THE ORCHARD

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 75, Issue 280, 26 November 1932, Page 19 (Supplement)

THE ORCHARD

REGULATING CROPS. The season is again near at hand when some attention should be given to the thinning and regulating of fruit crops, for although nature usually docs its part in relieving tne tree of some of its burden, there are some trees that set more fruit than the trees can pro perly mature. In such cases thinning is really economy, for if allowed to be overburdened with fruit the trees not only produce fruit of inferior quality, but their energies are so overtaxed ami their growth so checked that little or no fruiting material is produced foi the next season’s crop. This especially applies to several varieties of Japanese plums and apples, or in fact, to any free-setting fruits. Probably in no case is thinning more necessary than with Japanese plums. Many of these trees set more fruit than they can possibly mature, and il allowed to hang produce fruit of such inferior quality as to be quite useless for either culinary or table use. If, however, they are thinned early, ioav ing only what the trees can fully develop and mature, their flavour is quite equal to many or the European varieties, while their cropping capabilities arc always more certain. Harsh wind, it is true, often docs its part in reducing the crop, but this kind of thinning is by no means confined to trees carrying heavy crops, but affects light and heavy crops alike. Rules for Thinning. In almost every garden or orchard there are some varieties that are bene fited by thinning; inferior fruit, in any ease, is of little value, while if grown simply for home consumption it is only the finest-matured and ripened ITui' that is appreciated. In thinning, the condition of the trees and their cap abilities must be carefully considered. Healthy, vigorous growing trees, for in stance, may carry and mature monfruit without their energies being over taxed than specimens that have been more or less exhausted by previous cropping or the want of liberal cultiva tion and manuring. In every case the. trees should be given the benefit of doubt existing in the matter of thin n ing. The full flavour of any fruit, ran only be obtained when it. is well grown and fully developed. Witn sue’i fruits as apples, there need be little or no waste in thinning, particularly if they are I useful cuttnary varieties, as they can I be thinned as soon as they have ol» tained a useful size and used for cook ing purposes.