830 Agric^iUural Gazette of N.S.W. [Nov. 2, 1920. 



Orchard Notes* 



November. 



W. J. ALLEN and S. A. HOGG. 



As this season has been a wet one, necessary cultivation has been delayed, 

 but it should at once be taken in hand and all weeds ploughed under. The 

 cultivator should be kept .going from now onwards, for it will be the main 

 factor in the ultimate returns. Places that are inaccessible to the plough 

 should be worked with some such implement as a forked hoe. After rain, 

 care should be taken to work up the soil thoroughly and leave it as a loose 

 mulch. 



Cherries will be ready for gathering in the earlier districts, and in picking 

 care should be taken to allow the fruit to remain on the stalk. It is strongly 

 recommended that cherries should be picked in the early morning when it 

 is cool, but it is not advisable to pack the fruit while it is damp. 



Thinning-out. 



During this month it will be found necessary in many cases to thin-out 

 the fruit, particularly apricots, peaches, and plums. The thinning may be 

 delayed until the natural shedding of the fruit has taken place, but that 

 should be over by the beginning of the month. If it is still found that the 

 trees are bearing too heavily, the smaller fruit should be removed at spaces 

 of about 4 inches, and where fruits, such as apples and pears, are growing 

 in clusters, it would be advisable to remove half of the smaller sized fruit. 



Pruning and Disbudding. 



Citrus trees may still be thinned-out so as to xjermit of the circulation 

 of light and air. Although during this process a considerable amount of 

 fruit will be removed, the remainder will benefit by the additional ILght 

 which will be let into the tree. 



If a late crop of passion-fruit is desired, this mouth is the time to cut 

 back so as to create a second growth. 



All trees which have been grafted during the early spring will need atten- 

 tion. Care must be taken not to allow the suckers to absorb the nourish- 

 ment from the scions, and they should be removed with a sharp knife, as 

 pulling them off, especially near the scion, is apt to leave a wound which 

 has a weakening effect on the grafts. Some grafts, especially in the cases 

 of pears and apples, are subject to the attacks of fungus diseases; this 

 trouble may be counteracted by the application of Bordeaux mixture, 

 summer strength, and it may be necessary to give them several applications. 



Diseases and Pests. 

 The season having been a wet one, it is almost certain that if summer 

 rains follow there will be a visitation of fungus diseases, such as black spot, 

 mildew, &c. If the necessary precautions have been taken in the shape of 



