CHAPTER XXVI 



WORK BY SEASONS IN THE ORCHARD, FRUIT GARDEN 

 AND THE HOME GROUNDS 



The beginner in orcharding may be helped materially by out- 

 lines showing the work to be done each season in the orchard. 



Outline of the Year's Work in the Apple Orchard.— There are 

 four main lines of work in the orchard which demand attention. 

 In the winter the first task is to give the annual pruning which 

 the orchard must have to be successful. Following this at any 

 suitable time when the weather is favorable, the spraying campaign 

 must begin. This will continue through the spring and early 



Fig. 232. — In co-operative fruit shipping associations the sorting and packing is often 

 done on an extensive scale at a central station. (Photo by T. Gagnon.) 



summer. Thinning is often necessary when the fruit is small. 

 Probably before spraying is ended the annual cultivation must 

 begin. This will be accompanied by fertilizing or feeding the soil to 

 supply plant food to the trees and growing fruit. After the culti- 

 vation, picking will soon begin, and the fruit will have to be 

 sorted and marketed or stored and later sold (Fig. 232). 



There are special problems coming up from time to time during 

 the year, such as the examination of trees for borers, and perhaps 

 the fighting of codling moth by the banding methods. Protect 

 the trees from sun scald, from attacks of rabbits, etc. 



The Annual Campaign for the Stone Fruits. — The operations in 

 the peach orchard are about the same as for the apple orchard. 



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