FRUIT TREES IN THE KITCHEN GARDEN.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12082, 10 August 1917, Page 3

FRUIT TREES IN THE KITCHEN GARDEN.

SOME HINTS FOB AMATEURS. (By "FRUITICUS.") There are many people who, baring a, few fruit trees round about the house, and not professing to bare any knowledge of the fruit industry, arc at this season of the. year wondering what is best vo be done to keep thorn in as good a, condition as possible. Nothing is more delightful than having a low fruit trees in the garden, "where fruiti can he picked in season. They are a. source of interest and recreation, and can ho mado to produce good returns with a, small amount of trouble, providing the owner is willing to take that trouble. Unfortunately, so many people attach no value whatever to their fruit trees in the back garden, and consequently they soon become breeding grounds for all kinds of prsts and diseases, and prove a. menace to those who are willing to take an interest in their home and garden. Tliom- lew notes are penned with the. idea of helping the man who is willing to help himself. To go into details would be superfluous and probably tend to discourage, rather than encourage, since the man with a few trees is not relying on them for a living. Should the fruit trees in the garden be old and diseased through neglect, T would strongly advise rooting them out entirely, and replacing with healthy young stock. There will ho no fruit for a few years, but it will pay handsomely in tho long run. and it.ho owner will have, the satisfaction of knowing that he has trained them from youth up. and is thus entitled to all tho credit.

PRUXIXG. .As everyone knows, this is the time for cleaning up the garden in readiness for :rhe spring. Why not clean up the fruit trees? They need it just as much as anything else in the garden, and, in comparison, avill pay just as well for the trouble taken. They need pruning, and a<s a general guide for the inexperienced, it is well to remember that hard cutting promotes growth and a light cutting has a tendency towards fruit. It is with slight reticuico that. the. above axiom is given, for so many are anxious to produce fruit at the ox--1 pernio' of the. tree, and therefore, cut lightly. Of course, Unit is not the way to keep the trees in good condition year after year, and consequently it is hoped 'that "the trees will be cut properly without any prejudice. ' A good plan to follow is to cut off about two-thirds of the past, season's growth if an average growlh has been made, if less, then the cuts inusit b ft harder. Everyone, can toll whether a tree is growing well or not., and whether it needs hard pruning to promote; growth! On the other hand, snme trees may be going aU_to wood, when, from their age they s'lmnld be producing fruit. Tn such cns.es light cutting is preferable, but cutting out entirely anything not required in the tree. Again, some trees may lie covered with fruit season after season, and make practically no growth. In all probability flic owner will have noticed the fruit "dwindling in si/.e. as well as being inferior in quality to the previous year's. The. tree, if old. may be covered with fruit spurs, if so. prune the spurs hv cutting parts of them off, and in. some cases the whole spur. Tins will give th 0 trees less work to do with re-; card to the production of truit, so that more energy can be asserted to induce, wood growth with the r. suit that a lot of new wood will appear. The fnnt IoU to mature will also be much larger, and of finer qualify. . The difference between a leaf ami fruit bud should be noted. Tlio leaf bud usually being small. tying flat against the brunch, and pointed. whibVthe frnir. bud is largo, more or round, and plump. <-'ut. u \ :l , loi,t bud on all main branches, and wherever crowth is required. I Ins is not al possible, especially when trees have been left unprtmrd for a lew seasons. In such esi:-™ cut to a, fru.it bud and elip off the top of the bin-, when it will usually throw out a wend growth in the spring. If not. pinch out the blossoms when they appear, and growth will start, Cut out entirely all growths not required in the tier., crossed branches, etc., and let all the cuts be as clean as possible to prevent any pest or disease getting a bold. Study ilie shape of the tree, and ii an upright grower, inclined to (ill up ihe centre, cut U: an outside bud to throw the growth outward- U spaces need tilling,' cut to two side buds, when two brandies will be the result. in any case k><>op the tree open in the centre, so that light' and air can penetrate and mature the fruit, just as well there, as on the otiiside of the tree. if peach or nectarine lives are' being-dealt with, cut out all the dead wood", a good lot of which appears every year. Should the trees bo filled Avith laterals, cut back about oii'e-half of them to the base bud, selecting them wisely, and allow the others to remain to provides fruit and spurs for the, coming season. By cutting the others back, new growths will shoot out from the base buds lo provido for fruit the following season. "When wishing to promote growth, cut either to a single or triple bud, the) double ones usually being fruit. Practically the. same course is followed when dealing with the plum. ( After tho trees have been carefully pruned, give them a thorough spraying, for good fruit cannot ho grown on a diseased tree, however good the pruning. If there arc any insert pests a good application H' red oil will be bciuclicial, but should ihe tree only .require a. thorough cleansing, then lime sulphur solution will be tho best. \\nv good recognised brand will do, and the directions are always given. If not, no dr.nbt the orchard instructor for tho district will be pleased lo supply them. AA'ith stone fruits, which are more subject to fungus disease than insect pests, Hordeaux mixturei or lime sulphur should take the plnc.r> of red oil. Dig well round the tr<'o. especially where they have been neglected, and apply a liberal supply of well-rotted stable manure, if available, ofherwisK'j from lib to .Sib cf blood and bone manure, distributing it well out from tlio trunk of the tree, thus making it available, for the feeding roots. The above notes practically cover all that can be done at this time of tho year. The owner of a few trees has only to take an interest in them, ask himself the why and wherefore of certain operations, applying a good measure of common-son.se, and results will! be sure to follow. Oilier notes will appeal as tho season advances.