lo Dec, 19 io.] Orchard and. Garden Notes. 803 



ORCHARD AT^D GARDEN NOTES. 



E. E. Pescott, Principal, School of Horticulture, Burnley. 



The Orchard. 



The weather during the current season has been quite the opposite of 

 last year. Last year, very dry conditions prevailed, which rendered cul- 

 tivation work difficult. This season, exceptional rains prevailed at the 

 blossoming period, and occasional showers have been experienced since. 

 This augurs well for the coming crop. 



The soil should be worked as frequently as necessary, so that no surface 

 caking shall be allowed to remain. All weeds should be kept down by 

 use of the scarifier, harrows, or light disc. 



All young trees and grafts should be mulched with a light mulch, using 

 the mulch more for coolness and protection than for manurial purposes. 

 Frequent syringings or sprayings with water, especially during hot weather, 

 will be very helpful to these; it will materially assist in procuring a vigorous 

 growth. This work is also very beneficial to newly-planted citrus trees. 



Spraying. 

 Spraying for Codlin Moth, owing to the value of arsenate of lead for 

 this purpose, is neither so formidable nor frequent as it was formerly. 

 The most frequent sprayings are necessary when the fruit is growing ; as 

 no matter what the strength of the spray, there is no expansion of this, 

 while the fruit is growing and increasing in size every day. 



The annual appearance of the moths is generally coincident with the 

 blossoming period, at the same time the insects appear to be fairly con- 

 sistent in the time of their appearance. In 1908 the first moths recorded, 

 appeared during the second and third weeks in October. In 1909, the 

 first moth observed at Burnley for the season was on 20th October. This 

 year, the first moth at Burnley was noticed on 2i.st October; and during 

 the succeeding week, a large number were observed. 



It is generally advised to give the trees the first spray as soon as the 

 petals have fallen. If this had been done during the present season, it 

 would seem, according to the time of the coming of the moths, to be too 

 ■early for pear trees at least ; as, in the Burnley orchards, most of the pear 

 trees had finished blooming in the second week in October. At the same 

 time, the third week in October would be too early for some varieties of 

 apples. It is therefore most diflScult to decide definitely on an exact time 

 for the first spray. This must be left to the judgment of the grower, 

 who will have to consider the varieties of fruits he grows; remembering 

 that it is better to be a week too early than a day too late. It should also 

 be remembered that once the larva of the moth has eaten its way into the 

 fruit, it is almost impossible to kill it with the spray. 



Cherry trees should be watched for visitations of the pear and cherry 

 .'■lug. As soon as this insect appears the trees should be sprayed with 

 hellebore or tobacco water. If there is no fruit on the trees, arsenate of 

 lead should be used as a spray. The slug should not be allowed to 

 defoliate the tree, after the fruit has been picked. Loss of leaves at any 

 ^season is weakening and injurious to the trees. 



