GROWTH OF FRUIT TREES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 150, 26 June 1937, Page 30 (Supplement)

GROWTH OF FRUIT TREES.

PRUNING THE APPLE.

It is difficult to convey just exactly what is meant when describing any method of pruning to anyone not well versed in the terms applied to describe the different buds and growths. The illustrations given in some measure show many of these characteristics. A shows a fruiting spur; the round bud will produce flowers and the small side buds should form short growths which in time will produce flower buds. B is a short shoot terminated by a flower bud, and similar to A, but longer. If left the full length this will produce a long, ugly spur, with the fruit some distance from the tree, and therefore easily threshed off in storms. The line shows where this should be cut. This will mean a loss of fruit the year of pruning, but will be fully warranted in future years. Cis an extension growth, with a flower bud at the end. This is characteristic of some varieties, especially that good old sort, Irish Peach. To cut back all such leaders would mean a complete loss of crop, so the method is to cut back the longer growths to the extent of about one half,

evenly dispersed over the tree. In this way each year sufficient buds are left for a crop, and each year sufficient are cut back to produce buds for the ensuing year. D, a short, stubby shoot with only wood buds; if this shoot is stopped the lower buds will probably produce growths which, if summer pruned, will produce fruit buds. If an extension is required in the direction or position of this shoot it should not be pruned, but allowed to grow and summer pruned. E, side shoot, or lateral, which was not summer pruned, but allowed to grow; if no extension is required this must be cut at the line to induce the lower buds to develop and produce fruit buds. CUT SOWN ASPABAOtTS. Asparagus tope should be cut down level with the ground. If planted in lines on the flat, lightly fork the ground over and give a dressing of stable or farmyard manure. Too much manure cannot be given, though excessive dressings are not necessary. | TO CORRESPONDENTS. BEGONIA (Mount Eden) writes: I am sending leaves of begonias and aspidistra. Begonias are in an old glasshouse "with many missing roof panes, so heat is not excessive in summer and moisture has free access all the year round. They are on a bench. For about two years the leaves have been becoming infected with a disease. As young leaves appear, they become infected, and in some cases plants give up trying to grow and die away. I pick off affected leaves, but trouble persists.—The trouble is actually due to neglect. The spots and decay on the leaves are caused by moisture lying on the leaves during cold, damp weather, with the result that it canses decay, and, once started, it continues, the plants gradually getting weaker and consequently more liable to the trouble. The cure would -be to repair the roof, clear out all rubbish, wash pots, in "fact, give the greenhouse a thorough overhaul and get rid of the source of infection. A leaky greenhouse is an abomination and Is more deadly to plants than the outside weather. Outside the conditions are more or less even, but in a leaky greenhouse some pjaces are protected and some are subject to cold and wet. CANTERBURY (Devonport) asks the best method to eradicate oxalis.—Cultivation is the only means of eradicating it. If fowls can be penned on the area they will scratch out and eat the young tubers, but the principal means is by diggins «nd hoeing, never to allow the plant to develop foliage. T.S. (Newton) writes: I would litfe a nice lot of lavender. Will it strike from cuttings, or it is best raised from seed? If so, where can seed be obtained?— Cuttings are best, lavender is quite easy to strike from cuttings. Pieces two to three inches long pulled off will root. Now is a good time to plant cuttings. The soil must be sandy and well drained. The addition of plenty of lime rubble is an advantage. AMATEUR (Maungaturoto) asks: When gladioli are lifted is it worth while to keep the tiny wee bulbs that are found around some of the corms? If so, how should they be planted and when?—lt just depends whether you need them or not. If you have sufficient bmlbs for your purpose, then do not bother with the corinels, as these little bulbs are known. As a means of increasing stock they are useful, but otherwise they become a nuisance. They should be sown in drills in spring; August is a good month. Sow them like you would peas. They will come up quite freely the following autumn, when they can be lifted and < treated as ordinary corms. If well treated some will flower the first season, but the majority will bloom the second year. A.C.A. (Mount Eden) asks: What is the matter with my stock plants, once so healthy, now yellowed leaves and dying. Is this disease due to continued wet weather, insufficient plant food, or insufficient stirring of soil? I have given them lime and nitrate of soda?— The stock is dead with a bacterial disease known as wilt. The bacteria apparently enters the plant at planting time, through broken roots antf although wet weather may cauije a check and hasten the end, it can hardly be said to be the cause. The bacteria is in the soil, and sterilisation of the soil is the only sure cure. The use of naphthalene when the ground is dug is recommended. Pull out any plants showing signs of the disease and destroy by burning. GLADIOLI (Penrose) asks for advice re gladioli. I have some very choice sorts which did very well the season before last, but last season were not as good. The soil they were planted in is of a line loose nature. Is this soil suitable lor growing these plants, and what is the best preparation of soil, the best manure to use, and the best position for planting ?—The best preparation of soil is deep working. What is a suitable 6oil is a difficult question to answer, as good results with gladioli are obtained in almost all soils. Soil inclined to be heavy or "holding" as it is sometimes known actually give the best results. In a part 1 this may be due to it retaining moisture during the early part of the summer when flower stems are showing, a time when it is most important that the bulbs should not suffer from drought. With a light soil such as yours, watering would be necessary from the time the flower stems show, until the buds show colour fn regard to manure there is only one :han can be recommended, and that is lonedust added a week or so before slanting. When the plants appear above round a little superphosphate can be pplied. but the use of organic manures uch as horse, cow. pig or even green lanure and leaf mould is sometimes ceompanicd by adverse results and canot be recommended unless one knows lie soil and general conditions. In your ase I should advise the addition of ell rotted turf, and before planting the ulbs to well consolidate the soil by reading. As regards position, a place in nil sun Is required, shelter from heavy %inds is advisable when in flower, but ipart from this an open situation is tiest. There may have been other factors I affecting rour bulbs besides the soil disease such as scab or insects such as thrips may have been the cause. Let me know during the coming season more details and I may be able to assist you.