328 QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. [1 Sepr., 1899. 
Orchard Notes for September. 
By A. H. BENSON. 
Tire planting and pruning of all deciduous trees should have been completed 
even in the coldest districts by the end of August, and during the present month 
the orchardist should disbud and thumb-prune the young trees as soon as they 
start out into growth. Judicious thumb-pruning is necessary in order to reduce 
the number of branches, only those buds being allowed to develop into branches 
that will be required to form the future head of the tree, all the rest being 
either removed or, better still, pinched back and converted into spurs which will 
eventually bear fruit and which, meanwhile, will produce a tuft of leaves that 
will tend to strengthen the branch and to protect it from sunburn, Spraying 
‘should be continued during the month in the case of deciduous trees attacked 
by fungus diseases, such as the shot-hole fungus or rust of the apricot and the 
Windsor pear blight of pears, the material used being Bordeaux Mixture. 
Where leaf-eating insects of any kind are troublesome, a little Paris green— 
1 oz. to 10 gallons—should be added to the Bordeaux Mixture, the spraying 
material being then both an insecticide and fungicide, and two pests are destroyed 
by the one spraying. Vines that have not been treated for black spot, as described 
in the Orchard Notes for August, should be treated at once ; and vine-planting 
should be done during the beginning of the month, though if the cuttings haye 
been kept in a cold place planting can be continued all through the month. In 
planting grape-cuttings, see that the cutting is always planted firmly, and that 
the soil comes into direct touch with it all round, as, if not, it is very apt to dry 
out. Plant the cutting with the top eye just on a level with, or rather slightly 
below, the surface of the ground, not with 6 inches or more of the cutting 
sticking out of the ground, as the nearer to the ground the main stem of the 
vine starts the better the vine will be, and the easier will be its subsequent 
training. 
Orange-trees will be in full blossom during the month, and in the earlier 
districts the young fruit will probably be ready to treat for Maori or rust 
towards the end of the month. Maori is caused by a very small mite, which 
begins its attack on the young fruit when it is about the size of a marble, though 
the injury it causes is seldom noticeable till the fruit begins to ripen. Spraying 
the trees with a mixture of sulphur and soft soap, or with a weak solution of 
sulphide of soda, or dusting the trees with fine sulphur will destroy these mites. 
During the end of the month pineapple and banana suckers may be set out 
during favourable weather in fife tae districts, but it is not advisable to 
plant out too early, as they do not root readily till the soil is thoroughly well 
warmed, Orchards and vineyards should be kept well cultivated during the 
month, as if there is a dry spring the success of the crop will depend very 
much on the manner in which the orchard is kept, as the better the orchard is 
cultivated the longer it will retain the moisture required by the trees for the 
proper development of their fruit. Quickly acting manures, such as sulphate 
of potash, sulphate of ammonia, and superphosphate, can be applied to fruit 
trees during the month if there is any suitable showery weather, but should 
not be applied during either a very dry or very wet spell. Fruit trees should 
be mulched, and when cow-peas are required for mulching they can be planted 
towards the end of the month. 
During the month a careful examination should be made of all fruit to 
see if any contains larve or fruit fly; and if such are found, they should be 
destroyed, as if extreme care is taken during this and the two following months 
