14 



intelligent priming and cultivation are practised witli the object of improving 

 on Nature and Iceeping lier up to a high standard of perfection. 



No tree can be pruned by rule-of-thumb. Locality, soil, and climatic conditions 

 must be studied. A good pruner will study the reciuirements of the tree to be 

 treated, together with local conditions. He must understand circulation of sap, 

 balance of root and top, action of light ar.u air, and the necessity for keeping a good, 

 stout framework in (irder to meet the requirements of economically working and 

 hai-^-esting the crop, as -well as spacing of the leaders to carry the laterals and give 

 the tree free circulation of air and sunlight for the healthy maturing of both wood 

 and fruit. 



The closest attention must be given to ha\-ing the tree sufficiently open in 

 the centre, and yet not too open ; the centre should be hollow, and no more. Many 

 growers in this State have theii- trees far too open and without sufficient leaders. 

 The tree, if a wide grower, can carry from 18 to 24 main leaders comfortably, 

 whilst an upright grower can carry 15 or 18 mahi leaders. These leaders should 

 form a double row right round the circumference of the tree, and should be placed 

 with ample intervening spaces, so that smi and light will have free entry ; yet it must 

 be borne in mind that too much smi must not be permitted to plaj- on the bark 

 or the fruit, as this would cause the fruit to scald and the tree to become l^ark- 

 bound. The latter trouble is indicated by a hard or red appearance of the bark, 

 and its effects are to interfere with the sap-flow, so that the spurs are not properly 

 nourished and the wood-growth becomes poor and weak. In pruning, one should 

 always consider how the tree will appear when in foliage, and one should give 

 sufficient space only, according to \ariety, to clothe the tree amply with foliage, 

 withiiut sheltering the fruit too nuieh (as this would pres'ent its colouring up 

 well), j-et at the same time not failing to protect both bark and fruit thoroughly 

 from sun-scald. 



The foliage als(.> has another and important function : the assimilation process. 

 This is a very important duty, on the proper performance of which the entire 

 growth and productiveness of the tree depend. The foliage absorbs from the 

 air the carbonic acid needed for building up the parts of the tree and the fruit. 

 This carbonic acid is converted )jy the lea\es, hi conjunction with the nutriment 

 supplied by the roots, into starch, sugar, cellulose, fats, tissues, acid, all woody 

 fibres, bark, spins, buds, etc., necessary for the building-up of the tree and fruit ; 

 the foliage acting as a veritable laboratory during the process. 



From the foregoing it «ill be recognised how \'ery necessary it is to provide 

 ample foliage and to keep that foliage healthy during the spring and summer 

 months. 



When summer pruning is practised, care and judgment miLst be used not to 

 remove too much foliage, otherwise serious harm will result to the tree and crop. 



It is very essential that the tree be kept thoroughly vigorous at all times. 

 No matter what quantity of fruit it maj- be carrying, at least one foot to 18 inches 

 of top gro's^'th on each of the leaders must be maintained to keep the tree healthy. 

 This top growth not only ensures the sap being drawn to the extremities of the 

 limbs, but maintains a health}' sap-flow throughout the tree ; and this, again, 

 ensures not only the thorough nourishment of all fruit, but the complete develop- 

 ment and matiu'ing of spur and Ijud formation for the following season's fruit. 

 Unless proper attention is given to maintainuig the healthy sap-flow, the best 

 results cannot be obtained. With scalded bark and nc.) top-gi'owth, a healthy 

 flow of sap is not possible. 



The trees must be kept in a healthy growing" state right through the summer. 

 The practice of discontinuing the cultivation as soon as the fruit has matured is 

 not a wise one, especially in a climate where no summer rains fall, for the tree 



