10 Jan., 1916.] Orcliard and Garden Notes. 61 



ORCHARD AND GARDEN NOTES. 



E. E. Pescoit, F.L.S., Principal, School of Horticulture, Burnley. 



The Orchard. 



Cultivation. 

 The necessity for constant surface cultivation is apparent every 

 summer, but more so in dry seasons. N^ot only in non-irrigable districts 

 is this a necessity, but also in those districts vi^here the trees can be 

 watered, and more so in the latter case. In irrigated orchards the 

 tendency of the soil, as a result of artificial waterings, is to set and 

 harden. Consequently, stirring the surface must be resorted to^ in 

 order to keep up a good mechanical condition of the soil, and also to 

 prevent loss of irrigation water by evaporation. 



• In non-irrigable orchards the cultivation is necessary to conserve 

 what water has entered the sub-soil, as a result of the winter and spring 

 rains. The soil crust should not be allowed to form. Summer showers 

 are not alone the cause of these formations; dry weather conditions 

 cause the soil to consolidate, and any tramping or vehicular tratfic tends 

 to harden the surface, and thus to allow the escape of moisture the trees 

 most need. 



Spbaying. 



Spraying for codlin moth will require to be very thorough. A 

 spraying should be given during the second week in January, and 

 another in a month's time. All infected fruit should be picked from 

 the trees, or gathered from the ground, and destroyed by boiling. It 

 is often a common practice to place the infected fruit in heaps, and 

 attempt to destroy the larvge by building a fire on top of the fruit. This 

 method cannot be too strongly condenmed, as it is almost inevitable 

 that a nund)er of the larva? will escape. The only way to properly deal 

 with such fruit by burning is to have it burnt in a furnace; failing 

 this, boiling is the surest method of extermination when the larvsp are 

 in the fruit. The cater])inars and chrysalids sliould be searched out 

 of their lading ])laces under the bark, in the crevices of the tree, kc. 

 All bandages should be well cleaned, and no chance whatever given to 

 the insects to develop into the second brood. 



Owing to the cool weather experienced during the season, woolly 

 aphis is becoming prevalent, particularly in sheltered situation.s. It 

 is advisable to free the trees as much as ])0s<ible of this pest now, as, if 

 left until the winter, it Avill destroy a large number of buds on the 

 ti'ces. A strong tobacco solntion, any lime spray, resin wash, nr kerosene 

 enuilsion will easily kill the insect. 



Fumigation. 

 Citrus and other evergreen trees that arc attacked by scale insects 

 should be freed from the scale at this time. Although spraying with 

 such mixtures as resin comi)Ound, crude petroleum enuilsion, sul])hur, 

 lime and salt emulsion Avill do good work in keeping the scale insects in 

 check, the only eireclivc mcims of complete eradication is by fumigation. 

 The trees are enclo-cd in a lent which will prevent tlie escape of any 



