1920.] 



Renovation of Neglected Orchards. 



603 



become badly overcrowded should receive very drastic treat- 

 ment. Nothing less than the removal of alternate trees will 

 be of permanent value. Many orchards and plantations have 

 lapsed owing to the entire neglect of winter pruning. There 

 is a great tendency to treat " Standards," in particular, as 

 ordinary shade trees, and to assume that they are quite capable 

 of looking after themselves. " Standards " and " Half- 

 Standards," it is true, cannot be dwarfed or forced in the same 

 w T ay as cordon and bush trees, and in these cases, therefore,, 

 spur-pruning is unsuitable. The proper method is to adopt 

 the simple system of thinning the heads. This is done by 

 removing all crossing branches and strong growths arising 

 from the centre of the tree and shortening those branches 

 which tend to become spindly and unable to bear a heavy crop 

 without breaking. The head then remains well balanced. It 

 can be effectively sprayed, while sunlight and air can penetrate 

 to all parts, so that the fruit colours and the wood ripens satis- 

 factorily. The heads of trees that have not been winter-pruned, 

 for several years are usually mere thickets, and, therefore, 

 contain practically no fruiting wood except on the outside. 

 Apples which have been thus neglected should be top-grafted 

 w T ith a strong growing variety, but pears, plums, cherries and 

 apples not badly overcrowded should be very carefully thinned, 

 the operation extending over several years, so that there will 

 be no risk of killing the tree by a very severe check. 



Insufficient manuring is a common cause of unfruitfulness, 

 and is most difficult to remedy. It occurs very frequently in 

 grass orchards. Poverty-stricken trees are easily recognised by 

 their light-yellow leaves, small annual growth, and the 

 " unkind " hide-bound appearance of bark, trunk and branches. 

 While grass may in certain cases impair the health of young 

 trees, it will serve, in the case of older plantations on strong land, 

 to check excessive growth, and will promote heavy fruiting. Grass- 

 should always be kept closely grazed, especially with sheep fed 

 on meal, and a dressing of basic slag at the rate of 5-10 cwt. 

 per acre will give good results on heavy soils. This should be 

 applied every four or five years. Ground lime also has a good 

 effect. Special attention must be paid to the winter washing of 

 fruit trees. Caustic washes are most satisfactory for trees in a 

 thoroughly bad condition. Lime sulphur washes may be used 

 between November and February, and lime washes, applied 

 usually in early spring, just before the buds break, are effective 

 in destroying insect pests. 



