THE ORCHARD.

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume XII, Issue 3, 20 March 1916, Page 225

THE ORCHARD.

J. A. CAMPBELL,

Assistant Director, Horticulture Division.

THE SPRAYING PLANT. The end of March practically sees the close of spraying operations for the season.” ■ Although in very hot and dry seasons some growers take the precaution of spraying for codlin-moth early in April, this is hardly necessary unless conditions are very exceptional. The spraying-outfit should not be required again till the late autumn or early winter comes on. Advantage should therefore be taken of the opportunity to thoroughly overhaul, clean, and repair the plant where necessary. Renew all worn washers, valves, nozzles, &c. See that the hose is left in sound ■ working-

order. All these matters can' be better attended to now whilst the defects are fresh to the mind than if left until plant is required for use. . . 1 ”• ■ HARVESTING. The principal work in the orchard for some time will be in harvesting the later varieties of apples and pears. Fruit intended for storage- for ■ any length of time, either in cool storage or otherwise, should be. very - carefully handled. Bruised or injured fruit, particularly if the skin is broken, fails to keep satisfactorily. In fact, skin-punctured fruit will, under certain conditions, rot in a few days. The conditions which result in this are the . wrapping of the fruit in paper and packing it while the wound is still fresh. The confined atmosphere of a . packed case is all that 4 is required to set 1 up a damp mouldy action on the injured part, resulting in rapid decay. Skin-punctured fruit, often the result of rough handling at picking or when carted in bulk over rough roads, is very easily overlooked at sorting. Fruit wrapped and packed as above stated often rots in a few. days when on the market, greatly to the surprise of the packer. This class of - fruit, too, is often responsible for the half-dozen or so of decayed fruit so - often found in an otherwise sound case after being cool-stored for some time. - ' - COVER-CROPS. Cover-crops, particularly those intended for ploughing-in in the early winter, require to be sown as early as possible, so as to assure a good start whilst conditions are still favourable; otherwise poor growth is likely to result throughout, such crops at the end of the season being of comparatively little value for the purpose for which they are required. Sowing during March usually provides . the best opportunities for raising a satisfactory crop; but where this has not been done the work should be attended to as early as convenient in April, x.. . Practically all soils are improved by the addition of humus such ,as> is provided by the ploughing-in of a cover-crop. Sandy and > light, soils ; are enriched, and their moisture-containing power is considerably increased. Heavy soils are rendered more porous, friable, and . easily drained. ■ In all. cases the quality of 'the soil is improved by the addition of such organic matter and the consequent increase in the soil organisms in the form of beneficial bacteria. - Weeds , and other vegetable matter, if allowed to grow, provide a -certain amount of humus when ploughed in -but this course

is inadvisable and unsatisfactory as compared with a c-selected cover-crop, and should be. altogether avoided. . . . There are many different kinds of crop used for this purpose. If the principal object is to supply humus, which is often .the case with heavy soils, a cereal is commonly used, such as oats, buckwheat, rye-corn, &c. ; but .if the . object is to supply nitrogen as well, a leguminous plant should be used, such as field-peas, beans, white and yellow lupin, common vetch and hairy vetch, &c. The, latter is a very popular cover-crop in the United States of America.