THE ORCHARD

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXII, Issue 19365, 23 July 1925, Page 9

THE ORCHARD

THE PRUNING OF PEARS. Pear trees should be pruned in the same way as apples—by shortening (ill leaders by one-third and cutting back all laterals to within three to six inches of the previous year’s growth. It is difficult to got pears to crop immediately. Beauri Clairgo, Fertility and Bcaire Capcmont crop as soon as any, especially if the tree is planted in rich i land. Those varieties should be pruned ipver year, the same as lan apple. If the growth is strong, cut it back short: if it is inclined to be weak leave it a little longer. Most pears arc rather old before they crop. Those should, niter they hUve been pruned for the first five or six years, be allowed to grow as they like. A largo top will be lhe result, and they will graually grow Themselves out and start to crop. They may then be relieved of some of their surplus wood, but only a little at la time, as too hard pruning may be inclined to stop the tree cropping and l start it growing again. They may be I a little large to spray hnd prune, but the only way to induce them to crop and not to make wood is to let them have their head. Hard pruning must not be resorted to on fruiting trees. PLUMS. Plums are generally divided into two classes—the Japanese plums and the English or European plums. The Japanese varieties are sometimes called the poor man’s plums because they crop immediately. There used to be quite a number of these on the mtarket. but now the Burbank and the Satsuma are the two best known varities. When the Burbank is planted it should be cut well back. The next year the loading branches should be out black from one-third to half Ihe length, according to growth. If the growth is wealc cut half the length off; if it is strong one-third will bo enough. The laterals should be out back to six to nine inches. If this pruning is repeated every winter they generally start cropping straight laway. The Satsuma, which is very useful for preserving purposes, does not so! too well unless planted against a sunny wall, or in a very sheltered spot. If a Satsuma refuses to crop it is gen orally because it is planted in an unsuitable locality.

The English plums do not crop so quickly. They should be pruned in the same way as apples, pears, of Japanese plums. Lf they do not crop after the first four to six years the pruning should be reduced to the shortening or a. few of the loaders to prevent the trees growing too tall and straggly. If planted in rich land they will crop later than if planted in poor land. When they start to crop the pruning should begin again, but. not too hehvily. The aim should be to produce a crop of fruit and some new wood each year. English plums, if left to themselves, will crop too much, and cripple themselves. Therefore they should be pruned to prevent the crop being an excessively large one. If a tree overcrops itself one year it generally lifts no crop at all the following year. THE CHERRY” PLUM. This very popular plum, which is the first to ripen (after Primus Pissardi) is perhaps the easiest of all plums to grow. If planted in a corner it can be used as ft shelter for other trees as well as being useful for its own fruit. Shorten its leaders for the first two or three years and then let it go, and it will, take care of itself. The crop will vary according to the weather, etc., but it will always eftrry some fruit. It is not necessary to spray them, although sometimes they are better if sprayed a little to protect them from the leach. THE QUINCE. The quince should bo treated in the same way as the cherry plum. This tree should, if possible, be plftntcd in a moist situation, but this is not absolutely necessary, as it will do fairly well almost anywhere THE LEMON. Lemon trees do not need pruning locally as ft rule. If the tree gets too tall the growth may be stopped. See that the growth does not ftll grow on one side of the tree. It will fruit much better if evenly balanced. In a warm locality they need pruning, but in the YVanganui district they do not require a great deal of attention in this wav. The pruning should be done from the first week in Mtiy until the beginning of September. The spraying should be carried out before the buds start to open.