FRUITGROWING.

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 5 November 1913, Page 2

FRUITGROWING.

Published by W. A. Boucher in-the

Journal of Agriculture. GrREEN- M ANTJB.IN G.

While clean cultivation, during the spring and summer months is strongiy recommended, the fact that this tends eventually to deprive the soil of the humus so necessary in most classes of laud must not be lost sight of. In some districts autumn and winter growth is so rapid that by the time the spring ploughing is due the natural growth will be sufficient luxuriant to renew, when ploughed under, the humus required. In other localities, with soil less fertile, it will be found necessary at intervals to sow late in the summer some quickly growing crop, such as seradilla, oats, and peas, mustard, rape, red clover, and other leguminous crops, which must be turned under in the spring. It is undesirable in most classes of land to sow in spring for ploughing under in the autumn, for should a dry season ensue both trees and crop will suffer, the trees probably to such an extent that they will not fully recover in two or three seasons, Pruning. If the advice previously given with regard to the cutting-back at the timfi of planting has been followed, it is desirable during the season after planting that tho main growth should be inter*fered with as little as possible. It is, of course, necessary to remove suckers from the stock—such as the peach, for instance, will sometimes produce freely—and also shoots that may be furnished below what is destined to be the main-branch crown ; but, as abundant and healthy foliage is necessary for the development of both root and top, especially after the necessarily severe treatment to which the trees have been subjected when trans-; I planted from nursery to orchard, so rar from suppressing foliage by summer pruning or pinching, every effort should be made to encourage the production of vigorous leaf-growth. During winter or spiing following the young trees will need careful prun* ing, with the object of forming the permanent main-branch crown. Of the shoots formed, three of the strongest should be retained, and cut back to a bud 8 in, to 10 in. from their base, all other surplus shoots being- cut away cleanly to the main growth. In selecting the buds to cut back to, in the case of varieties showing a naturally compact habit preference will be given to those on the outside of the shoots, while in the case of t^hose ot straggling habit preference will be given to buds on the iDside of the shoots. By this means, to a large extent, uniformity of shape may be secured with varieties of diverse liabits of growth, and the tree? so formed that cultivation almost entirely by Lorse-implemeDts may be carried out without injury to trees or crop. During the second season after planting, summer pruning may be commenced with advantage—in fact, time that can be spared for and devoted to this work will later on be found to have been well spent. On 3of tlie principal objects of summer pruning is i to bring young trees into fruiting at an earlier period than would be the case if winter pruning alone were relied upon. In earring it into effect the growth of each tree must be considered , and the trees pruned in proportion to thi'ir vigor. In the case of strongs growing trees, from one-third to onehalf of the season's growth may be removed about tho month of January, the object being to check tho production of useless wood—which must in in any case be cut away at the' winter pruning—and, by diverting the sap from this purpose, cause the formation of vigorous fruit-spurs and plump strong fruit-buds. With trees of less vigour the pruning will be less severe, and in the case of weakly trees summer pruning should be avoided altogether, for the value of the leaf-growth to the healtli and vitality of the tree must never be lost sight of. and to remove foliage from a weakly tree will alu,ost eertaiuly do more harm than good. It must not be supposed that summer pruning will entirely suffice, for winter pruning- must follow in due course. The third and following season's pruning, both summer and winter, will be on much the same lines, although on a move extensive scale than chat of the previous season. So far the pruning of laterals —i.e., shoots that are produced along the ciain limbs and leaders -has not been dealt with. With vigorous growing trees of some varieties of fruits, overproduction of j laterals occasionally happens necessitating moderate thinning-out; but-, as a rule, by. proper pruning the majority in<vy be made fruit-bearing. With many varieties of the different classes of fvuits care should be taken not to prune the laterals too short. It should also be borne in uiind tiiat too severe thinning and cutting ot the laterals of strong-growing varieties when the trees aie young and vigorous, especially -when they are planted i?i rich soi], has a tendency to induce increased wood-production at the expense of the early fruit-ing which the tre^s are quite capable of and wnich most growers desire. A number c£ varieties of the different classes of fruits avo prone to produce fruit spurs and buds Svlien the trees are .still quite young, but there I are also maiiy other varieties where j the revorsp :s the ease, and it is in J j dealing- wi h thesn especially that :;nro* and judgment must be exorcised in both summer and winter pruniu"-