CURRENT ORCHARD WORK.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19834, 3 January 1928, Page 4

CURRENT ORCHARD WORK.

SEASONABLE ATTENTION. Seasonable attention to the orchard si,ill includes spraying operations. Some varietiss of apples are particularly prone to the attacks of the mussel-scale, bark louse, and by the time tie fruit is harvested there" may fee dozens of these pests on any one apple. To prevent this the trees (and pear trec3 also that are harbouring these pests) should be sprayed with Black Leaf 40 at the strength recommended by the makers for this purpose, find a little soap may bo added to increase the effectiveness Oi this spray. The trank and main arms o/ fruit trees may bo practically coveted with scale pests in bad cases. Tlio host treatment in these instances consists of scrubbing these badly infested parts and then painting them with whitewash. Spraying measures should b6 taken as recommended above ta deal with the pests on the remaining parts of the tree. Other applications, which may be made new include a successions! spraying of arsenate of lead, 3oz. powder to ten gallons of water, administered to apple and pear trees in the control of codlin moth. After this anothe • application in about three weeks' time .should suffice to keep this pest checked for th'r season. When gathering the fruit, precautions must be taken, for this spray is a poison. The passion-fruit vines should! receive a spraying also, as insect pestt may be found 011 them. Too often tho vines are neglected totally when they a.ro almost teeming with insect pests. Sfeaiy bug is one of the chief posts to be found on the vines, hut there are seven*! fiber bac) pests also. An application of Black Leaf 40 or red oil emulsion, 1 in .13, jpny be made now, spraying the under, sides of , the leaves most particularly.