DRESSING FRUIT TREES.

Feilding Star, Volume XIX, Issue 34, 9 August 1897, Page 2

DRESSING FRUIT TREES.

(TO THE EDITOR)

Sir, — Mr Wilks, in his lotter which was inserted in 3'our last night's edition, evidently mistakes tbe dressing I mentioned of lime, salt, and sulphur for scale b'ipht. On the contrary, my wish wan to remind those interested in orchards that one of most iujurious flies of the b"rer species makes its appearance about the end of tbe present month, doing much damage. Nothing can be done when it bas once laid its eggs, which aro soon batched, and at once the young borer eats its way to the pith. The only way to cope with this pest is to drive the fly away from attacking the tree by having tbe bark dressed witb tho solution of lime, salt, and sulphur. My winter dressing for scale blight is spraying well all my apple trees with j whale oil, soap, and water (soap made witb caustic potash) ; again spraying i about three times, commencing Ist No* yember up to December, ending with dissolved resin, which gums the little mites fast when on their march for tbe new bark. The cost of all this is a mere trifle. I have a 36 gallon cask mounted on wheels, and drawn by a horse. Yesterday I sprayed about 50 apple trecß in little over two hours. My spraying machine can be seen, also bow it works, by anyone wishing to do so. Cost of cask and fittings, a little over 505.— 1 am, 4c, Johk Holdeic. P.S. — I have been trying lime, salt, and sulphur on a few trees as a winter dressing for scale. On examination today I fesl convinced it is a valuable dressing — seems to be more so than whale oil and soap. After a week or two I shall be able to state with a certainty. If dressing can be done cheaply it will be done ; if costly, it should be left undone. I feel certain of the value of sulphur in an orchard. What it does not kill it sends away, and if the codlin moth is included what a value sulphur will be— not in cost but in services.— J.H.

TO THE EDITOK.

Sib,— l think Mr Wilks has, no doubt, unwittingly conveyed a wrong impression with regard to tba results attending the application of the above remedy— l do npt for a moment question Mr Wilks' statement about the damage done in Ibe individual cases to which be refers, but if the matter were sifted to the bottom, I venture to say tbe cause of mischief would lie at the door of tbe dispenser or operator and not witb tbe formula as prescribed by the Department pf Agriculture-

Experience far and wide has proved tbat this dressing is not destructive to fruit trees ; indeed, according to Mr Wiiks' own showing it is an old remedy, and surely, with the test of years at its back it cannot very well be found destiuctive as Mr Wdks' letter wonld lead us to believe, or it would long since have been branded dangerous in the minds of all who give attention to these things. This speoifio is intended more for a winter dressing to cleanse tbe trees of vegetable parasites, fungi, and also to destroy any insects tbat may take refuge therein. To get at scale with effect the proper time for treatment is tbe spring when (he inseots emerge from the shield which protects them against all washes. 01 course mechanical means may be employed by using a dressing of such consistency and adhesiveness as will bar their movements bat it is questionable if a covering of that kind by closing tbe pores of the bark (so essential to the health of the tree) would not bare an injurious effect on its constitution, besides, it would necessitate the use of tbe brush a tedious and expensive mode of treatwept. I take it tbat Mr Holdea's experience does not bear out Mr Wilkes' contention. I am, ate., R. W. Hammond.