WORK FOR THE COMING MONTH.

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume XV, Issue 2, 20 August 1917, Page 101

WORK FOR THE COMING MONTH.

THE ORCHARD.

J. A. Campbell,

Assistant Director, Horticulture Division

September might be termed the “ washing-up ” month in the orchard : that is to say, there are often many little jobs to complete that really belong ’to the dormant season, such as the completion of pruning, oil-spraying of pip-fruits, planting, &c. All these things can still be done if attended to early enough in the month. It is, of course; an advantage to have all- work rightly belonging to the dormant season completed as early as possible, but as regards this year no doubt the exceptionally bad weather that has prevailed, in most districts, for some time past will have resulted .in many branches of work being considerably behindhand. Naturally, the only thing to do in the circumstances is to utilize every minute of suitable weather in pushing along, as it is quite sufficient to have the seasonable work of the month to cope with without having more or less of that of the previous one to deal 'with at the same time.

When the season is a normal one the work in the orchard during the month is extremely important. Many varieties of plums and peaches are already in bloom, while the remainder are rapidly approaching that stage. The buds of pip-fruits are commencing to move, and before the end of. the month many of these will have passed through two spraying-stages. When the trees begin to grow, and blossoms and leaves appear, fungus diseases also become active and change from their winter to their summer form. Thus the best and most reliable time for their control has arrived.

SPRAYING.

- Spraying will have already commenced with the early-blooming varieties of ■ stone-fruits for the control of such fungoid diseases as curl, brown-rot, &c. This will, of course, be continued throughout the month, until all the varieties of these classes of fruits have been dealt with. The winter formula of bordeaux (8-6-40) is the most reliable spray for this purpose, but, owing to the scarcity of copper sulphate, lime-sulphur (1-15) may be substituted. In all cases, however, where attacks of brown-rot are .to be expected the bordeaux should be adhered to if sufficient of the materials is at all available.

BLACK-SPOT.

In the case of apples and pears the greatest consideration at this stage is the control of black-spot. Recommendations for the control

of this disease were given to some extent last month, but the question is such an important one to growers of pip-fruits, particularly when the climatic conditions are favourable to the spread of the disease, that some further remarks will not be out of place. At the same time it may be pointed out that practically the same precautions are necessary for brown-rot. Destroy all old leaves and mummified fruit as thoroughly as possible by either raking up and burning or ploughing under before the blossoms appear,. as it is on ■. such material that the disease largely passes the winter. It also winters on dead and diseased wood on -the tree ; therefore all such should be carefully pruned, away and destroyed. The tree should also be. otherwise well pruned, and kept open and well ventilated. The first application of a fungicide should be made when the buds are well advanced. If applied too soon the winter spores, which resist the spray, will not be sufficiently advanced for the best results to -be obtained ; if too late, the mixture, which should be at winter strength, might do damage to 'the bursting buds. The next application, which should be reduced to spring strength (6-4-50 bordeaux or 1-20 limesulphur for pears, and 3-4-40 bordeaux or 1-25 to 1-30 lime-sulphur for apples), should be applied after the cluster buds appear'and show colour. Tne next spraying should be given when the fruit has set. Owing to the tender skin of the young fruit, being susceptible to scorching at this stage the mixture should be further reduced, and for the same reason the arsenate of lead should be applied at a weaker strength than later in the season. The strength of the combined spray for this application should be 2-3-40 bordeaux with 1 lb. of paste arsenate added, or 1-125 lime-sulphur with 2| lb., of paste arsenate added. - Subsequent sprayings for black-spot will be dealt with -in the next month’s Journal. '

BROWN-ROT.

- It is unnecessary for me to write anything further on this disease at . present, as an excellent article on the subject by Mr. G. Esam, Orchard Instructor for Hawke’s Bay, is published elsewhere in this issue of the Journal. . ■ . 1

CULTIVATION

Thorough cultivation of the orchard during the spring of the year is highly important. This work should be done, if possible, before the blossoms appear, in order to turn under the old fungus-affected soil, leaves, &c., before the season is too far advanced. This largely depends on climatic conditions, but if it cannot be done at the present time it had better be left until after the fruit has set and a thorough fungicide has been given to the trees —always, of course, bearing in mind the necessity of having cultivation completed before the hot weather sets in, otherwise a considerable loss of soil-moisture from evaporation may be expected.

PLANTING.

The adverse weather conditions will no doubt have had a bad effect on orchard planting. This work, however, may be carried on successfully throughout the month, but naturally it is inadvisable to prolong it any more than is absolutely necessary. ■ .

GRAFTING.

Grafting affords the orchardist an opportunity of changing the variety of his fruit-trees more expeditiously than would be the case ,if he were to replant. The work is very simple, and can be successfully done at any time after the bark is found to lift freely from the wood. There are several different styles of grafting, but the one commonly employed for reworking aged - trees is the rind-graft. Prior to reworking, a tree should be headed back to some extent, and when the time arrives for the actual work to be performed the limbs are recut to the required height, and they will then be full of sap and in the proper condition for working. Scions of the variety required should be taken wh.le they are quite dormant,. and placed in moist sand in a dark place away : from. the wind to prevent them shrivelling The scions should be slightly thicker than a lead-pencil, and should contain three buds, . two above the stock when inserted and one slightly below. Taper the scion to a feather edge with a clean sloping cut of about 11 in., then slightly square off one side of this cut. Cut the stock off square or sloping slightly towards the point where the. scion is to be inserted. Slit the bark and raise one side only; insert the scion, and bring the squared edge tight up to the unraised bark. Tie up with waxed cloth or raffia, and seal with grafting-wax in such a way as to prevent the entry of air and moisture. Various methods of grafting, including the rind-graft, were described and- illustrated in the Journal of September, 1915 and 1916. . . . - .