LIME IN THE ORCHARD.

Otago Witness, Issue 2809, 15 January 1908, Page 10

LIME IN THE ORCHARD.

The value of lime in the orchard and its effect as a fungicide was recently reforrod to by Mr S. Kinner, a Now South Wales orehardist. He observed: — " Spme years ago I took over a property in which were planted some young 1 trees. Many of them were nearly dead with scale, aphis, black fungus, or smut. Some I cut down close to the ground, and the others I sprinkled with dry lime (quick lime or slaked lime) during a slight shower, and in two weeks the trees had put out young shoots, and are to-day fine, healthy trees. I have thrown lime over them three times altogether in nine years. I could estimate that treating each tree cost 6d. Everyone is surprised) at the healthy, clean appearance of my orange trees. My* opinion always has been that one of the principal I causes of disease in fruit trees is want of lime in the soil. If orchardists would | only give their orchards a good dressing I of" lime they would surprise themselves as I well as the inspectors. The waste lime j from acetylene gas is quite as good, or even better, and should be used in a liquid , stale, " and applied with a spray pujnp. | There is no danger of it hurting the foliage !or fruit I have also found it a remedy for I th© small ladybird, or beetle, which sometimes attacks orange trees in myriads, >and clears off both leaves and fruit when it is setting. My trees were attacked two years | ago. I threw lime over them, and the little pests^ were soon crawling under th 6 i trees and dyjng, and in a few days -Jie j trees were quite free 5 and I have not been troubled with them since. I used to use resin and soda mixture before I found out the lime remedy; but you don't catch mo at that game now."