254 Journal of Agriculture, Victoria. [10 April, 1919. 



ORCHARD AND GARDEN NOTES. 



E. E. Pescott, F.L.S., Pomologist. 

 The Orchard. 



As soon as the fruit is off the trees, the land should be well ploughed 

 and left in a rough condition until the spring ploughing. Tf not 

 already done, and the orchard conditions demand it, there is still time 

 to put in a leguminous crop for green manuring purposes. But this 

 should be done as early as possible, so as to give the crop a chance to 

 make some good early growth. Soils deficient in lime or in organic 

 matter are always benefited by a crop of green manures. Where stable 

 manure is unprocurable, the green manure crop is the only means of 

 adding organic matter to the soil. 



Pests and Diseases. 



All second-hand and old cases should be thoroughly ovej-hauled. 

 It is preferable to do this work now, instead of leaving it till spring, 

 when the rush of other duties will certainly prevent it being carried 

 out. The cases, if not bad enough to be destroyed by fire, should be 

 dipped for some time in boiling water. And this is not only for the 

 killing of the codlin larvae, but also to destroy larvae or eggs of any 

 scale or aphis, and also any spores of fungus diseases that may have 

 found lodgment therein. 



As soon as the trees have shed their foliage they may be sprayed with 

 red oil emulsion for woolly aphis, peach aphis, and the bryobia mite. 

 And this should be done before pruning, so that in handling and carry- 

 ing the prunings the pests will not be spread about the orchard to infect 

 the clean portions. 



Premature Flowering of Fruit Trees. 



As a result of the extremes of seasons we have just experienced, many 

 fruit trees are now flowering in different parts of the State. The long- 

 continued hot dry weather of the end of last year and the beginning 

 of this year caused the fruit buds to harden and mature. In addition 

 the trees lost quite a large amount of foliage. Then the rains and cool 

 weather suddenly came, causing what might be termed a " false spring." 

 As a result the trees were given an impetus, they pushed out their 

 buds; and the flowers developed very freely. Plums were commonly in 

 flower last month; and many cases of apples, pears, and cherries were 

 noticed. 



Where this has occurred, the fruit should not be allowed to set; it 

 should be picked off at once, without damaging the fruit spurs or buds. 

 If allowed to grow on, it would be of no value, as it could not ripen. 

 But the worse result would be a continued weakening of the trees, which 

 Avould unsettle them for the subsequent bearing. In any case, it has 

 rarely been found that the trees which so prematurely flowered bore a 

 good crop in the next season. 



Flower Garden. 



Bulbs, tubers, and corms of spring-flowering plants should now all 

 be planted. As they appear above ground-, they should be protected 

 from the ravages of snails and slugs, as these pests have a very great 



