THE BACKYARD ORCHARD.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 1666, 25 January 1917, Page 4

THE BACKYARD ORCHARD.

HOW TO CARF FOR IT. There is hardly a backyard which ha- not some stump, which, however disreputable, pas.-es as a fruit tree: but the curing of the peach or apple bearer is very remote from I km minds of most of the proud pi»-essms. There*!- the few, of course, who trouble the fruit inspectors and instructors for information. mul such questions us "What shall i do to prevent the disease of my tree.-’" are hurled dully, it is, therefore, interesting to note llie nio.-t conspicuous of the discuses which attack our fruit trees; ami study the advisability of using the sprayings which are recommended hy the Department of Agriculture, BROWN UR RJPF ROT. The fruit on many trees is marked in la-own patches, and il sometimes becomes diseased and falls to the ground, though it more often shrivels up and remains on the tree-, it then becomes covered witli a dense greyish mould . This form ol disease is known as brown or ripe ml (Monilia Fruetigenuj, a fungoid disease which this season has caused enormous loss to growers of siuiie fruits, and has distressed many householders who are the proud pnssesors of a solitary plum tree. To meet this ripe rot at the present lime, it is advisable to rake up all the dead and fallen fruit and burn it, and then pick off all the rotten fruit from, the tree and spray the good part of the crop with lime ami sulphur solution, of which a quarter-pint must he put to one kerosene tin of water. This should help to check the ravages of the disease. During the autumn and

winter good work cun be done, but those months are the ones which are generally left out of the hack garden orchardisls' programme. No disease ean lie seen except to the practised eye during the dormant months, hut it is present all the same, lurking in the innocent, dried-up fruit, and only awaiting favourable opportunities to resume the offensive afresh. Growers ean foreslijll the enemy hy spraying in the autumn with one pound of bluestone in ten gallons of water*, and again in the spring, when the leads begin to swell, with Bordeaux mixture — SII) lilue.-tone and Mb. of Roche lime in (if gallons of water. THE GOBLIN MOTH.

The eodlin moth is another pest which is too often allowed Io look after itself, and many a good dish of apples is lost for want ot a little care. The tree is blamed for not hearing good fruit, when it is really the orelmrdisl that is lacking.

The moth is a serious meimee m this district, with its ”oninl climate throughoul the year, and the strictest walcli should he kept and advantage taken of every means available, to destroy the codlin. I hi l fruit industry in New Zealand is growing so rapidly that it is high lime that owners of one or more fruit trees were made to feel their responsibility in its welfare. It a. grower has not the time nor the inclination to spray, it would be doing an act of public benegl to either cut down the tree or prevent the fruit from forming. The motto should be, get in before the moth by spraying with arsenic of lead, of which 30/.s. should lie put in (if gallons of water. Spraying with this should lie commenced as soon as most of the petals have fallen, and continued at intervals of 21 days, until about three weeks before picking. If the early moth has caught the peach, then it is in the best interests of the industry to pick off and burn all fruit showing signs of attack.