THE ORCHARD.

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 1, 21 January 1929, Page 52

THE ORCHARD.

FRUIT-EXPORT POINTS. The chief consideration of the commercial orchardist during the next two or three months will be the harvesting of the apple and pear crop, and the preparation for export of a good proportion. The work entailed is exacting, and numerous details must be closely watched. In order that efficient work may be done and labour costs reduced to a minimum, some time should be spent in making ready for the season beforehand. Firstly, it would be well for the exporter to study closely the grading regulations, and generally acquaint himself with, all the requirements. Comfort and convenience in the packing-shed increase efficiency and decrease costs. Some rearrangement of the shed may therefore be advisable, with, the idea of reducing confusion and extra handling of cases. Fruit coming in at one point, having been passed over the grader and packed, should be worked towards a loading-out point. Even the smallest shed may be so arranged as to minimize handling.

The actual work of grading is made light or heavy according to the quality of the fruit and the way in which it has been picked. This is a matter which the orchardist may largely regulate himself. Firstly, in the producing of the crop, for the success of his season's operations thus far is largely reflected in the quality of fruit coming on to the grading-table. Good fruit is easily and inexpensively graded, and may be expected from an orchard where the trees are in good heart, diseases have been controlled, and the crop has been sufficiently thinned and blemished fruits removed in the process. Secondly, all possible assistance should be rendered to the packing-shed staff, the graders in particular, by selecting during picking operations only those fruits which are up to the standard for export. Pickers should be made acquainted with grading regulations, and thus avoid picking fruit not up to standard. All obvious rejects should be discarded during picking, in order to lessen the number of rejects finding their way into the packing-shed.

The need for care in picking and handling cannot be too often emphasized. Fruit must be picked with stalk intact. Picking-bags should not be overfilled, nor should picking-boxes' be made too full. Fruit should be taken in the palm of the hand and lifted, not pulled. The latter method often damages. fruit-spurs and wrenches the stalk from the fruit. Picking of fruit at the right stage of maturity is most important. . Immaturity is a particular evil which should be avoided. Several picks should be made, the first usually being moderately light, when the fruit should have taken on a perceptible change in groundcolour.

In the actual packing care must be exercised to develop a good pack. Excessive bulge is deprecated, but a medium bulge with no looseness at the sides of the cases will ensure good carriage.

SPRAYING.

Although the main spraying operations may have been completed by this time, some consideration must still be given to the matter of control of diseases and pests. Damage by codlin-moth and leaf-roller caterpillars must be prevented, and attention still be given to the later varieties. Late infections of black-spot sometimes occur, and leafhopper may have become troublesome. Care must be used in the employment of future sprays, avoiding as far as possible spray-stains. Heavy combination .sprays, especially such mixtures as lime-sulphur, arsenate of lead, and Black Leaf 40, may be avoided. For the latest spray prior to picking, arsenate of lead only with a spreader will reduce stains to a minimum. The use of an excessive amount of. lime leaves an objectionable white residue. ' Apple leaf-hopper, if allowed to become prevalent at this period, causes the fruit to become unsightly. Black Leaf 40, at 1-800, if applied at short intervals, will reduce this pest. Certain varieties, such as Dougherty, often develop black-spot quite late, and applications of lime-sulphur, 1-125, may be advisable up to the end of the coming month in a season when black-spot has been prevalent.

MISCELLANEOUS WORK.

Sanitary methods in and. around, the packing-shed should be ■exercised. Fruit affected with brown-rot and grubby apples and pears should be destroyed, as these are a prolific source of infection for the following season. "

Cover-crops may still be sown if the land is in good order. A ■dressing of super., 3 cwt. to the acre, will benefit the cover-crop and give a far greater bulk of growth for ploughing under.

Grafts will still be making strong growth, and may require tying to prevent injury in strong winds. ' . - .

Implements and the spray outfit, when finished with for the season, will have a longer life if given a little consideration. Place them under cover, and well grease all bearing surfaces.

Heavily laden trees may require some tying or propping. Every ■effort should be made by these means to prevent the splitting of trees or the fracture of large limbs.

Hail damage where very severe, having caused damage to foliageand bark, should not be accepted without making some effort to relieve the trees when in a weakened state consequent upon such injury, otherwise the effect will be felt in a marked degree in the following season. To more, or less abandon the orchard till the next season is. fatal. Removal of damaged fruit, and continuing' with cultivation and disease control, will help to repair the loss and make possible the carrying of a crop the following season. N. J. Adamson, Orchard Instructor, Hastings.

Citrus-culture.

The most essential work at this period is conservation of moisture.. Irrigation is not generally practised in the citrus-groves of New Zealand,, but where water is available it could be done with great advantage tothe trees during the dry period normally .experienced in January and February. Several special points should be remembered when such watering is done. Applications should be adequate and periodic rather than a little and often. Endeavour should be made to get the lower soils saturated and the surface soil reworked to open condition in order to reduce evaporation. The best method of applying water is to ridge up the intervening land as though moulding potatoes, flood the trenches, to at least equal i| in. rainfall, and the following day, when the damp soil has lost the sticky texture, cultivate the land to level back theridges, thus leaving a mulch of dry crumbled earth on the surface.. Surface watering gives rise to great evaporation, and besides consequent loss of water it has a tendency to encourage the roots, to the surface. Where water is not available continue the surface cultivation of thesoil, and if possible mulch with rough litter over the rooting-area. Harvest all fruits as soon as ready ; do not allow ripening fruits, to develop on the tree and unduly tax it at this period of strain. Where for any reason trees have to be severely cut back this is thebest season of the year to do so.

W. H. Rice,

Orchard Instructor, Auckland.