ORCHARD WORK FOR JANUARY.

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 3 January 1912, Page 4

ORCHARD WORK FOR JANUARY.

W. A. Boucher writes in the Journal of Department of Agriculture, as follows: ■ ■■■-. - t Cultivation '.} During the month the cultivation of the soil should be steadily maintained •;- if the previous working has left the soil in a fine and well-pulverised condition this will "be easily and economically accomplished by using a one or two-horse cultivator or - other suitable implement. ) Codmin-moth Possibly, considered from a general standpoint, codlin-moth is the pest that requires the greatest amount of attention during the month of January, As already stated, the hatching of the moth in small, numbers commences in,the latter part of October, and continues in increasing numbers throughout November ana December, the percentage developing from the grub to the chrysalis and moth form depending on the weather conditions. ■ ~• Whatever development may have tat en place prior to January, it is now we]l recognised that about the middle of that month, in districts where the moth has not already been brought under control, a heavy flight will take place, and, unless tho necessary precautions have been taken, within a very brief period a considerable percentage of fruit will show signs.of infection' -In of this flight the classes of fruit liable to infection by the pests should be careiully and thoroughly sprayed. - Spraying about the Bth, or-10th Jan» nary for the contiol of moth maybe regarded by the careful apple and pear grower as one of the most important operations of the 'peason. It hap been no uncommon thinp for some commercial and n-anj'- domestic growers, after spraying up to the end of December and finding few, if any, signs of infection, to feel satisfied that further trouble would not occur during the season. Serious infection by the January flight meuti'ued has been Dotice.l too late The grower has then realised that the material and labour already expended have been largely ■wasted, and he has been left to regrnt the loss of a high percentage 1 of his crop. Moreover, unless prompt and careful measures have been taken to prevent the... escape of considerable numbers of grubs to their hibematiDg quarters, infection has been created for the following season. IJEAI'-KOIXEIi OATERFILLEK, AND BRONZE BEETLE. The same treatment as has been outlined for tho codlm-moth, will be found effective for the control of ieafrojler caterpillar and brouze beetle at' tacking apples and pears, except that,' when the attack by bronze beetle is very severe, resin-solution should be added to the arsenate of lead. LEECH, This pest will still continue to be active, frequently. the attack of the leech on young trees that have not * come into bearing has been disregarded by both commercial mid domestic growers. This is altogether a mistake tor if unrepressed. the pest multiplies to such a degree that leaf-injury practically to the extent of uefoaation occur*. , It is important for growers to realise that if extensive injury to the foliage is permitted, the leaves will be •::, prevented from performing their proper functions, and butli the buds and vitality of'the trees will suffer in pro-' portion to the injury inflicted. For this reason the attack of leech should \ never-be oveilookod, but prevented by spraying. •TOMATOES. For the benefit of tomato-growers who live in the colder districts of the Dominion, advice already given for the control of both fungus and cater* „ "pillar muybe repeated. An effective combined preventive of injury by either will be found in the Bordeaux mLxtuie -.4-5 oO formula, to which ! Jib avoenate of lead should be added, BLACK- SPOT AKD AIILDEW OP THE GUAI'E. Usually but little trouble is experi. enced with black-spot during the '. month of.«Tanuarr, owing to the warmer and drier ■sveather, which is unfavourable to reproduction, sotting in, . but] climatic 'conditions that aro uu. "favourable to black-spot, are frequentJy favourable to iniid ew. ■ For tho control of thelattor fungus spraying- with the Bordeaux, mixture nay ?till be continued, or flowers of sulphur n?av be dusted freely on and' through the vines, both foliage and bunches, or, in the case *of the larger vineyards, applied with a siilphur bello >\ rs. Warm dry, sunny weather should bo selected " for this operation, with a still atmosphere if- possible, for the attack of mildew is concr.olled hot by.the contact of the sulphur, but the. faint fumes given off under the, sun-heat and exposure to the atmosphere.