GRAFTED AND BUDDED FRUIT TREES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17294, 18 October 1919, Page 3 (Supplement)

GRAFTED AND BUDDED FRUIT TREES.

Trees that have been headed back and regrafled. as well M those that were budded during the summer-, will now need careful attention. All grafts that have taken will by this time have started into growth, and must bo carefully examined to see that the ties are not cuttine into the wood. If there is any signs of cutting the ties should be loosened, though not finally removed until the union is complete, and there is no risk of the graftees being broken off by the winds. A.'l side shoots that grow "out below where the grafts have been inserted must be re moved from time to time as they growThis applies equally to budded trees; the fact of cutting hack the trees or branches to just above where the bud h.«« been put in, results in numbers of young shoots

starting to grow out below the buds, which if allowed to remain must naturally weaken the growth of the bud. In cases when the grafts have failed, a sufficient number of shoots should be left for summer budding, to form a shapely tree. Prospects jlor Fruit. The spring weather up to the present has been most favourable for most varieties of fruit trees. There has not been so much of the cold harsh winds thai usually prevail when the trees are in blossom. Peaches and nectarines have blossomed freely, and the trees look healthy and promising, although, as far as the crop is concerned, it is premature to judge, as failures often occur even after the fruit is set. Stone-fruit Growing. The difficulties so often experienced with these fruits is the damage caused by the leaf curl, for although judicious winter and spring spraying does much to obviate the difficulty, it does not finally remove it, providing very adverse weather conditions are experienced during their earlier stages of growth. To grow these fruits successfully they must have protection from the cold south and southwesterly winds, as well as good' cultivation. % Apples, Pears, and Plums. Apples, pears, and plums, though later th*ri usual in flowering, show remarkably well, and should favourable weather continue should set heavy crops of fruit. The orchardists, at any rate, will soon be kept fully employed, as the time is almost at hand when measures will have to be taken to check the ravage* of the various pests that attack the "fruit and foliage of many orchard trees. What with codlin moth, leech, woolly aphis, black iiphis, red spider, leaf rollers, scales, and ether pests and disease, it is onlv by persistent effort and by the judicious application of remedial measures that the trees can be kept in a clean, healthy condition. The Codlin Moth Pest. With pip fruits, the codlin moth is the most destructive pest to deal with, yet by spraying the trees at the proper time and at regular intervals most of the fruit can ha kept free from their attacks. There are tar too many people who fail to take any measures to destroy these pests, and not only suffer considerable loss themselves, but greatly add to*the difficulties of the more energetic growers. Neglect of even a few trees forms a nursery for the breeding and spreading of all kinds of pestsArsenate of Lead Spray. Arsenate of load is the best material to spray for the destruction of this pest. This .should now be obtained, so as to bein readiness for spraying immediately the. insect commences its work. In spraying all pip fruits, the first dressing should be applied as soon as the blossoms have fallen. This necessitates going over the* trees at different times, as some of the varieties flower much later than others. -Make it a rule to apply the first dressing shortly after the blossoms have fallen, and followed at regular intervals while the fruit is growing. One or two dressings is of littlo value in dealing with a pest of this kind, particularly if the weather is at all showery. Benefits of Spraying. A littb onersry and judgment is all that is needed for success, and as the arsenate of lead not only destroys the oodlin moth, but brown beetle, leech, in fact, any leaf or fruit-eating pest, it should surely stimulate all fruitgrowers into action. Appliances suitable for spraying either for small or largo orchards, as well as the material, with full directions how and at what strength to apply, can be obtained at any of the seed merchants, so that the work is made comparatively easy, and can be safely applied by anyone "using a little judgment. Manuring Newly-planted Trees. All newly-planted trees should now receive a good top-dressing, if not previously done. Stable manure is decidedly the best for this purpose. This, however, is not always practicable, so that grass or other suitable material should be used as a mulch to check evaporation and assist to retain moisture about the roots, which will greatly assist growth. Small Fruits. Small fruits, such as gooseberries, currants, loganberries, and others, are especially benefited by mulching. Those are naturally surface- rooting piants, and consequently feel the effects of dry weather much more, quickly than deeper-rooting plants would do. Mulching, too, not only retains the moisture and assists the bushes to mature their fruits, but obviates the necessity of hoeing or digging around the plants to, destroy weeds-

ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. j " Amateur," Cambridge : Asparagus be- I longs to the natural order Liliace«, and i is quite distinct from the order Filices, i or ferns. An exhibitor staging any j species of asparagus as a fern would or [ should be disqualified. They are amongst ! the most elegant of foliage plants, and : probably on account of the graceful foliage ! of the variety Tenuiesimus it has er- I roneous'y been spoken of as asparagus fern. ! Asparagus ■ officinalis is the vegetable j specie*, of which there are several well- | known D&UHu kinds. The shrubby kinds j so well known for decoration and cutting are natives of South Africa. Another correspondent has written re the above. A.C, Cambridge :No permit or license j is required for growing and selling cab- ! bage,. onion, and other vegetable plants, ; tomatoes excepted. Annual, biennial, and I other flower seedlings may also be grown ! and sold without registration. Experi- j ments have proved that a during of sulphur along the drills is beneficial when sowing seeds. In soils deficient in iron a ] dressing with sulphate of iron would j assist the growth of potatoes, etc. Seedsmen and storekeepers usually stock sulphate of iron and sulphur. "Anxious:" Bumble beee are accountable for broad bean flowers not setting. They drive their proboscis into the flower and destroy the fertilising properties. They are destructive upon the flowers of several other plants, notably those of the long, bell-flowered ericas or heaths. J.P.E.. Paparoa: As you remark, for the benefit of new-chum farmers, maizegrowing is a most profitable crop. The labour and expense is small in comparison with other crops. It will not succeed on clay land. On alluvial flats nothing pays as well. October is the best month to sow for cobbing, and about a month later for green feed, with successional j sowings to come in before froets occur. Ninety-day maize is the beat variety for ' cobbing, and Hickory King for green | feed. After gathering the cobs cattle may ! be turned in. They will eat the stalk's ' down to the ground, and leave the ground : clean for ploughing. Opotiki, Whakatane, | Tauranga, and other Bay of Plenty districts are noted for maize-growinc." "Pears," Avondale South: To enable pear trees to carry and properly ripen j their fruits it is necessary to preserve ' the foliage intact from the ravages of i insects. To do this proper attention must I be paid_ to spraying for cherry or pear j slug. Keeping the trees in a good growing condition is essential. A dressing of nitrate of soda around the trees greatly assists in setting the fruits and their holding when set. Thie should be applied when the flower buds make their appearance. Later an application of orchard manure will further the growth j and development of the fruits. j N.S., Ponsonby : Name of dwarf shrub W N> purple, daisy-like flowers is Felicia I This busby little shrub is i now laden with the utmost profusion of flowers, presenting a rnafls of colour. It ', is easily grown, and well worthy of a j place in every garden. " | Kkpos.

Recent experiments tend to show that members of the cabbage family can avail themselves of the stores of potash already in the soil to a greater extent than most other crops, and this circumstance should be borne in mind while potash is scarce 'in heavy si.'ils and soils rich in organic matter, basic slag may replace, superphosphate, particularly in districts with a good rainfall. The quantity used shotuld be from one and a-half times to twice as much as is recommended in the case of superphosphate.