FRUIT TREE DISEASES.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVII, Issue 5005, 26 July 1926, Page 3

FRUIT TREE DISEASES.

METHODS OF CONTROL.

VALUE OF SUITABLE SPRAYS.

At the conclusion of the pruning demoiiscration at Mr W. J. Ellis’ orchard, Paeroa, on Friday, Mr P. Everett, Government orchardist instructor, gave a brief description of the different pePts and diseases that were most troublesome to orchardistsi in this district. He said that insects that were injurious, to fruit and fruit trees could be roughly divided into two elapses, namely, sucking insects and chewing injects. Included in the former were all classes' of scailes, such, as aphides, leaf hoppers, etc., and in the latter . class codlin moth grubs, pear slugs, leaf rollers, and bronze beetles. Sucking insects were controlled by what was known as contact .'sprays, s.uch as red oil emulsibh, which should, be applied during the winter, and lime-sulphur, plus black-leaf 40, at intervals during the summer. Chewing insects were best controlled by covering th® leaves and fruit with a poisonous film, so that when the insects commenced to eat they poisoned themselves. A suitable spray for the purpose was arsenate of lead, which was uged almost universally in the proportion of 13/jlb to 100 gallons (powder), or 31b to 100 gallons (paste). In rega.rd to the control of fungoid diseases, the speaker said that two fungicidal sprays were in common use in the Dominion, bordeaux and lime-sulphur, the latter having the advantage of being also an insectacide. Bordeaux mixture should be applied to all fruit trees jus,t as the J buds. commenced to swell in the ’spring. For; controlling brown rot in stone-fruits 4im®-sulphur in the proportion of i in 50 should be applied when the fruit was setting, and repeated' at a'strength of 1 in 120 whenever the) disease be'eame troublescime, especially just prior to picking time.

‘A number of questions, were then put to the speaker concerning the different methods of contrcflling orchard diseases and he answered them satisfactorily. At the conclusion of the lecture, on the motion of Mr W. Forrest a hearty vote of thanks was accorded the speaker for the interesting and instructive address..

By special request a demonstration was given in the correct method of pruning lemon trees.