10 June, 1918.] Orchard and Garden Notes. 381 



and numbers of the fibrous roots, becoming; dry, shrivel and die. These 

 all require a clean trimming. Then it is often desirable to remove some 

 of the roots so as to balance the root system. The trimming of the roots 

 gives the young tree a clean root system, and it is enabled to establish 

 itself with young, vigorous roots. 



After planting, the top should be well cut back, so as to leave three 

 or four arms, with three or four buds on each. Where it is not possible 

 to have this number of arms or limbs it is frequently advisable to cut back 

 to one stem, allowing the buds to break out strongly and frame the tree 

 after planting. In some countries, the custom of not cutting back the 

 trees the first year is favoured. Local experience has not resulted in 

 favour of this practice, as it is found to be inadvisable to unduly strain 

 the young tree by leaving a heavy top to be supported by the weak- 

 growing root system. 



A number of good commercial fruits have been found to be either 

 wholly or partially self-sterile, requiring other varieties near them to 

 enable them to set their fruit. For this purpose it is necessary that 

 the bloom periods should be somewhat coincident. 



Spraying. 



The time has now arrived when it is necessary to spray for the fol- 

 lowing pests — scale insects, woolly aphis, and the bryobia mite. The use 

 of red oil has been advocated for these pests, and, as well, crude j)etro- 

 leum, kerosene and other oil emulsions have proved satisfactory. Some 

 years ago the use of lime, sulphur and salt spray was much in vogue as a 

 winter spray. Owing, however, to the difficulty of preparing the spray, 

 and to its caustic effect on the skin, it was practically abandoned as an 

 insecticide. Even then it was claimed, and rightly so, that the spray 

 was, to a certain extent, a very good fungicide. The use of this mixture 

 as a winter wash, with the omission of the salt, which has been found to 

 be an unnecessary ingredient, is now general; and, as it is obtainable in a 

 ready-made form, it is to be strongly recommended as a good all round 

 winter spray. 



Generat. Work. 



All ploughing should now be completed ; if not, it should be finished 

 before spraying and pruning operations are proceeded with. 



Any autumn manuring or liming should also be now carried out. 

 This, too, should be finished before spraying or pruning. Before spray- 

 ing with oils or with lime sulphur wash, all rough bark on apple and 

 pear trees should be scraped off. This will mean the certain destruction 

 of any codlin moth larvae hiding underneath. 



The Vegetable Garden. 



If not previously done, asparagus beds should be well cleaned out, 

 and a top dressing of manure given. To insure good drainage, the soil 

 from the paths, or between the beds, may be thrown up on the beds, so 



