FARM AND GARDEN

Dunstan Times, Issue 2216, 12 January 1904, Page 3

FARM AND GARDEN

♦ . ORIGINAL ARTICLES. The Apple * -Time of TEANSPLANTING-pEOr., GATING CeOS3* ino Seed sowing How to being QUICKLY TO A BEAEING STATE—PeOPA qation by Cuttings—Gbaftino and Inoculation Rinds of Gbaftino Stock Where the Apple Tebb theives— Mode of bearing—Peuning— Pests. Apple trees may bo transplanted at various ages ; as they bear this process at a greater age than any others the time of transplanting may bo in any open weather flaring the winter period. The propagation of apple trees is accomplished by seeds, cuttings, suckers, layers or ingrafting; in raising from the seed care should be taken in the. choice of the fruit and varieties. The sorts of apples proper for crossing or reciprocal impregnation appear to be those which have a great many qualities in common and some different qualities. Thus, the Golden Pippin has been crossed by other pippins or rennets, and not by calvils or codlings. A small sized apple crossed by a large sort will bo more certain of producing a new variety than the abive mode, but will be almost equally certain of producing a variety destitute of valuable qualities, the qualities of parents of so opposite a nature being, as it were, crudely jumbled together in the offspring. A method some time since was practised as follows : In the blossoms of the variety to be impregnated the stamens were cut out early, and, after the pistil was mature and ready for the pollen, this was introduced from stamens of another variety. In this ,way by impregnating the Orange Pippin with the pollen of the Golden Pippin were produced the Dowtoa Red and Yellow Ingestrie and Grange Pippins. The seeds may be sown in autumn in light earth, covered an inch, and either in beds or in pots. They should be transplanted out at the end of the first year. The quickest way to bring them to a bearing state is to let the furnished with lateral shoots from the ground upwards, so disposed as that the leaves of the upper shoots may not shade those situated underneath, pruning away only trifling shoots. In this way fruit has been procured from seedling apples at four and five years of age, instead of waiting several years, as in ordinary cases. By cuttings every variety of apples may be propagated. Trees raised in this way from healthy one year old branches, with blossom bods upon them, will continue tc go on bearing the finest fruit in a small compass for many years ; and are not liable to canker, probably because they spread out their roots horizontally and do not send down a long tap root. The cuttings are to be chosen from the young wood of horizontal or oblique branches from six to eight inches or more in length, with a small portion of old wood at the lower end ; the tip of the shoot is to bo cut off, and all their buds except two or three next the tip ; the section at the lower end is then to be smoothed and the twig inserted three or four inches in sandy loam, covering with a glass, and watering and shading them. The proper time for this operation ig during the winter period. Grafting and inoculation may be said to be the universal practice in propagating the apple. There are five kinds of s'.ock on which the graft may be inserted : Seedling apples, used for full standards and riders or wall standards ; seedling crabs for standards or half standar s ; codliu apples from layers or cuttings for dwarfs and espaliers; Paradise apples or doucins from layers or cuttings for low dwarfs, trained, and creeper apple* from layers or cuttings for the best dwarfs or bushes. A preference has generally been given to apple stocks raised from the seeds of crabs or the native tree, as being mere hardy and durable than those produced from apple seedlings. The offspring of some varieties of the crab, particularly that introduced from Siberia, vegetate much earlier in the spring and hasten on to maturity sooner in summer than other species of more temperate climes, and hence it was at first supposed that such stocks would continue to accelerate the grafts put on them in a similar manner ; this, however, is found not to be the case, the stock being entirely subservient to the influence of the branches. The operation of ingrafting will be described hereafter. The apple tree thrives best in a rich deop loam or marshy clay, but it will thrive in any soil, provided it is not too wet or too dry. It succeeds best in situations .which are neither high nor remarkably low ; in the former its blossoms are frequently injured by cold winds, and in the latter by spring frosts, particularly when planted in the lowest part of a confined valley. In all the varieties of the apple the mode of bearing is upon small terminal and lateral spines, or short robust shoots, from half an inch to two inches long, which spring from the younger branches of two or more years’ growth, appearing first at the extremity and extending gradually down tho side; the same bearing branches and fruit spines continue many years fruitful. Pruning: Apple trees do not admit of shortening in the general bearers, except when' grow out ot order or irregularly, may be pruned, as where a good shoot is contiguous to a vacant space. But to shorten without such motives is not only to cut away the principal bearing part of the branches, but gives encouragement to the putting forth of many useless woody shoots. 1

Where Trait spines would otherwise arise. Espaliers and wall trees require more flatting, both in summer and winter, as well £1 training into particular positions; all its beat fruit spines are carefully retained, and the loose and useless shoots lopped off. Apple trees are very liable to injuries Byr insects, as the apple bag or woolly aphis—s minute insect with a long cotton-like down, ' which lives in the chinks of the bark, whero it multiplies rapidly. It may be destroyed by anointing the trees with sprit of tar or carefully freeing the branches of all loose bark and sponging or syringing with lime water. —V ' ' - . TUHKEYS. Turkeys* eggs hatch in four weeks after setting. Strong eggs hatch out several days earlier. Take young turkeys from the nest as soon as they are dry, to prevent them from mashing, wrap them up and keep in warm place, Give no food for a day and night; there is a residuum of yolk to be absorbed and voided. Too early feeding interferes with this process. When all the eggs have hatched, remove the turkeys to a temporary coop. Burn the nesting straw, whitewash pen and boxes, sprinkle with kerosene wash if vermin are suspected. Grease heads, throat and under the wings of old turkeys. Grc-a:e with lard or unsalted grease all the small turkeys and return them to the pen, and feed for first week hard boiled eggs chopped fine, chopped lettuce and onions, raw or boiled. Feed hens grain and some soft food. For regular feed after first week make curds of buttermilk or clabber, scalded and pressed from whey. Sprinkle occasionally with red pepper. Also food plain com cake, unsalted, crumbled fine and moistened with a little water or sweet milk t these are the proper foods for young turkeys. Feed four or five times a day, in an earthenware piste or vessel. Turkeys are fastidious as to platters and food. If eggs are not practicable for diet for the first week substitute the curds. Do not give raw meal dough, buttermilk or sour milk. These produce diarrhoea, and this disease is the mortal foe of the turkeys.