The Man on the Land.

Northland Age, Volume 2, Issue 43, 5 June 1906, Page 3

The Man on the Land.

PKUNING AND PLANTING. The fruitgrower will be a busy man for the next few months, preparing his orchard for next year’s crops. The orchardist is always providing for the day he may never see—his work is nearly always twelve months ahead of any other man’s, with, of course, varying results. To produce good fruit means careful attention to the pruning and cultural conditions of the orchard; careful observation, and constant attention accompanied by practical application is the only means to bring about successful results. Trees under varying conditions require corresponding treatment. A vigorous tree needs pruning differently from a plant growing under less robust circumstances. On strong wooded plants a greater quantity of wood must be removed, and the root must also be treated to a pruning process, so that the supply of sap may to some extent be controlled, otherwise if the top of a strong-growing tree he cut back and the roots are left untouched the consequence will be that the lessened branch area will be unable to elaborate all the sap that is pumped up from the soil, and strong water shoots will supervene when the sap begins to flow, and the resultant effect will be a gross growth of wood at the expense of the flowers and fruit. Therefore, the only way to neutralise matters is to root-prune during the winter season. Koot-pruning is always to be confined only to such trees as make too vigorous a growth ; it is unwise to root-prune in a promiscuous way. Nature always tries to .establish the balance between the root and the top, and it is usually local accidental conditions that produce abortive growth. The planting season is now upon us. All sorts of deciduous tree's may be planted and transplanted from now onwards for the next two months. Everybody thinks he can plant a tree. Just make a hole, take a hold of your plant, stand it in an upright position, shovel in the soil, and there you are! Well, in general principles- the foregoing is all right; but there are a few details and little items that greatly help towards the success of the after growth of the plant. In the first place, plants as we receive them from the nurseryman are seldom in a condition to be consigned to permanent quarters without being first attended to. As a rule you will find that most of the larger roots and rootlets are lacerated, tom or bruised. With a sharp knife all the damaged portions should be removed, even at the expense of a much restricted root area.

You can always balance the top by the aid of the knife in the spring if it shows weakness. Having dressed the roots, look over the upper storey of the plants, and if any of the branchlets are damaged remove them, and leave the top with an unblemished system so that the sap may have a free circulation when it begins to flow. Your plant is now ready to be planted. Make the place to receive it with considerable care, always remembering that the little fellow has to stop and feed in that particular place for all its life period ; it can only move about by means of its feeding roots, and these are restricted to a given area. Make its home, therefore, as congenial as possible. Pulverise every bit of the soil as deeply as is practicable, loosen up the bottom of the hole and let it stand upon a nice friable floor, and not upon bare rock or a hard clay pan. Spread out every fibre of the roots at right angles with the stem, and shake in the soil among them, firming it down gently. Here are a few of the ways you should not plant a tree : Don’t make a hole in the ground with crowbars and push in the plant. Don’t make a cut with Ja spade and stick in a plant. Don’t rake up a mound and put a plant on the top of it. There are lots of other ways that you should not plant trees, but those enumerated are a few of the worst. Another error that the amateur is apt to fall into is that of deep planting. The planter is apt to think the wind will blow the plant over, and he jams it about six inches deeper into the soil than it should he. Never put a plant deeper into the soil than just to comfortably cover the roots. No plant will thrive if the small feeding roots are beyond the reach of atmospheric conditions. Oxygen and other gases are highly necessary to the wellbeing of every plant; deep planting is, therefore, a danger, as the supply is curtailed. Of course as the plant gets older it sends its roots into congenial quarters, but in the initial stage it cannot do this.

Vines may be pruned as soon as the leaves have fallen in winter. The method of pruning depends largely on the class of vine and the results required. It must he kept in mind that grapes are borne on wood of the present season’s growth, issuing from a bud on wood produced the preceding year. The aim, therefore, is to leave a sufficient number of buds to produce bearing wood next season. Vines may be transplanted from June to August.