3i8 Journal of Agriculture. [8 May, 1907. 



France to Roumania, Greece. Switzerland, Portugal, Spain, Chili, Peru, 

 ^Madagascar, &c., and ordinary disinfection is considered amply sufficient. 

 This is not the opinion of nurserymen who would, of course, be biased, 

 but of thoroughly competent vine-growers having a thorough knowledge of 

 vine diseases in all their phases and whose personal interest the success 

 or otherwise of Australian \inevards could not affect. 



THE ORCHARD. 



Jtwies Lang, Harcouri. 



By the end of the month, most of the fruit, e\en in the latest districts, 

 will be gathered. The crops of all kinds of fruit have been unusually 

 heavy this season with the result that prices have been kept at a very low 

 level throughout the whole of the .States, leaving a \'er\ small margin of 

 profit after expenses were paid. 



Where it is intended to sow peas for green manuring the orchard, 

 the work should be taken in hand at once. The ploughing and sowing 

 should be done as early in the month as possible, in order that the peas 

 niiay have a good start before the cold weather sets in ; this is most im- 

 portant, because, if delayed until June, the weather is so cold and damp 

 that several weeks elapse before they come through the ground, and subse- 

 quent growth during winter is also slow. When sowing, superphosphate 

 sihould be applied at the rate of 2 cwt. per acre. In cases where it is 

 intended to extend the orchard, the ground should be prepared by plough- 

 ing to a depth of at least 8 inches and scarifying well in order to reduce 

 it to a fine tilth. 



Advantage should be taken of a slack time to do odd jobs about the 

 orchard, such as repairing fences, cleaning out drains and the outlets 

 of underground drains. The silt and rubbish removed from the drains 

 should be fulh- utilized by the orchardist, as they make good manure ; 

 surface scrapings and soil from odd comers form valuable additions to 

 the soil of the orchard. Where good yirgin loam can be obtained, it 

 makes a splendid dressing, and is very lasting in its effects. 



Remove the codlin moth bandages from the trees, and w^ell scald 

 them to destroy- any grubs that may be harboring in them ; then dry 

 carefully and put away until next season. In order to reduce the number 

 of hiding places for the grubs, the trees should be well scraped, all loose 

 bark taken off and l>urnt, and the holes and cracks stopped up with 

 putty. 



The export of apples and pears this season has been a record one from 

 this State, about 130,000 cases having been shipped to England and 

 Germany. This is double the quantity of any previous season, and should 

 the prices realized be good, a great impetus will be given to the export 

 trade in apples. It is also to be noted that New South Wales and Western 

 Australia have both entered the export trade this season for the first time, 

 showing that these States will soon be able to supply their own require- 

 ments, and so further limit the oaitlet for Victorian fruit. A large quantitv 

 of pears has been ship^ped this season, and it is to be hoped that the con- 

 signments will arrive in better condition than they have hitherto done, as 

 there is no reason why pears should not carry as well as apples. 



Orchardists should bear in mind that the new Fruit Case Act comes into 

 operation on the first of Juh . All fruit sold by the case must be packed 

 in bushel or half-bushel cases ; w here other sized cases are used the net 

 weight of the contents must l>e marked on the outside. 



