IN THE ORCHARD

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 139, 9 December 1929, Page 9

IN THE ORCHARD

INCESSANT WORK

SPRAY, SPRAY, SPRAY,

All over the Dominion, apple orchards are promising a good crop, which should be well up to laßt year's. But of course the weather is the all-import-ant factor between now and the time when the apples are ready for picking, and no man can say what this will be, or make provision against any unfavourable aspect. Hitherto this season the weather has been kind as a whole, and foliage has made good growth, aiid the fruit promises well.

At the present time in orchards it is a case of spray, spray, spray; and, when that is done, spray again. Trees have already had half-a-dozen or more sprayings, and several more will bo required to keep down codliu moth, leaf roller, red mite, and other insect pests. The orchardist's life is one long battle against insect foes which, in spite of all that modern horticultural science can do, continue to take annuajly a jeonsiderable toll of his crop. Weather conditions are an important factor in this fight. One type of weather will tavour one pest and one another, but, generally speaking, fine weather from now on ! s what the orchardist most desires. The weather in' November was rather in favour of the development .of black spot, but it is not anticipated that this will be a very serious scourge this year. Fireblight is the most dreaded disease of all, and strict attention to hawthorn hedges is being paid to prevent the ravages of fireblight in districts where it has not yet made its appearance.

Probably more money is expended in. labour per acre in the fruit industry than m any other. Pruning, spraying, cultivation, picking, and packing soon run away with the money> and expenses for theso easily total £50 fiacre. Machinery is each year play in" a more important part in the fruitii" dustry. Tractors are now in common use for cultivation, and save mucli time. Another labour-saving device is spraying by the piping method, the orchards being reticulated with pipes leading from a central spray tank. This method, although its initial cost may be rather heavy, has numerous obvious advantages, especially when it is remembered how much spraying must ba done.

Ivo matter how favourable the season or how hard the orchardist works, and the majority work very hard, and for very long hours at this time of year ho can never be sure what the monetary results of his labours will be. Fruit perfectly grown and perfectly packed may be shipped to England. It may suffer deterioration on the voyage or may be sold in a dull market, and a years labour has gone for nought or for very little. But the average apple- | grower is an optimist; he needs to be. He fortifies himself with the knowledge that year by year science and improved marketing conditions are helping him more and more, and if ho jis a super-optimist he will even look forward to' the possibility of a fortune