Insects In .Apples

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30389, 13 March 1964, Page 7

Insects In .Apples

I enclose leaves from my o olden Delicious apple tree. The tree Is covered with a la rge ' ro P of apples, most or which have holes made by some insect. Could you inform me what steps I should take to combat these insects?—C.l. (Christchurch). Without seeing one of the ■pples it is not possible to say with certainty what is making inroads into the fruit. I suspect codling moth, the control for which is arsenate of lead, D.D.T. or sevin. It is. however, too late in the season to apply all out sevin. of the materials mentioned. It is advisable to follow a regular spray schedule if you have been regularly troubled by insect pests in the past. Having just moved into a new place, I find that there are numerous plants in the garden with which I am unfamiliar. Could you please identify those which I am enclosing?—J. McK. (Christchurch). 11) Hebe armstrongii. (2) Eupnorbia wuifenii. (3) Albizzia julibrissin. (4) Erica cruenta. (5) Abies pinsapo. Would you please tell me what is the matter with the enclosed boysenberries? They seem to reach a certain stage and then shrivel. The canes snapped well but onlv half matured. R.s. (Scarborough).

Downy mildew, or dry berry disease is the cause of the maturity failure of your' boysenberries and as it can be carried over from one season to another on the young cane growths, adequate spray protection is necessary where this disease is prevalent. As soon as the canes have finished fruiting, apply Bordeaux mixture. 1:14:1. When pruning, all old canes and young wood that is thinned out should be burnt. In spring it is recommended that lime-sulphur be applied followed by Bordeaux mixture again, and then, at approximately 14-day intervals, maneb. About five years ago I planted an Early Rivers nectarine tree, which in spite of good growth, has never borne more than a few flowers and no fruit at all. The tree is about Bft high, well shaped, and is sprayed and manured as “per book.” This year the top nine to is inches of growth does not bear any leaves. It is planted near a glasshouse and is well sheltered. What can I do to make it fruit?—“Nectarine” (Greymouth). Of importance in regards to successful and regular cropping of nectarines (and peaches) is pruning. As fruit is produced on one-year-old wood only it is necessary to cut out much of the spent wood and encourage maximum production of young growth. The lack of leaves this year suggests die-back which is a fairly common bacterial disease of stone fruit more often prevalent under poor weather conditions, on well-grown trees. Entry can be through any form of injury to the tree; there isn’t a control as yet. ~C an you please explain the distortions of the enclosed strawberries. I have two separate strawberry beds and both are producing similar fruit, plus perfectly shaped specimens on the same plant, there is no tendency for particular plants, or sections of the bed, to produce these distorted herries—the effect is general. Also enclosed some chrysanthemums which never fully open. Their petals begin to curl almost at the bud stage. The upper leaves are quite healthy but the lower ones are going brown and falling off. The plants are only one year old and have been sprayed with pyrethnum.— H.T. (Christchurch). The distortions of the berries ls Lar B ei y physiological and quite a common occurrence on fruit produced at this time of the year, particularly from plants established in the bed for more than one vear. Apart from making sure that the plants do not receive a check such as in allowing them to dry out. there is little that can be done to prevent it haopening. From your description of the symptoms, and an examination of your specimens, the chrysanthemums are being attacked by eelworms. Control on the plant can be achieved by spraying with parathion at the rate of 10 c.c. to one gallon of water. or. alternatively, schrodon at double the strength. If you intend to make any cuttings from your plants these should be immersed in water at 110 degrees F. for 20 minutes before setting out. It may also be necessary to spray the growing plants, as previously mentioned.

All readily-water soluble fertilisers such as ■ potash, superphosphate, nitrate of soda and sulphate of ammonia may cause severe germination injury to small seeds, especially under dry conditions.