ORCHARD WORK FOR JUNE.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1762, 29 May 1913, Page 8

ORCHARD WORK FOR JUNE.

AN IMPORTANT■' MONTH. ' Dealing with the question of orchard work for June, Mr. AV. A. Boucher gives tho following advice in tho Journal of the Department of Agriculture:— Planting; >•- .vi - i"In some of tho warmer districts of tho Dominion the planting of youn<* trees may bo carried out during the early part of the month, provided tho soil has been well prepared, and is otherwise in a suitable condition. For tho benefit of those who. have not had a great deal of experience in the treatment of moisture-reten-tive clay lands, it may be as well to again reimud'ihtending planters thiit.if the soil is wet and cold the setting-out of orchard trees may with advantage be 'deferred until spring weather has brought about .a satisfactory condition. In the meantime, trees purchased' . to order will probably have arrived. ■ These should bo heeled in, ind allowed to remain until suitable soilwpditions ndiriit of planting. .

/nsoct.Posts and Fftngus.Diseases.. Most nurserymen nowadays adopt satisfactory methods of treatment for the conIrol of insect-pests and fungus diseases before tho dispatch of .fruit trees froift their nurseries. - In such instances purchasers are.saved any-further trouble in this reslxfct. But if such' treatment has not been carried out before the trees come to hand, .then it will bo advisable before heeling in or planting out to tako such precaution. 5 ns may be required against infection by insect pests or fungus diseases* ■ : Tlie simplest And-least expensive method of accomplishing this is to prepay a cask of tho Bordeaux mixture, 10-1040 formula, and, bundlo by bundle, holding the roots upwards,'dip the branches and stems into the mixture as far as': the soil marks. Later on tho. trees should also bo dipped in the red-oil emulsion, winter strength, in,order to destroy the eggs of red spider, mussel, scale, etc. If these necessary' precautions are effectively. carried,.out. the. trees will require little or no further attention for the control of'"most orchard pests aiid diseases during their first, season. ". . .

Spraying Peaches and Nectaries.. ' litany growers are still content to,spraj? their peach and nectarine trees onco,only during the dormant, ■season, with the Bor-de-ius mixture, 10-1040 formula. Tho be?t results in controlling the fungus diseases that attack these fruits can only be! attained by spraying twice, the first time in tho autumn as soon as possible after the leaves have fallen, and the second in tho spring, when the buds have oorninenceil to swell.

Mealy Bug, Of late years this pert has been spread-,' ing'considerably in apple orchards in several localities. Consequently it become* necessary to draw.the attention of growers to the necessity for adopting such measures as may-be. required to keep it well-under control, .No, doubt in many instances the fact of its existence in the orchard is• unknown to. the-owner, and for .this reason it seems desirable .that alt apple orchards should be' thoroughly sprayed 'during the dormant season with -■ the Ved-oi'l .emulsion diluted to lite winter strength, ■ •

Mussel Scale and Red Spider.^ Both theso pests ato inucli more in evidence than they should be, even in districts. .whero. spraying has been, regularly carried out each season, It would almost appear as though either an inferior grade of oil lias been used, the emulsion not properly made, or lins been diluted to too great a degree. On account of tho necessity for keeping mealy bug, mussel scale, and red spider well under control, so that fruit arriving at the markets may pass unchallenged, it would !>o as well for growers to carefully investigate the reasons for the niore or less iudill'crent. results that in many instances havq follow-, ed tho applications of spraying compounds. Cherry Leaf Scorch. As a precaution against attack by this destructive fungus, cherry trees should be spraved with the Burdeaux mixture. 10-10-40 formula, as soon the leaves havo iiillon.