544 Journal of Agriciiliiirc. [lo Aug., 1910. 



ORCHARD AND GARDEN NOTES. 



E. E. Pescott, Prh/cipal, School of Horlicultiire, Burnley. 



The Orchard. 



The work of pruning should be completed before the end of August. 

 This is particularly necessary this year, as every indication points to an 

 early spring. The winter, in June and July, has been a very mild one; 

 and in several districts, even at the end of July, it was observed that the 

 buds of various fruit trees were showing signs of sap movement, and were 

 swelling and changing colour. 



For this reason, if the winter spraying has not been carried out, it 

 should be done without delay. One of the most general winter sprays is 

 red oil. The caustic properties of this oil are well known ; and in order 

 that no damage will arise from burnt buds, it is advisable to finish the 

 rea oil spraying immediately. Once the buds commence to move, all oil 

 preparations should be kept from the trees. It has previously been stated 

 that a strength of i in 30 of red oil is amply sufficient to destroy such pests 

 as bryobia mite, scale insects, and woolly aphis ; when the oil is used late 

 in the season, it certainly should not be sprayed at a greater strength than 

 this. Red oil may be emulsified by combining it with soft soap, using 

 I lb. of soft soap to one gallon of oil ; or it may be used in combination 

 with lime, using i\ lbs. of lime, dissolved in water, to i gall, of oil, 

 afterwards reducing this down with 30 galls, of water. Crude petroleum, 

 or kerosene, may also be used in an emulsified form for a winter spray, 

 but general practice has shown that the red oil is the superior of all oil 

 emulsions. 



The work of planting will also require to be finished before the end 

 of the month. Indeed, it is not at all advisable to defer planting even 

 so late. It has often been advanced by growers that late planted peaches 

 thrive far better than early planted ones ; but it is well to get the trees in 

 as early as possible, in the event of the season setting in early. 



Preparation should now be made for planting orange and lemon trees. 

 These may be lifted and planted out as soon as the season sets in warm ; 

 but the soil should be thoroughly drained and sweetened before these trees 

 are planted in their permanent positions. No trees require so thoroughly 

 an aerated soil as the citrus familv ; and, to insure successful growth, the 

 ground should be placed in good heart before planting. Although the 

 planting of this class of fruit trees may be delayed until mid-summer, 

 it is advisable to plant them as soon as the soil is warm enough to induce 

 new root growth, so that they may thoroughly establish themselves during 

 the first season. 



A much neglected fruit in Victoria is the Persimmon or the Japanese 

 date plum. Up to the present, it has always brought good prices, and 

 it should become a very popular fruit. The persimmon requires a par- 

 ticularly rich soil, and it should be manured heavily to induce good growth 

 and to produce a strong tree. Plenty of water is another factor to 

 success ; in fact, the young trees very often refuse to start into growth, 

 until several excessive waterings have been given. 



"Vegetable Garden. 



The work in this section during the month of August is comparatively 

 light, provided that it has previously been kept up to date. The soil 

 should be mellowing and sweetening, in anticipation of the planting of the 

 main crop in a short time. 



