156 FRUIT FARMING 



Mildew. — Apples, Pears and other fruit trees are 

 liable to this in summer, and it appears as a white 

 powdery substance upon the surface of leaves and 

 shoots. Apples and Pears may be sprayed with 

 Medela, No. 18, and this can also be used for Currants 

 or Gooseberries, but Cherries, Peaches, Nectarines and 

 Apricots should be sprayed with the copper carbonate 

 as advised for shot hole fungus, which see. Mildew in 

 Strawberries can be checked by the application of 

 sulphur — this must be done early, before the fruit swells. 

 In vineries the best method is sulphur wetted and 

 rubbed on the pipes, sufficient heat being maintained to 

 raise the fumes. 



Moss ON Fruit Trees. — The presence of this shows 

 a want of vitality in the trees. It can be readily got 

 rid of by a winter dressing of unslaked lime and 

 soot, also salt and water — 2 ozs. to a gallon — and a 

 mulching of stimulant manure to the soil will prevent 

 its appearance again, and start fresh growth in the 

 tree. 



Rabbits and Hares. — These are very destructive 

 to the stems of young fruit trees, more especially 

 Apples, and all trees must at once, on being planted, 

 be protected by a covering of small-meshed galvanized 

 wire netting— taking care to get it strong enough to 

 keep out the sheep's noses— and secure it with wire. 

 The best for that purpose is that called 17 guage, 1 in. 

 or ij in. mesh. The protectors should be 9 in. or i foot 

 wide, and 3 feet or nioro lon^;, these are now made 

 entire, and are much stronger than pieci's cut from 

 a roll of wire. Made se[)arately, and v;al\Mnizeil aHir 

 making, tliey cnst about -ni. to bd. eacii. rhe\- will last 

 until the trees expand ami take up the .space. If two 



