832 Winter Washing of Fruit Trees. [Jan., 



WINTER WASHING OF FRUIT TREES AND THE 

 TREATMENT OF NEGLECTED ORCHARDS. 



In dealing with the question of the regeneration of neglected 

 and worn-out orchards, the most which can be hoped for is 

 to repair to some extent the injury caused by age or neglect, 

 for it is futile to expect that any course of treatment will 

 succeed in entirely remedying previous mismanagement. The 

 results obtained will depend largely upon the local conditions; 

 in some cases a very considerable improvement will be 

 brought about, but in other instances the results may be some- 

 what disappointing. Where the orchards are prematurely 

 worn-out, or otherwise unsatisfactory, benefit may be safely 

 anticipated ; but where the decay is natural and due mainly 

 to old age, it is probable that nothing short of entire replant- 

 ing will suffice. 



The measures to be adopted consist in the thorough cleans- 

 ing of the trees and the combating of insect and fungus pests 

 by means of winter washing, summer spraying, and similar 

 treatment, together with manuring, pruning, re-grafting 

 unsatisfactory trees, and replanting. 



Winter Washing of Fruit Trees. — A neglected orchard not 

 only harbours during the winter all manner of insect enemies 

 which commence their ravages in spring, but forms a nursery 

 or breeding-ground from which other orchards are infested 

 with noxious insects. The first step, therefore, is to destroy 

 these pests as far as possible, and for this purpose winter 

 washing is practised. 



The caustic or burning wash applied clears away moss, 

 lichen and other vegetable growths that are not only harmful 

 to the health of the tree, but which also act as shelter- 

 places for injurious insects, while at the same time the wash 

 may reach the insects themselves in their various stages of 

 development. 



The woolly aphis, the apple blossom weevil, the earwig, 

 the caterpillar of the codling moth in its cocoon, and other 

 insects, are found during the winter sheltering under cover 

 of rough bark and of lichenous and other growths on fruit 

 trees. The destruction of their winter quarters places such 

 insects at a disadvantage, and their number is in conse- 



