Plan for Efficiency in the Orchard

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 73, Issue 3, 16 September 1946, Page 227

Plan for Efficiency in the Orchard

By

S. FREW,

Orchard Instructor, Blenheim

THIS is the time of the year for the fruit grower to take stock. 1 Are the trees healthy and vigorous, and was the crop satisfactory during the past season? Are the varieties grown the most suited to his district, and are they all paying their way? Is the orchard developed to the maximum of efficiency, or is there still room for expansion, alteration, or invigoration? These are the questions a thoughtful fruit grower asks himself at this time of the year.

IMPROVEMENT may be effected in many ways. Of paramount importance, of course, is the growing of suitable varieties. Obviously it is not economic to prune,, spray, cultivate, and manure trees, of an unpopular, low-priced variety, or one which is notoriously a shy bearer in that district. Such varieties should be replaced.

Grafting and Planting The pip fruit grower would be well advised to contemplate a long-term grafting programme with the ultimate object of eliminating all the uneconomic varieties. For this purpose grafting wood should be obtained now from desirable tree types, and to prevent them drying out the grafts should

be heeled in or buried in a reasonably moist and shady position until required. When selecting the. variety to be substituted, the grower should take care to allow for the spread of - his . harvesting season. An exaggerated flush .of harvesting may cause loss of good-quality fruit through inability to cope with too many varieties at the same time. The stone fruit grower should also review his present range of varieties, bearing in mind/ for example, that many of the better-class Japanese hybrids and English plums pay dividends while some of the older varieties, though perhaps heavy croppers, are in poor demand as dessert fruit; that peaches with a - stone-splitting habit are undesirable; that nectarines prone to brown rot infection are difficult to maintain in high production. The comparatively short period stone fruit trees take to come into bearing makes unnecessary short cuts to replacement such as budding or grafting; replanting is preferable. Choice of Stone Fruits The plum grower who considers replanting has a wide selection of highquality varieties from which to choose.

LIST A VARIETY PICKING DATE DESCRIPTION Billington’s Early Early January Dessert and Culinary Burbank January Dessert and Culinary Doris February Dessert and Culinary Duff’s Early Jewel December Dessert Purple King February Dessert and Culinary Santa Rosa Early January Dessert . Satsuma February Dessert and Culinary Sultan January Dessert and Culinary Wilson’s Early ' December Dessert and Culinary LIST B VARIETY PICKING DATE DESCRIPTION Carmen Mid-January White flesh, freestone; dessert Golden Queen Mid-March Yellow flesh, clingstone; dessert and canning Hobbs’ Late Early March White flesh, clingstone; dessert J. H. Hale (Million Mid-February Yellow flesh, freestone; Dollar) dessert and bottling Mayflower Mid-December White flesh, semi-cling; dessert Paragon Early February Yellow flesh, clingstone; dessert and canning Salway Late March Yellow flesh, freestone; canning Ulatis Late December White flesh, semi-cling; dessert Wiggins Mid-January s White flesh, freestone; , • dessert

A good range of popular Japanese varieties is included in List A above. The peach grower also has an extensive range from which to choose, and the List B above is a guide to the most popular varieties now being planted. The most reliable variety of nectarine to grow is the Goldmine; it is a good cropper and somewhat resistant to brown rot infection. Of the apricots Moorpark is the most consistent cropper and least susceptible to frost and disease. Importance of Stock If planting is intended, the work should be completed as soon as possible. When selecting the trees to be planted, it is often not sufficient merely to obtain the variety required; the stock on which it is grown is also important. For example, plum trees intended for establishment on _ heavy land thrive on plum stock, but if they are required for planting on a sandy loam with a shingle subsoil a peach stock is preferable. As much attention should be paid to the stock as to the tree. Replacement of trees, either by grafting or by replanting, is the first step toward orchard improvement, but the question arises whether this is sufficient. Is the orchard fully economic? Has the fruit grower all his land in production, or has he an excessive

overhead in the form of partlyused equipment? If so, his property is overcapitalised, and the logical method of correction is to increase the area in fru ? t trees. On the other hand, if he has dif- , ficulty in handling his present area, it would perhaps be wise to eliminate the less profitable varieties and not replace them. Spraying Programme The orchardist with a property of economic size, planted solely in the better-class varieties, has fewer items of which to take stock. His most important questions are: Was the crop clean last season, and are the trees healthy and vigorous? If the crop and trees were clean, there seems little need ,to change the spray programme, but if improved disease control is necessary a more thorough programme will have to be adopted. The first spray applied should be a dressing of red oil before growth begins at a strength of 1 part to 20 parts of water. This acts as a general clean-up to the bark, controls insect pestsparticularly scale insects and where a hard lime sulphur programme has been followed counteracts hardening of the bark. To increase penetration and improve the spread, this spray should be applied on a warm day. ; As the green tips of the young growth are appearing, a foundation

fungicidal spray should be applied to pip fruit. This may consist of either lime sulphur (1/30) or Bordeaux mixture —4 —so, and is effective against diseases such as black spot, pear scab, and blister disease. Bordeaux at the same strength should be used on stone fruit when the buds begin to swell before bursting, for the control of brown rot, bladder plum, leaf curl, etc. The timely application and thoroughness of the work in - applying these sprays will be important factors in the control of disease throughout the season. Allowance should be made for varietal differences, and all varieties should be sprayed as nearly as possible at. the correct times. A general spray throughout the orchard might result in some varieties being attended to much too late to achieve complete disease control. The diseases mentioned will have wintered on or in the vicinity of the trees, and with the approach of warmer weather their activity will increase and spore discharge begin. If the spores find a place unprotected by spray they will start into growth, and an infection may be firmly established before its effect becomes apparent. Spraying should be regarded as a protection against infection and not as a cure, for only in anticipating the attack does safety lie. Disease control has not yet reached the stage when one specific will cure all the ills of trees, but modern practice has demonstrated that with reasonable care and attention clean crops are not beyond the reach of the average grower. The use of these standard specifics provides a sound foundation for a disease-free crop.

Drainage and Manuring

The remaining important point concerning the grower who is taking stock is whether the trees are thriving. Debilitation may be the result of many causes, but correction at this time of the year can be attempted in several ways. Good drainage is essential to all fruit trees, and now is the time to attend to any low-lying parts of the orchard which obviously require a field drain.

It is safe to say that on practically all soils crops are improved by the judicious application of manures. A heavy crop of fully-developed fruit depends on ample supplies of nutriment being readily available to the tree, and unless the store is maintained in the required proportions the maximum yield cannot be expected. The three most essential plant foods are nitrates, phosphates, and potash, and to ensure their full efficiency an

adequate supply of lime in the soil is necessary. Nitrate promotes growth, and an oversupply may lead to the production of wood growth to the detriment of fruit bearing. Phosphates promote fruitfulness and in orchard practice annual applications are necessary. Potash has an influence on the quality and finish of fruit, increasing its sugar content, improving the colour, and adding to its keeping quality. The productive capacity of the tree is governed by the minimum amount of these manures available, and no excess of one can compensate for a deficiency in the others. No definite rule for proportions or quantities can be laid • down, but a fair indication can be gained from the physical condition of the tree and its performance. General-purpose Mixture For . general purposes on bearing trees a mixture of 11 parts of highgrade superphosphate, three parts of potash (in separate form if available), four parts of sulphate of ammonia, and two parts of blood and bone will supply a well-balanced ration. It may be applied according to the condition of the tree and the nature of the soil at 31b. a tree for a light dressing to about 81b. for a heavy dressing. Regular applications to build up and maintain fertility - are more satisfactory . than spasmodic liberal doses.

Applications of 1 to 2 tons of lime an acre, at intervals of 3 or 4 years, are required to correct soil acidity,' particularly where a system of green manuring is followed. . For maximum effectiveness fertiliser should be applied to fruit trees before bud movement. So that the root systems may absorb the plant foods in the fertilisers in the minimum of time, the distribution of manure through the topsoil should be assisted by ploughing under the fertiliser as soon as possible, and by the maintenance of a good tilth at all times.

Pig Broadcasts

T INDER the auspices of District Pig r-' Councils broadcasts will be delivered in October, 1946, as under: Auckland, IYA, On October 16, at 7.15 p.m., “Feed Supply for Second Litters,” by H. Preston, Northland District Pig Council. Dunedin, 4YA, on October 14, at 7.15 p.m., “Winter Feeding of Pigs,” by N. McDonald, Supervisor, Otago District Pig Council. Palmerston North, 2ZA, on October 18, at 7.15 p.m., “Pigs,” by L. Marsdon, Supervisor, Wellington District Pig Council. Napier, 2YH, on October 10, at .7.15 p.m., . “Answers to Questions,” ;by H. Hopkins, Tairawhiti District Pig Council.

SHOW DATES

THE following agricultural and pastoral shows are scheduled on tht dates arid at the places shown:— October 19Ellesmere A. and P. at Leeston. October 23, 24—Hawke’s Bay A. and P. Spring at Hastings. October 25, 26-Marlborough A. and P. at Blenheim. October 26—Northern A. and P. at Rangiora. October 30, 31Poverty Bay A. and P. at Gisborne. October 3.lAshburton A. and P. at Ashburton. October 31, November 1, Waikato A. and P. at Hamilton. November 2 —Timaru A. and P. at Timaru. November 7, —Canterbury A. and P. at Christchurch. November 8,9-Manawatu A. and P. at Palmerston North. November 15, 16—Wanganui A. and P. at Wanganui. November 15, 16—Whangarei A. and P. at Whangarei. November 16—Courtenay A. and P. at Kirwee. - November 22, 23—Nelson A. and P. at Nelson. - November 22, Egmont A. and P. at New Plymouth. November 23 Otago Metropolitan Summer at Tahuna Park. November 30-Winton A. and P. at Winton. - -