294 Agricultural Gazette of N.S.W. [April 3, 1920. 



Orchard Notes* 



April. 



W. J. ALLEN and W. le GAY BRERETON. 



Harvesting. 

 In the tableland districts the harvesting o£ late apples and pears will still be 

 in progress. Often svhen the market is not good, these are not rushed away, 

 but kept either in ordinary or cool storage. Those intending to operate in 

 this way should keep in mind that care in picking and the subsequent 

 handling of fruit are big factors in its keeping qualities, and, as has been 

 pointed out more than once of late in the&3 notes, the fruit should only be 

 picked while it is cool and then kept as cool as possible. The stems should 

 not be broken out of the fruit when picking, for when this is done the flesh 

 of the fruit is exposed, and decay is likely to set in earlier than if the stalk 

 is kept intact. 



If for any reason picking during the warmer part of the day is unavoidable, 

 the fruit should be exposed to the cool air of tlie niglit before being cased up. 



Green Manuring and Cultivation. 

 In districts where the rainfall is usually sufficient to permit this practice 

 crops for ploughing under later can still be sown thi'^ month, but as a rule it 

 is better to get them in earlier. In districts where the rainfall is limited, it 

 is a good practice to plough early in the autumn so that all the rain that 

 falls between the time of ploughing and the spring is stored for the trees for 

 the following season. 



Planting. 



In the coastal districts where the autumn is mild and frost is not likely to 

 occur, planting of citrus trees can be continued this month, provided the soil 

 is in moist enough condition. Care should be taken that the roots are not 

 exposed and allowed to dry during transplanting from nursery to orchard. 

 If dry weather sets in after planting it may be necessary to water newly- 

 planted trees. Orders should now be lodged with nurserymen for deciduous 

 trees required for planting this winter. If anything has hitherto prevented 

 the ploughing and subsoiling of land intended for planting this season, it 

 should be done as soon as possible. The advantage of having this done some 

 months l)efore planting is that any rains that fall during the interval are 

 absorbed and retained for the trees, and one can make more certain of the 

 soil being in right condition for planting when that season arrives. More- 

 over, the soil is sweetened, and stiflF soils are more effectively and cheaply 

 brought into crumbly condition by the weather than can be done by any 

 implement. Where any refills are to be made in the orchard, a large hole 

 should he excavated where the tree is to stand and filled with fresh soil ; 

 this gives the new tree a better chance to make fair headvvay. If manure is 

 also used, it should be well mixed with the soil. It must be remembered 



