HINTS TO ORCHARDISTS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1262, 18 October 1911, Page 10

HINTS TO ORCHARDISTS.

LIVE STOCK SALES,

PLANTING-OUT AND CULTIVATION. The following; notre of interest to oreliardists are supplied to a northern ex-di-uiyo by 3lr. Hampson CaMors, oi Bioomfield, Dannevirky :—A number ol orcliardists that I have ssen hi New Zealand make two mistakes, oue in plaivi-injj-out aiul oaa in cultivation. All apj/lo trees do ivs*t require Uie same amount ot space, nnd I consider that it is a woste of ground to plant trees like Stunner, Cox's Orange, etc., 2011. apart. If the trees are pror.orly traineil and pruned 10ft. between is cnoiijfh for these varieties, or ISit. at the most, 1 have worked a Stunner orchard planted llift. apart on poor clay, and had no difficulty in cultivation." It is a self-evident fact that the moro tree? planted per acre (in roti son) the greater the return. The above orchard yielded an average of 700 bus-hcki per acre Tor years, the trees being in a perfect slate of health, ami the crop was always of good quality. An orchanlist oiijfht to arrange his planting in such a way that ho has his large-growing varieties' separated from his smaller-growing ones, Economy in space or land means more in Now Zealand than anywhere eke. A good idea is to plnnt separating rows of Bcurre do Cap penrs; thpss serve as n second breakwiml should tho orchard bo subject to strong winds. With regard to summer cultivation, it i« a great mistake to cultivate when ih" ground is clrv enoujrh to rniso dust, Yet I have spe-n clouds of it following the cultivators in mnny ore.lif.rds. The dust i* injurious to both foliage and fruit. Ac an instance f>f the harm dust-clouds ran do. I relate the following: We had fpiiro taken in one English shipment for Sffl) nnstw, and v.v had re-erved our New York Pippins to (ill it. A few weeks More tli« shipment ivo cultivated the ground (when it was dry, causing dust) to destroy 'ho wc-vls, and the eons-'ouenco was we hai'iv'." a clean tipple to ship. They were smoljirnTid in bl-ick spot. Wo lnd to buy apples to fill the space. We reckoned our loss at .£l5O. The best method of cultivation is to plough away from the tre a, and let it lay all winter, then in spring 'n Rross-plaueh up to the trees, and work deeply and fine, continuing the cultivation whenever necessary, but only when there is sufficient moisture iu the toil to provent dust Wowing. Another thing is th» cumbireomp hn=« and metal tubes umi in spr.".y;n<r. Small, siipnlc. light hose- and a few extra fcofof it (in-t/vw] of the tubes), nitl) n 4ft. or M. stick, say p. niece of rnke-luiuHo, is much n , .""! convenient. Tie the hose on to the stick once, ju.«t where the nozzle nnd hos? meet, allowing the head of the nozzle to project an inch cr eo. AVhoti u?inc, leather Hir ho c o and s+jck evenly in tho hand, slidinir the hand up and'down to suit the required di-tanco of rcneh. There ""•v nit FTin miieh in this but who cnvp (~-> i:ry it will find how much moro convenient it is. After nsi'iwj an nil always pump clean wafar through, to clean tho horo' Nothing rots hese quicker than oil sprays.

Messrs. Daljroly and Company report liavin? hold their weekly r-tocl; sale at, Wnipukurau yesterday, when they offercil ZcCQ sheen, and a rniall yardins; of catl.lc to a. small attendance of buvers. Fat cattlo were in trooc! demand. Phcpp, c-on-■.ktini nrincipr.llv of very cood horru'ets, woro passed at !4s. 3d. They emote as follows :-Fat bullocks. £9 10s. to £10 195.; fat cows, £4 15s. io £5 17?. 6ci.; three-year empty heifers, ,£4 6s. (A. Sheep: Fat owes, 15s. to 16s. 9d.; four-tnoth wc-thcre, 15s. 6d.; hoesets, Hi. to Ks. 3d.

Me.isrs. Dalcety and Co.. Ltd. (Falmcrston branch), report on their Fcildiiii; sale, held on October 13, as hclow:—A yarding of over Co€o sheep came to hand, coiifistine chiefly of hoiset. , !, and all lines changed hands, with the exception of two pens of shorns. A number of outside buyers were in attondnnco, and competition was keen throughout, ami prices highly Fatipfactory to vendors. Sheep: Inferior ewe lionets 10s. to IDs. Uri.; inferior wether liosTots, Ss. 10d.; small mixed ho-rsets, lCn.' ltd.; lrcdium mixed hogpects, 11s. 6d., 11s. 9d., 11s. lid., lite.-, medium ewe hos»cts, 11s. sd. Us. 9d.. 12s. 3d.. 12s. 5d.; good wether hoggets, 12s. 7d. to 135.; best wether hoggets lo 14.=. 2d. ; fair ewo hosgots, 12s. 7d.,' 12s. Ed., 12s. ltd.. 13s. 3d., 13s. Gd.; Rood ewe hoggets, 145. to 14s. 3d.; best ewe hosgets, 15s. 3d. to 153. 6d.; empty forward owes, los. Ed.; small two-tooth wethers, 13s. Bd.; light fat shorn ewes, 11s. led.; prime fat shorn eives, 12s. 6d.; two and four-tooth wethers, 17s. Id. Cattle came forward in good numbers, and pricer, were firm throughout the sale. Small yearling steers, £2 2s. 6d.; yearling heifers, £2 12s. to £3; yearling bulls, £4 to £5; small yearling bull, £2 Is. to £2 10s.; empty heifers, £3 2s 6d., £3 12s. 6d., £3 155.; eiEhtcen-montli3 steers. £3 11s.; bulls, £5; Jersey bulls, to £12 125.; empty forward cows, to £4 125.; light fat cows, to £5; backward dairy cows, lo £5 155.; springing cows, to £8 155.; three and a half-year bullocks, £6 16s.