766 Jniiriial of A'~:^ricHlturc. [jo Dec. 1909. 



ORCHARD NOTES. 



E. E. Pescott, Pri/icipal, Sr/ioi>/ nf Horticultitre, Burnleif 



Keep the soil surface well stirred. 



Spray for Codlin Moth, Pear .SIu^l', and Vine Caterpillars. 



Exaniir e Codlin bandages freipiently. 



Begin Sinnnier pruning. 



Soil Tkkatment. 



The season has turned out, so far, uiiusuall}' dry ; and the high winds, 

 Ijoth northerly and southerly, combined with the occasional hot spells, will 

 have a very drying ettect on the soil. Consequently, a soil condition of 

 friability is absolutely necessar}^ for the healthy growth of the trees. The 

 soil surface should be cultivated as frequently as possible, especiall}^ after 

 rain or irrigation. This is required to conserve the soil moisture. Soil in its 

 natural and uncultivated state possesses the property of capillarity to a 

 maiked degree. Capillarity is that power- which causes the moisture to rise 

 upwards in the soil, similar to the manner in which water soaks upwards in 

 a piece of blotting-paper, when the tip of the paper is held in water. This 

 property is, of course, essential in soils, as by the upward soakage the soil 

 water is brought upwards, and so made available for the tree roots. If the 

 soil surface be uncultivated, the moisture rapidly rises to the surface, and is 

 very soon evaporated. Ultimately, we see the soil cracked in all directions, 

 having contracted by the drying process to which it has been submitted. 

 The evaporation of soil moisture is prevented, or is considerably deferred, by 

 keeping the surface soil in a loose, pulverable state ; not too fine so tliat tlie 

 particles will I'un together closely after a light rain, but fine enough to pre- 

 vent any surface caking. A few inches of tilth is desirable, so as to destroy 

 any continuous capillarity of the soil, and to allow the soil water to be made 

 available for the use of the whole root system of the tree. 



Spraving. 



Spraying for codlin moth should be carried on now with unabated vigour, 

 -especially in the warmer regions of the State. It is only by constant 

 watchfulness and continual spi'aying that it can be hoped to keep this pest 

 in check. With good work, and with care, growers should be able to easily 

 obtain a result of over 90 per cent, of clean fruit. While the fruit is grow- 

 ing, frequent sprayings will be necessary. After the fruit has reached its 

 full size, the main point to l)e observed is to keep the fruil and foliage well 

 covered with spray. 



The old theory of the UKjth laying hei- eggs only on the fi'uit, and almost 

 always in the calyx, has been entirely exploded. At the Burnley Ciardens, 

 up to the time of writing (17th November), on all observations, not one 

 apple has been attacked at the calyx end, while a lai-ge majority of the 

 codlin eggs observed have been found upon the upper side of the foliage. 

 The first brood of moths is not especially prevalent this season, but these are 

 more than ample to insure disastrous results from their progeny, should the 

 December and early January sprayings be neglected. It cannot be urged too 

 stronglv that the more the later s])rayings are obser\ed the better the crop 

 will be. 



The question, " How many times should I spray to keep down codlin 

 moth 1 " is frequently asked. This generally resolves itself into " How few 

 times may I spray ? " The number of sprayings should not be taken into 



