10 Oct., 1916.] Orchard and Garden Notes. 637 



MONTHLY REPOKT. 



Strong north winds and a good deal of rain were the features of 

 the weather during the past month. The birds, however, have mostly 

 laid very well, and are in excellent condition. Broodies were numerous 

 among the heavy breeds, although in the light breeds only one bird 

 went broody for the term. The necessity— owing to the severe weather 

 conditions — of building the birds up to fairly high condition in the 

 winter will materially aid in good averages for some time to come. 

 Rainfall for month, 170 points. Temperature— Lowest 41 deg., 



highest, 74 deg. 



Department of Agriculture, 

 Melbourne, Victoria. 



A. HART, 



Chief Poultry Expert. 



ORCHARD AND GARDEN NOTES. 



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



The Orchard. 



Cultivation. 



Orchard ploughing should now be finished, and the main work for 

 the next few months will be an endeavour to keep the soil surface loose, 

 friable, and well opened. The consolidation of the surfaces must be' 

 avoided, as a hard, compact surface means the loss of much soil 

 moisture, by capillary attraction. So that after rains, heavy dews, the 

 spray pump and other traffic, it will be as well to run the harrows over 

 the surface of the soil, so as to keep the surface well broken and to 

 maintain a good earth mulch. If the harrows are not sufficient to break 

 the clods, a spiked or heavy roller should be drawn over it, and then 

 harrowed. If the weather is at all dry it is advisable to plough only 

 as much as may be harrowed in the same day. By immediately 

 following up the ploughing w4th harroAving a ininimum amount of 

 moisture is lost by capillarity. 



Green manure crops should now be ploughed under, and should they 

 be very abundant in growth, a roller should be run over them and 

 ploughed Avith a coulter attached. Any of these means will serve to get 

 the crop underground, which is a desideratum. 



In addition to the retention of soil moisture, cultivation of the 

 orchards will suppress the weeds which rob the trees of food and 

 moisture. The suppression of weeds is an important work in the spring 

 and suiiimci-, and ihcy should be rigorously hood or cultivated out. 



Spicayino. 

 Spraying for all pests and diseases is, at this time of the year, an 

 important work in the orchard. Bordeaux spraying for the black spot 

 of apples and pears, for scabs aiul shothole in peaclies and a])ricots, 

 for the leaf curl of the peach .iiid rust of the plums and peaches, should 

 now be completed. 



