Seasonal Orchard Notes

Manawatu Times, Volume 62, Issue 37, 13 February 1937, Page 4

Seasonal Orchard Notes

SEASONAL SPRAYING (By J. W. Whelan, Orchard Instructor, Department of Agriculture). Growers are again urged not to cease sprdying operations until all danger from insect and fungi attack is over. At the time of writing, the indications point to a hot, dry autumn. If these indications are fulfilled, eating and sucking insects such as codling moth, woolly aphis, red-mite, leaf roller caterpillar and apple leaf hopper will remain active for some weeks to come, then again it must bo remembered that black-spot and powdery-mildew will also be active for some little time. It is possible the average grower does not realise the paramount importance of keeping red-mite and apple leaf hopper under at least reasonable control. From a control point of view these insects may be grouped together; their habits and methods of feeding are similar in so far as both ate sucking insects finding a common feeding-ground chiefly on the under side of the foliage. ' Unlike the injury caused by codling moth and leaf roller caterpillar, that caused by these pests may not result in visible injury on .the fruit. Their attack on the foliage, however, is so often so severe as to not only woaken the tree but to reduce the crop by causing'the fruit to fall prematurely. In addition, it mhy (prevent fruit buds for future crops from * developing. Thus indirectly, the invisible injury to fruit caused by redmite and apple leaf hopper may easily result as disastrously as that caused by uncontrolled codling moth and leaf rol-ler-caterpillar. It is advisable to continue with the combination spray as directed in previous notes for control of black spot, powdery mildew, codling 'mbth, and leaf roller caterpillar. For red-ntito,’ apple leaf hopper and woolly aphis apply summer oil 1 per cent, to 2 per cent.; (i.o. 1' oz: to 4 gallons water) ; at least two applications at ten-day intervals will be necessary to achieve a satisfactory control. The first 1 application should ; be 1 made about the 30th of the current month. Caro must be taken, •however, not to apply summer oil until fourteen days have elapsed preceding or followirig sulphur in any form. From about 1 the latter end of February and during the month of March red-mite winter egg-laying will commence, unless, of course, all live mites have been destroyed during tho preceding month. Satisfactory control of red-mite may be achieved provided tho - operator is thorough l in hie work when mixing and a PP l 3 r i n g the spray, and does not delay the operation until after egg-laying has actually commenced. Local Market Fruit ■ Growers in- their own interests should pay more attention in preparing fruit for local consumption. In the first place it should be carefully graded and packed into, if not new, at least clean, bright cases; lining the cases with coloured paper will -go far in making it •more attractive to the public. The need for rejecting fruit, unsuitable for exposing. for. sale can not ke overemphasised, that i 3 all fruit showing bitter-pit, skin-puncture, skin broken at stem, windfalls and those carrying unsightly blamishs. It. is foolish in the extreme to endeavour to keep fruit , the epidermis of which has been broken or in any way punctured, owing to fjie fact that the casual organism of storage rots such as blue mould, etc., will Undoubtedly make its entrance through the injured portion. A line of fruit attractively got up, conscientiously graded and packed, will not only sell readily, but in all probability will result in one or more repeat orders.