WORK IN ORCHARD.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20898, 13 June 1931, Page 8 (Supplement)

WORK IN ORCHARD.

PRUNING THE TREES. Attention was drawn in last' week's notes to tho importance of pruning gooseberries and currants and other bush fruits as they mature and ripen. Following these come poaches, nectarines, Japanese and European plums. Tho peach and noctarine are invariably the first of the larger fruit-bearing trees to require treatment. In every case, however, it is essential that tho wood be well>ipened before pruning is commenced. Annual pruning is a very necessary operation jn fruit culture, its object being not only to produce and maintain a shapely, wellbalanced tree, but also to increase its fruitfulness and the production of fruit of the finest quality. In pruning, a good deal depends upoD the treatment the trees have received during the first two or three years of their growth, as it is at this time that tho foundation of the trees is laid. It is then by judicious pruning that the character of the tree is formed. No hard and fast rule can be laid down that can be . applied to all fruit trees, as their requirements vary according to variety, age and conditions of culture. To pruno to the best advantage the operator should know what is required to produce the best results. PEACHES AND NECTARINES. In dealing with peaches and nectarines, if the trees are in a healthy growing condition, there is naturally a quantity of wood showing flowering buds that requires to be shortened back. This is the chief obstacle with many amateur growers, who J consider that the cutting out or shortening of tho shoots showing flower buds will deprive them of fruit. The reverse, however, is invariably the case, for if onehalf of tlie wood was removed from Wealthy growing trees, there would still "be an abundance of flowers loft to develop and produce heavy crops. When, on the other hand, they are left unpruned, few fruiting trees deteriorate more quickly, as they soon become tall, shabby specimens, with but a few straggling live shoots borne on the extremities of the branches. It would be far better for even the inexperienced pruner to practice a fair amount of hard cutting back each season than to allow the trees to get into such a condition. The pruning should consist in first removing all crossed and irregular branches as well as any sappy, superfluous growths, not necessarily all tho small shoots, as many of tho short, sturdy growths may bo furnished with nearly all flower buds which may set and develop fruit. The stronger and leading fruit-bearing wood is invariably furnished with triplo buds, tho two outsido buds producing flowers, the centro being a wood or shoots-pro-ducing bud. In pruning it is always safest to cut back to just above these buds. As tho fruit of the peach and nectarine is produced upon the wood of tho previous season's growth, it naturally follows that it is only in proportion to the young growth made each season that tho fruiting wood is produced. ESSENTIALS TO SUCCESS. Although tho supply of young wood is necessary for tho production of fruit, it is by no means the only essential olliing to ensure success, as the trees will often make an abundance of growth and yet fail to produce fruit. Varieties, of course, vary in fruitfulness, but in many instances failure is the result of tho wood being insufficiently ripened to allow tho fruiting buds to fully develop. Unripened wood, too, is often the cause of the buds dropping. Both poaches and nectarines succeed best when trained with comparatively low heads, as they aro not so liable to injury from the severe, harsh winds that so often prevail when tho trees are in blossom. Some shelter from such winds is important. The shelter, however, .should be of such character as to provide protection from tho prevailing winds in spring when the trees are in flower, but not such as will exclude tho light and air that is so necessary during the autumn for the proper hardening and ripening of the wood. WEATHER IN THE SPRING. The cold winds in the spring aro probably responsible for more peach failures than any other cause. Certainly, the leaf-curl plays, havoc with tho foliage when tho trees arc attacked and often results in tho fruit dropping aftor it is well formed. This disease, however, is nl ways wo is 3 and spreads more rapidly ivheri cold, uncongenial weather is experienced. In almost every instance the more exposed trees suffer most from this iiseaso. Precautionary measures should in any case be taken by thoroughly sprayng tho trees as soon as the pruning is ;ompleted. In cases whore old trees have been illowod to run away and have arrived at i fruitless stago, or are not producing mflicient to warrant their being left in hat condition, the best method is to cut ho branches back to within about Ift. if the main stem. Theso by the end >f next season will furnish an abundance >f x°ung, strong shoots, and form a new lead.