FRUIT CULTURE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 886, 4 August 1910, Page 8

FRUIT CULTURE.

/ AND DEMONSTBATION. : . ;! /A -.large number • of f amateur .fruitgrowers, i.were attracted .to Mr.. E. N. Blaldsron's .orchard on,; Saturday (says tho "Danneyirke' News")^' , when'- Jlr. 1 F. 8..! Nbttage,'.. Government' ".Fruit /'.lnspector/ gave ,a' practical '"demonstration.' of pruE- ; ißg'an'd.spray/.miiing. ';'■;/-',■,'■ V "' 'Mr. ;Nottage explained., that the ptjeot »f pruiiuig ; wae. to-'get al good, fruit-drop. In pruning! apple: trees; the' right /thing to do was to -leave asvmany'., of;; the laterals! as possible,' and :to prune -the foung, strong growth. of about ,ot its .length. ,. Where the branohes fork-' ed, the..stTong' wpody.-.branch, should;, be', cut,.leaving the other one.'about a ,third of its' growth. '■''-Effort should', be ■'made' towards ilistributing tho main branches into a'good open frame that would letin the.air and sunlight,to the centre of the tree; Outside brahclien should be cut to a wood spur, for this built up tho frame. of the tree. .Orchardists "should strive, more' for width. Leaders phould always, be left. '■? . In , pruning a, peach . tree all old branches should/be got rid of. : Where . the branches forked the strong one should be cut back hard, while the fruit-bearer should be deprived of about one-third of its' length. Practically., no part of a peach tree'should, be. permanent. '< ■•' With/a plum-tree, it was more a matter of opening./up than anything else. Those parts which, had borne fruit were to be dispersed-with,-to .gi,ve place to fresh growth. Some of the'older branches should-be , got rid of each year Many laterals were not wanted. The spurs, ehould' be shortened back to the' main braoches, gradually, each year.

The omcers of the Agricnltural -Department are at present actively engaged in investigating the cause of bush sickness, and until their inquiries have been completed (states the Hon.; T. Mackenzie to Mr. Massoy) the Govcrnhient does not see its',-way to offer a suggested bonus ior the. discovery of a remedy. :M ..