THE ORCHARD.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIV, Issue 4525, 9 February 1923, Page 4

THE ORCHARD.

1 HARVESTING THE CROPS. ; INSTRUCTOR’S ADVICE. ' Mr W. C. Hyde, orchard instructor, writing in the “N.Z. Journal of Agri culture,” says : — ; PACKING FOR EXPORT. ’ The export fruit, pack is generally very commendable; a tendency to slackness is the commonest defect. A box so packed is very quickly filled, but it weighs light, and the fruit is subject to bruising. The fruit, when packed, must stand only a very little j above the edge of the box, but it must i be very firmly and solidly packed by I means of careful grading and fitting, i Such a pack takes longer to put up, I but is then satisfactory in every way. j Consignees still charge us with i marking a large proportion of our j eases in such a manner that the marks are not legible—at any rate on arrival at destination. This is a very serious charge, as anyone who has had to sort and handle a large quantity of fruit knows. One can come to the conclusion that dressed ends on the cases are a necessity, whether stencilling is done or a label is used. The latter method is given a very strong preference by London agents. There is considerable art in getting labels to dry on smoothly and tightly. The first requisite is a good paste, which is best mixed with col l water and then heated till cooked. Another is to allow the label to saturate before application, and finally brush put all air bubbles. GENERAL. The trees will now be bearing down with the weight of the fruit, and cultivation will soon have to cease, I’J maintain fertility where heavy crops are borne, to supply 'humus to soils where this is lacking, or to smother bad weeds, such as couch grass or twitch, a cover crop may be sown now with great advantage. Usually a moderate dressing o,f superphosphate or other manure is given at the same time. Little other work can be done during the harvest, but when spare moments are available keep a good lookout for developments in the orchard, and clean up the trees with a good spraying as soon as the crop is off: an excellent chance is then afforded of dealing with aphis and red mite. This is the best time of the year for budding orchard trees. CITRUS FRUITS. Weather conditions have been exceptionally moist for this season of the year, and citrus groves have benefited thereby. However, this has caused an abnormal growth of weeds. As soon as a favourable opportunity presents itself these should be dealt I with by thorough cultivation. The ’ second delayed application of boi- ' (Icaux, 4-4 40, may still be applied for I control of fungoid diseases. J FIREBLIGHT. Attention is drawn to the fact that fireblight, among other diseases scheduled in the Orchard and Garden Diseases Act, 1908, is notifiable to the Department of Agriculture. Notification of the appearance of the dis- ■ case must, be immediately made to the office bf the District Orchard In- ! structor. Failure to comply may render any person liable, bn conviction, to a penalty of £2O. It is as well to remind growers of fruit trees generally that the onus rests upon them, under the Act, to seb that all leasonable steps are taken to have their trees kept free from the disease. Those \ occupiers of orchards who fail to effectively comply with the provisions of the Act in this respect, are liable to the same penalty as above quoted.