OLD NEGLECTED TREES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22142, 22 June 1935, Page 8 (Supplement)

OLD NEGLECTED TREES

CUT OUT CROWDING GROWTH Many keen gardeners removing to a new home find the garden filled with old, neglected, unprofitable fruit trees. When the trees are aged and badly infested with diseases and pests, it is very difficult to restore them to health and fruitfulness without considerable labour and cost. Trees obviously diseased should be grubbed up and burned, root and branch, and a clean start made with young trees, which will give far more satisfaction. Old trees are often unproductive and unhealthy owing to close planting, the trees presenting a thicket of entangled branches, which deprive each other of sufficient light and air to permit healthy and normal development. Drastic pruning and thinning out will effect an improvement in many cases. It may be necessary to grub up alternate trees and to considerably reduce the number of branches on the remainder. Crossing and crowded branches in the centre of the trees and dead and unhealthy growths should be clqanly amputated, and the tree brought into balanced and shapely form by the judicious pruning of straggly branches. Thinning the crowded part is more beneficial than cutting back large branches all over the tree, which only serves to encourage rank growth. The cutting should be sufficiently severe to allow sunlight and air to penetrate every part of the tree, even during the summer months, so that the wood will ripen satisfactorily, and the crop colour and mature normally. All large pruning cuts made during this operation must at once be sealed over with a coating of lead paint or tar, to prevent the ingress of disease germs.

TO CORRESPONDENTS W.H. (Thames).—Your letter received. Thanks for your appreciation. M.E.A. (Maungaturoto).—The specimen of unlive plant is Dysox.vlon Spectubile, commonly called " Kolie Kobe." " Rakau."—Lime will hava no effect in changing the colours of the camellia, but it will be beneficial to the soil. Camellia flowers vary on the same bush, and it is not unusual to find a pure white bloom on a tree of a striped variety or vice versa. Mrs. V.L.P. (Parakao).—We are not able to find any trace of the article you mention on the making of baskets, as having been published in the Herald. It is possible it may have been in some other journal which you read. . Interested."—Specimen for identification is Ligustrum yunnanense, one of the flowering privets, from central China. There are quite a number of these Eastern privets that make quite good garden shrubs and are distinct from the privets usually used as hedge plants.

Tnakau."—The seeds of the tree tomato can be sown in a box of sandy soil, they will come up much quicker if some heat is available, but if not sown until September, a sheet of glass over the box will provide sufficient warmth to ensure germination of the seed. M.1.W.—1. The botanical name of "Crepe Myrtle " is Lagerstroemia indica, and these shrubs do not flower until they are a few years old. The best time for pruning is immediately the flowers are past. Young plants previous to flowering should be lightly trimmed in winter to keep a good shape. 2. The fresh manure will do not harm at thiß time of year, while the roots are dormant. _ H.M. (Orewa).—lt is rather late for sowing a green crop now, or that would have been the best thing to improve the soil. If your climate is mild you may get sufficient growth by sowing now, to turn under early in spring, at least three weeks before planting. Mustard would be a good quick-grow-ing crop to sow. Give the land a dressing of sulphate of potash one cwt., super three cwt. per acre, well worked in before planting.

W.G.B. (Devonport).—l. Sulphate of ammonia used sparingly would do no harm if not put on the foliage, but ji better topdressing is well decayed cow or sheep manure that has become crumbly. 2. The plumbago can be pruned in winter as the blooms are produced in the current season's growth in summer. 3. The heights of the roses vary with the amount of pruning and also the treatment, so that it is not possible to give any definite height. 4. Yes if in a stock suitable for the soil. " Spray " (Waikato).—A good spray to remove moss and lichens from fruit trees is made up of caustic sod i lib., soap lib., water 10 gallons. Dissolve the soap and soda in boiling water two gallons, then makeup to the full quantity with cold water. This spray can only be used on leafless trees. The codlin moth will need to be dealt with by spraying with arsenate of lead when twothirds of the blossom has fallen, see also answer to " Nobite " in this column re tree banding. Put on the spray until it begins to drip from the branches. Just as the buds are beginning to burst in spring, spray with lime sulphur 1 in 30, again when the buds are pink but not open, the next spraying will be_ at the blossom fall when lime sul--1 in 100 may be combined with arsenate of lead, half an ounce per gallon of spray, as a preventive of both scab and codlin moth.

"Peach" (Kemuera).—Those growths on the peach not required for fruiting in the current season are pruned back to near the base as in (1). this will force out at least one young growth, which is pinched in summer at point X in (2). the subsequent summer growth giving the appearance of (2) at the next dormant season. By severing above a flower bud. further extension of the tip of that shoot is checked, and growth forced out further back n.earer the main branch. Each case must be taken on its merits, and you will find. that you will have ample young wood available at the next pruning to furnish your trees, then if a certain proportion is treated the same year as described, a continual succession of fruiting wood is kept- up, near the main branches. The authority you mention is a good one. but the work_ is spread over two seasons, while the advised method takes only one. " Con Moto —l. In August remove some of the surface noil from the aspidistra with a pointed 6tick, replace with fresh compost, composed of loam two-thirds, leaf soil onethird. with sand and broken charcoal. A sprinkling of bonedust is also an advantage. Do not exposed to strong sunlight and sponge the leaves occasionally with soapy water, rinsing off with clean water. 2. Same as preceding. 3. The tin should be large enough for a good plant. 4. A good soil mixture for hydrangeas is three parts loam, ono part peat, or leaf soil, with plenty of coarse grit. Feed with liquid cow manure when the buds are showing. 5. The use of animator artificial manures for cacti should be avoided. A little leaf eoil is permissible with some varieties, hut even then there 13 ? of decay if the soil becomes too w i 'i.i .' entv of broken brick or mortar nibble is good, and good drainage is essential. fi. Plants for hanging baskets: Tradescnntia zebnna, _ Anthericum variegatum, lmpatens Sultanii, Archimenes, Campanula isophylla. Fuchsias, trailing varieties. Lobelia Sapphire (trailing). Ivy leaf geranium, Petunias, Saxifraga sarmentosa, Heliotrope, Ihunbergia alata and Smilax. Nobite " (Waiuku).—The pyrethrum and cterris sprays are contact sprays, and it is necessary to reach the insect to effect a kill. As yet there is no more efficient contro for the codlin moth than the arsenate of lead, which is put on to poison the caterpillar as it bites its way into the fruit. It is more in the nature of a preventive. I do not know of any compound that could be sprayed on the trees to prevent the moth laying eggs in the first place. The moth will lay eggs also on the pear, quince, medlar and walnuts. Many of the larvae may be trapped by banding the trees with old Racking or corrugated strawboard, two bands one above the other are more effective than one. Commence to put on the bands in January, then many of the fully fed larvae from fallen apples will hide in the bands to spin their cocoons. By removing and burning the bands at intervals many will be disposed of. Large numbers of moths may be caught at, night by means of a light placed among the trees, standing in a pan of water over which a thin film of kerosene has been poured. All of these methods will aid in the reduction in numbers of this pest. I do not think tobacco water hung in the trees would deter the moths from laying eggs.

B.K.H. (Te Arohn).—The seeds of Omphalodes Luciliae should be sown as soon as gathered if possible. Sow thinly in light sandy loam in a cool greenhouse or frame, grow on until large enough to pot up singly, which should be done before they beconic crowded. Plant out in a sunny well-drained position on the rock garden, in sandy loam with a liberal admixture of mortar rubble. Slues are very fond of this plant bo precautions should be taken. 2. The pans containing the seeds of Lewisia are best covered with paper, as there is a danger of " damping " if covered with wlass, owing to the condensation of moisture dripping back on the seedlings. The paiiß should be placed in a cool greenhouse or a cold frame. The brick dust is not necessary when planting out. but the soil should be light and sandy with perfect draining. Protection from excessive raine should bo provided in winter by sheets of glass supported on wires. (3) If you are not provided with ample heat it would be advisable to leave the sowing of begonia until August or September. 4. The Schizocodons are rather difficult to raise from seeds, in fact it is a difficult plant to establish even from divisions of old plants. Most of the roots of Schizocodons grown in other lands are imported from Japan. The plants are inveterate lime haters, and if given a shady position under such shrubs a 9 rhododendrons they may be established. The seeds are sown in peat and sand and kept in a cold frame well (haded. K*po».