38 Journal of AgricnUure. [10 Jan., 1910. 



long as a tree is growing well, and producing fair average, and good 

 quality crops of fruit, the water should be applied but sparingl\. The 

 problem to be decided by each grower is, what is the minimum quantity 

 of water to give a tree, in order to produce the maximum lesults; and this 

 can only be definitely solved by a knowledge of local soil, temperature- 

 and rainfall conditions. 



Spraying. 



CoDiiN Moth. — The fight against the Codlin .M':th .-huuhl still Ije- 

 continued. The second broods will now be on the wing, and it will he 

 well to have the whole of the apple and pear trees sprayed this month w ith 

 ar.senate of lead, to insure a clean and full crop. Last season the fixst 

 brood chry.salides were observed in the bandages at Queenstovvn as early 

 as nth December; and moths were captured leaving the bandages at 

 Panton Hill on 19th December. This shows the urgent necessity for 

 what is generally called the Christmas spraying. . Eggs of the Codlin ^^loth 

 were found last year on 5th December at Burnley Gardens. The.se would' 

 hardly be the eggs from the second brood of moths; they would in all 

 probability have been laid by some moth of the early brood, which had 

 emerged from a deep crevice, or a cool sjKjt, where its entrance into the 

 stage of perfection had been delayed bv the cool temperature cf the hiding 

 place of the chrysalis. If the late December spraying has not been given, 

 all apple and pear trees should be sprayed at once, and the fruit should 

 be kept covered with spray for the rest of the sea.son. Provided that no 

 rain occurs to- dilute or to wash off the spray, an interval of three or four 

 weeks may elapse between each application. 



Bandages, fruit rooms, second-hand cases, &c., should all be kept under 

 strict supervision, and the chrysalides all searched out of every possible 

 hiding place. 



Woolly Aphis. — Where any Woolly Aphis had remained on the trees, 

 it received a severe check with the advent of the hot winds and hot spell 

 In mid-November. The subsequent cool change in December was \erv 

 favourable to its increase; and should the season continue cool, it will be 

 well to make further attacks on this pest, before it fully destroys the 

 valuable fruit spurs and la'cerals upon which it may have settled. A 

 strong spray of tobacco solution is very "effective, and this should be 

 given without delay. Where attacks are light, the sulphur-potash paint, a 

 strong nicfitine solution, or kerosene emulsion may be applied to tht 

 affected parts. 



Budding. 



Young treeS; or old trees that have been previously cut down in pre- 

 paration for budding, ma\- be worked over towards the end of the month. 

 Ii- is advisable to select dull, cool weather for this operation, so that the 

 sap may run more freely, and so that the weather will not have too 

 drying an effect on the bud. The operation of budding is a very simple 

 one, and is easily performed. To gain a successful end, the sap should 

 be flowing freely, so that when the cuts are made, the bark should " lift " 

 or "run" easily, and without any clinging or tearing of the fibres; and 

 it should separate freely from the wood. The bud selected should be firm 

 and well matured, and should show no signs, of premature growth what- 

 ever. It is cut from the .scion with a shallow cut, and if any wood, in- 

 the cutting, be left in, this should be taken out of the bud. A smooth 

 clean spot should be .selected on the bark of the stock, and a T-shaped 



