ORCHARD WORK FOR JUNE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLVIII, Issue XLVIII, 29 May 1914, Page 3

ORCHARD WORK FOR JUNE

(IJv Y\ . A. Boucher, in "Journal of Agriciilt lire.) The month oi' .June io ut busy one a: far as orchard work generally is- con terned. Consignments cf trees \v;ll 'lx coming to hand to be planted out in tin orchard rows when soil and ilimatic conditions prove suitable. Of late yeai'i many nurserymen have adopted satisfartorv measures for the contnl of tin pests and diseases attacking fruit an< other trees, and are thus :n a positioi t . deliver their nursery stock as far a;possible in a clean and healthy condition. thus saving the purchaser any further trouble in this respect either before or after the planting-out in the orchard. But should the necessary treatment not have been effected before the delivery of the trees, then it will devolve upon the purchaser to take such precautions as will be effective both for the control of insect-pests and fungus diseases. For the control of ins?ct-pests it i.->- aenerallv recognised that red o:l emulsified and diluted gives excellent results, and for fungus diseases the Bordeaux mixture. 1 n leave th<_ treatment- of nursery stock until after the trees have 'been planted, involves much unnecessary expense and labour. A thoroughly satisfactory metnod is to prepare the necessary mixtures in n cask or seme other suitable vessel, and. holding tlie nursery trees in sny>ll bun dies with the rools Tipwardis, dip in such a Tr.anner that every portion will be well covered exceut tho-e parts whiih have been below ground before bi iiiLj lifted from tin- nursery rows. Kor «ilmost all cla.'ses of dec d none fruit-trees it is essential that the Bordeaux mixture should be in the autumn or < arly winter, while the trees pie still finite dormant, bv the application of the red oil emulsified and diluted. The Bordeaux mixture of v inter strength is recommended i.e.. 101b sulphate of topper. 101 b fre-sh roche lime. 43tral. of water: the red oil in the proportion of 1 part of o 1 to 12 parts of water. The reason for this method ■r f disinfecting nurserv stock will no doubt, be obvious, for luge numbers of trees can be treated effectivelv and economicallv in a short time without , any waste fif the compounds recommended : but if disinfection be deferred until rftcr the trees have been planted out in tho orchard, the process of spraying each individual tree will occupv m-ueh time and also- involve considerable waste, of the .spraying compounds used.

P.ED OIL- FOR SPRAY INT". FRUTT TREES.

From the rerults, or, rather, the ab sf-nce of satisfactory results, following upon tlie dipping of nursery stork and the spraying of matured' trees in the on hard one must conclude that some of tho<;e who have used red oil for the control of such pests as mus.se] scale and red spider have purchased a cheap and inferior article. Reference ha? r oetn made before in the pages cf the ",Jourto the necessity of selecting for spraying purposes compounds that have been well tried and well-proved. Otherwise fmanc:a-l loss must result- to the grower, for, whether hi". crop be destined for the local or for '.' ie oversea market:', the question of freedom from infection by the- abr>v?-nv,.itionec! pests must certainly arit-e. spraying peaches and NECTARINES.

Even now there are growers in some districts who do not realise the importance of keeping peach and nectarine trees protected as far as possible from the attack of fungus diseases. It has r neen proved repeatedly that 011 iv bv careful and thorough spra\Tiig w'h the Bordeaux mixture can these p-.pulai fruits be maintained in health and vigour. Growers are recommended to spray as soon as possible after the leave; have fallen with the Bordeaux mixture winter strength, and to repeat the application when the buds have commenced to swell. ■MUSSED SCALE. RED SPIDER, AND' MEALY BUG.

It has been noticed that in di.-trictr previously comparatively free mucse 1 scale and' red spider have 'been steadih on the/increase. In yiew of the export trade to oversea markets. which i available for clean sound fruit, esnecially apples, it would seem desirabl' that all anple orchards should- be spray pd with the red oil emulsified and diluted. in order to check infection al ready existing and prevent any furthei spread of such infection. CHERRY LEAF SCORCH. Since grow pi's have adopted the Tesju lar use of the Bordeaux mixture fo; t-he spraying of cherry-trees this -disease has been much less :'ii evidence. Thi first, application should be made as sooi as possible after the leaves have fallen. THE LOION OROHARD. Attention may again Tie drawn to tin fact that the brown-rot of the lemon it a fungus which thrives and increase: during the cold wet weather of w intei aixl early spring. Unless precaution, against infection are taken it is quite possible for a- crop or a large percentagf of the fruit to be ruined l within a short spare of time. The treatment recommended is to apply as a scil-dressint round about the trees from 21b to 41b of rulphate of iron per tree, according t< the size and age of the treee. and aire to spray the trees with the Bordeaux mixture, summer formula.