8 Xov., 1907.] 



The Orchard. 



681 



THE ORCHARD. 



James Lang, Harcourt. 



The season is proving exceptionally dry with severe hot winds which 

 are rapidly drying up the moisture in the ground. It is many years since 

 we experienced such a season as the present, and those growers who 

 succeeded in getting their orchards ploughed early may congratulate them- 

 selves; by doing so they have been able to conserve the moisture in the 

 subsoil for the benefit of the *'rees. If the present kind of weather con- 

 tinues throughout the summer fruit will not be of a satisfactory size, 

 except where it is practicable to irrigate. Keep the surface of the ground 

 loose by the use of the scarifier. Although the weeds do not grow, it does 

 the ground good to run the harrow or scarifier over it now and again — it 

 prevents caking and keeps the moisture from evaporating. 



Spraying will take up a good deal of time this month. For the codlin 

 moth make the early spraying as effective as possible and then there will 

 be fewer moths to lay a second brood. The writer has received a number 

 of letters during the past month inquiring if lime is used in making the 

 arsenite of lead spray ? No lime is used in this spray which should be 

 made up according to the formula given in the October Journal. In many 

 of the orchards growers are relying more upon effective spraying of the 

 trees than upon bandaging. It is hest, however, to bandage the trees. 

 Bandages should be put on at once and examined every ten days and all 

 grubs found destroyed. The examination of the bandages will also' show 

 whether the spraying has been effective. 



The fruit crops generally will be much lighter than last year, earlv 

 cherries especially. Plums, apricots, and peaches have suffered from the 

 frost in some districts. Apples and pears will also be much lighter than 

 last year. Perhaps it will be just as well as it will allow the fruit to 

 Svvell to a more satisfactory size than if there was a heavy crop. 



Examine all grafts and loosen the ties ; also stake them so that thev 

 will not get blown off by the wind. 



The time is approaching when the Fruit Fly if acclimatized will put in 

 an appearance. Growers therefore should be on the alert and take all 

 possible means to stamp it out before it spreads further. Kerosene placed 

 in small tins on the trees is about the best remedy to adopt; fallen fruit 

 should be at once picked up and destroyed. The Go\'ernment Entomologist 

 has had a number of suitable tins made and these can be obtained by any 

 orchardist at cost price plus postage. 



