THE ORCHARD.

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume XXX, Issue 1, 20 January 1925, Page 52

THE ORCHARD.

EXPORT POINTS- . • Where export is£ contemplated growers will do well to review) the results obtained during the last season. No doubt there are many lessons to learn both in regard to the best time to gather the fruit and also in regard to the handling afterwards. Reports indicate that there is at least some room for improvement in • both directions. The season will no doubt govern the picking-period. It is generally recognized that if the autumn is a dry one fruit may be left to reach a greater stage of.maturity than if weather conditions are wet. [This, I think, was demonstrated last season not only in regard to that portion of the fruit crop which was exported, but also to that portion of it which was placed on the local markets. Grading has also been much commented upon, and some have found that fruit is much more subject to bruising where machines are used. Although hand grading may be a little more costly, this may easily be more than compensated for by the extra price realized. How to pack fruit so that itl will arrive at its destination with a minimum of bruising is no doubt a problem confronting many at this time. A little extra care and time spent when packing are well worth while. A high bulge in order to allow for subsequent shrinking is undesirable with the present New Zealand case, and from experience gained while going round the local markets this method cannot be recommended. However, a slight bulge is necessary, and is quite a good practice. BUDDING. . r, This can be carried out during the next two months. The operation is a comparatively easy one, and can be successfully carried out by almost any one. The most successful and generally practised system is that known as “ shield ” budding. A small cross-cut is made, and the bark is raised the full length of the slit or cut to enable the bud to slip down into position easily. In preparing a bud a piece of the growing wood of the current season's growth with a wellformed bud is selected ; a sharp knife is then passed from, say, | in. below the bud to the same distance above, taking about one-third of the wood of the shoot with the bud. If the. wood is in a proper condition to bud, the wood cut with the bud can be easily pulled away from it by gently taking the bark with one hand and the wood with the other. If the interior of the bud is torn out in the process it is useless and a fresh bud must be used. - No time should be lost m inserting the bud into the incision prepared for its reception, and it should then be tied round with raffia. SPRAYING. A lookout should still be kept for any diseases, so that a spraying as recommended previously may be carried out as required. A careful watch should be kept for leaf-roller caterpillars. The greatest damage is often done by this insect during the autumn months, and although the grub does not eat into the fruit in the same way as the codlin-mbth it eats the skin and thereby causes much loss to growers. Where apples are in clusters or covered at all with leaves care should

be taken to force the arsenate-of-lead spray well into ■ these. It is in such conditions that the chief damage is done by the caterpillar. ’ cover-crops. ' Should cover-crops be contemplated, the month of February is' usually the best time in which to sow. If, as previously recommended, cultivation has been carried out very little preparation of the soil will be necessary. Peas, lupins, and vetches are among the best crops. However, if the seed of these cannot readily be obtained, mustard, oats, or barley may be sown. Where organic matter is lacking in .. the soil, green-manuring should not be neglected. It is recognized that this is one of the simplest and easiest ways of adding to the soil one of the chief constituents necessary for the growing of 'good healthy trees, also for the production of high-class fruit, and without which no orchard can be made really profitable over a long period of years. Paynter, Orchard instructor, Christchurch. CITRUS-CULTURE. The chief work for the coming month will be the carrying out of necessary cultivation and . the putting on of spray compounds where necessary, according to the directions given in the December Journal.It is noticed that the. attacks from thrip are rather greater this year than usual,. and trees should be treated as already advised. FIREBLIGHT. It is gratifying to note that up to the time of writing no infection from fireblight has been in evidence in the commercial areas of the Auckland District, and it is reasonable to suppose that, except for the possibility of slight tip-infection somewhat later on, there is little likelihood of any other infection this season. -

J. W. Collard,

, Orchard Instructor, Auckland.