WORK IN THE ORCHARD

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 74, Issue 144, 20 June 1931, Page 7 (Supplement)

WORK IN THE ORCHARD

PRUNING THE TREES. Attention was drawn last week to the importance of pruning gooseberries land currants ami other bush fruits as they' mature and ripen. Following these come peaches, nectarines, .Japanese and European plums. The peach and nectarine are invariably the first of the larger fruit-boa ring trees to require treatment. In every case, however, it is essential that the wood be well ripen l ed before pruning is commenced. An | mil pruning is a very' necessary opera lion in fruit culture, its object bruit not only' to produce and maintain ■ shapely, well-balanced tree, but also I* increase its fruitfulness and the pro duction of fruit of the. finest quality. In pruning, a good deal depends upoi the treatment the trees have receiver , during the first two or three years o their growth, as it is at this lime tha . the foundation of the trees is hiid. I , is then by' judicious pruning that the character of the tree, is formed-. N< hard and fast rule can be laid dowi that can be applied to all fruit trees, m their requirements vary according t( ( variety, age and conditions of culture To prune to the best advantage th* operator should know what is require , to produce the best results. Peaches and Nectarines. In dealing with peaches and nccta rines, if the trees are in a healthy' grow ing condition, there is naturally a quan tity of wood showing flowering bud: that requires to be shortened buck. Thi 1 is the chief obstacle with many ama tour growers, who consider that the cut ting out or shortening of the shoot: showing flower buds will deprive then of fruit. The reverse, however, is in variably the case, for if one-half of the wood was removed from healtjiy grow ing trees, there would still bo an abundance of flowers left to develop and pro duce heavy crops. When, on the othe hand, they are left unpruned, few fruit ing trees deteriorate more quickly, a; they soon become tall, shabby speci mens with but a few straggling live shoots borne on the extremities of th< branches. It would he far better foi even the inexperienced pruner to prac tice a fair amount to allow the trees tc get into such a condition. I The pruning should consist in firs) removing all crossed and irregular branches as well as any sappy, super fluous growths, not necessarily all tin small shoots, as many of the short sturdy growths may he furnished witl

nearly all flower buds which may se and develop fruit. The stronger am loading fruit-bcaijing wood is invari ably furnished with triple buds, the twe outside buds producing flowers, the con tre being a wood or shoots-producinj bud. In pruning it is always safest t» cut back to just above these buds. A: the fruit of the peach and nectarine is produced upon the wood of the previou; season’s growth, it naturally follow that it is only in proportion to tin young growth made each season tha the fruiting wood is produced. Essentials to Success. Although the supply of young wooc is necessary for the production of fruit it is by no means the only essentia thing to ensure success, as the tree: will often make an abundance o growth and yet fail to produce fruit Varieties, of course, vary in fruitful ness, but in many instances failure r the result of the wood being insuffi ciently ripened to allow the fruiting buds to fully develop. LTiripened wood too, is often the cause of the buds drop ping. Both peaches and nectarines succcet best when trained with comparative!.’ low heads, as they are not so liable V injury from the severe, harsh winds tha so often prevail when the trees are ii blossom. Some shelter from such wind; is important. The shelter, however should be of such character as to pro vide protection from the prevailin’ winds in spring when the trees are ii flower, but not such as will exclude tin 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 are probably responsible for more peach failures than any other cause. Certainly, the leaf-curl plays havoc with the foliage when the trees are attacked ami often results in thq fruit dropping after it is well formed. This disease, however, is always worse and spreads more rapidly when cold, uncongenial weather is experienced. In almost every instance the more exposed trees suffer most from this disease. Precautionary measures should in any ease be taken by thoroughly spraying the trees as soon a> the. pruning is completed. In cases where old trees have been allowed to run away and have arrived at a fruitless stage, or are not producing sufficient to warrant their being left ui that condition, the best method is to cut the branches back to within about Ift. of the main stem. These by the end of next season will furnish an abundance of young, strong shoots, and form a new head.