substance. Now, if ordinary cultivators would only take these facts and study them, they would at once see why soils that at one period gave fair average crops, and are now almost üßelesß for growing crops that will pay— could easily be brought back into a state of fertility again by giving them plenty of organic matter in the shape of manures. in fact returning to the earth those parts that have been absorbed in growing the crops. In every garden there is a considerable space left for grass. When this is cut not a single particle of such should be allowed to go to waste. The same from the debris of flowers and vegetables— in fact,all rotable refuse of all sorts should be carefully collected and placed in a heap to rot, so that when convenient it can be returned to the ground again. In some new countries large tracts of country are cropped with wheat till it is not possible to get another crop that will pay ; then these tracts are abandoned to weeds, 1 etc. In the course of years the dtbris of these weeds, rotting year after year, bring back another period of fertility again. Settlers take them up and by labour and manure still farther increase ouch fertility, ; but it is a labour of yeara. It is easier to keep vp the fertility of Boil than to bring it back after being once exhausted. « \? >t