THE FRUIT SECTION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20242, 30 April 1929, Page 5

THE FRUIT SECTION.

CURRENT ORCHARD ,WORK. : Operations mentioned during the lust two or three weeks should be continued or completed when required or as soon as possible as the case may be. The orehardist will be having a busy time in a short while and every odd job should be carlied out beforehand. The orchard should be laid out in ridges or else in rows of mounds, as this facilitates drainage. Drains should run along the hollows between the ridges or between the lows of mounds.. As the water gravitates into the drainsi it carries with it a considerable amount of fine silt which is deposited. If the drains are i.ot cleaned out they may bo filled in more or less completely and the advantage lost.

It is time the drains were cleared out' in readiness for the winter season. It will probably be necessary to make entirely now drains as the sides of the old ones will most likely have caved in during the cultural operations carried out since last winter.

The drains consist of trenches about 9in. wide and the same in depth. It is only natural that there should be an outlet from each trench so that; the water can drain right off the orchard. It may be necessary to lay a 6in. clay-pipe in order that the water may be taken away without doing any damage to any other part of the orchard or the rest of the property. The cost of this is amply repaid by the good results obtained.