THE ORCHARD.

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume XII, Issue 6, 20 June 1916, Page 476

THE ORCHARD.

J. A. CAMPBELL,

Assistant Director, Horticulture Division

One of the most important periods of the orchardist’s year is now at hand. The majority of orchardists realize this and act accordingly, but there are still a large number, both commercial and private growers, who wholly fail to appreciate, or-at least to take anything like full advantage of, the opportunities afforded them by the dormant season of putting their orchards into the order in which they should be.

Such growers no doubt recognize that they have a certain amount of routine work to do at this season, such as spraying, pruning, and cultivation, but at the same time ignore or fail to appreciate the connection which exists between the manner in which they do this work and its effect upon both their trees and crop the following season.

It is not sufficient to prune a' tree simply because this is the pruning season, or because it is the custom of every fruitgrower or, I should say, nearly every fruitgrower, as some do not prune at —to cut more or less wood out of his trees during the wintertime: Pruning is a necessary and scientific work, but its benefits apply mainly according to the amount of intelligence exercised when the work is being performed.

■ Before commencing to prune a tree the whole scheme of things in regard to the tree should be clearly conceivedwhether it be growth or shape that is required ; inducing the tree to bear fruit; promoting growth in a tree stunted through overbearing or otherwise ; improving the quality of the fruit, if necessary, by lessening the quantity it is likely to bear and by considering-the number of other matters which intelligent pruning is calculated to correct. After this has been satisfactorily determined every cut should be made with a definite object, and that object should be to correct all objectionable features and to bring about those which are desirable for the future benefit of both the tree and the crop in the shortest possible time. .

The same applies to the control of orchard diseases. It is. not sufficient to spray simply because there are diseases in the orchard, even though a popular spray is used, without first making sure that it is the right one for the particular disease in question. There are many sprays recommended for winter use at different strengths for the different pests and diseases, and unless some intelligence is exercised mistakes such as. have been frequently made in the past will occur, resulting in the waste of time and material and subse-

quent damage to the tree from the unchecked disease. In spraying, as in pruning, the objects aimed at should be clearly understood; the right materials should be selected and carefully mixed, and applied, at the correct strength, at the right time, and at a pressure sufficient to do the work thoroughly.

The same considerations apply to cultivation. Cultivation is not intended simply to hide weeds and rubbish and to make 'the orchard look pretty. The objects of ’ cultivation, briefly stated, are to break up and aerate the soil, and to . provide fresh plant-food and moisture for the tree to feed . upon. . This alone ' demands that the work should be thoroughly done.

DRAINAGE. This is a matter of the greatest importance to the health of an orchard. Many fruit-trees fail to thrive mainly owing to bad drainage. A thorough drainage scheme should be carried out before the trees are planted at all, but where this has not been done, or where additional drains are found to be required, they should be laid with as little delay as possible. Although existing drains should have been attended to earlier than this, it is better to be late than never. All open drains should be cleaned out, and broken or defective pipes in others renewed. . Low-lying, badly drained parts of the orchard, easily discernible now, should be attended to straight away.

SPRAYING. Where not previously attended to the following pests will require attention: Mussel scale, San Jose scale, brown, black, and red scale, &c., woolly aphis, mealy bug, and red mite. Emulsified oil is the standard- remedy for the whole of the above-mentioned sucking-insects, but the strength at which it should be applied varies slightly according to the class of tree affected. Pip-fruits require and will’ stand a stronger mixture without injury than stone-fruits, while citrus fruits require a still weaker mixture than stone-fruits. Moreover, some of the pests themselves succumb to a weaker spray than others. Mussel scale and red mite require a stronger mixture than San Jose scale or the other scales. Woolly aphis and mealy bug are about equal. With these more depends upon the force and thoroughness of the' application than on the strength of the spray used. The best plan in spraying for the control of these ‘ insects is to base the strength of the spray upon that required to destroy the hardiest insect found affecting the tree.

July is the popular month for the application of oil sprays, excepting where two applications are being made for woolly aphis,

as referred to in last month’s notes, in which case the first application is made as early as possible and the second toward the end of August. The strength of the oil spray recommended for the control of the diseases mentioned is as follows :■ — Mussel scale : Pip-fruits, 1-12 ; stone-fruits, 1-15 to 1-17. _■ San Jose scale Pip and stone fruits, 1-15 to 1-17 ; citrus fruits, 1-20 to 1-25. Woolly aphis and mealy bug 1-15. Red mite: Pip-fruits, 1-12 to 1-15 ; stone-fruits, 1-15 to 1-17.

UNRELIABLE ADVERTISING AND PACKING. At the recent Patriotic National Apple Show, held in Wellington Town Hall a case of apples was placed on exhibition by the Department of Agriculture bearing the following inscription: “ Supplied direct from the orchard as ‘A’ grade Sturmers —-Such unreliability disgusts- buyers and kills trade.'” This case of fruit was forwarded to the Department by a buyer who bought it direct from the grower on account of an advertisement in the newspapers by a well-known orchardist, advising the public, among other things,, to buy direct from the orchard if they wished to .secure a reliable article less the middleman's charges. This matter is mentioned here with the object of warning growers who are engaged in this class of trade of the danger to their business which must follow unreliable advertising and packing. The fruit referred to, marked “A” grade, were small, badly spray-scorched, deformed, measly rubbish, scarcely fit to be termed “ C ” grade.