SCRAP THOSE WORN-OUT FRUIT TREES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 88, 15 April 1933, Page 6 (Supplement)

SCRAP THOSE WORN-OUT FRUIT TREES.

There comes a time' when it is necessary to scrap those old fruit trees and to plant a few new ones if we are to get tho most out of our gardens. Old trees take up a lot of room and a lot of nourishment out of the soil, and in addition cast a lot of shade around. Where thero is plenty of room and the vegetables can be grown free of the fruit trees it is all right, but in the majority of gardens they have to live together, often with the result that the fruit tree gets all the 6un and most of tho food. Many of these old trees are decrepit and past their best, due perhaps to neglect, often they are old secondrate varieties that have been superseded by better sorts. Young trees, well treated, will give a return in three or four years, some less, and what is more, you will have smaller trees to •keep clean and you can havo a selection that will be more useful over a longer period. Set about the grubbing at once. Chop down the old tree, grub out all the roots. Make a bonfire and burn the lot or cut it up ready for the washing copper. Now wheel away the larger portion of tho old soil and replace with some fresh turfy 'soil. Any turfy sods will do, so long as you take care not to introduce such weeds as docks, convolvulusi couch grass. If y.ou can get some old lime rubble break it up fine and mix it with the soil; also add a fair sprinkling of naphthalene. On top of this put a layer of the best of the soil that was taken out. Done now, this ground will settle down and you will be ready to plant a new tree in late autumn. Tho ashes from the old wood should be sprinkled over the top of the prepared position.