The Garden.

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 206, 11 June 1887, Page 1

The Garden.

An American Fruit Inspector's Trouble* A 'Local inspector of fruit pests, appointed i>y ,tho State and County Boards, writes "«6 .of his? first experience in the discharge of '-his new duties as quarantine guardian of fruit and orchards in this district. Oar, writes that after proceeding seven, miles on his trip of inspection, he met a man from Ballona, ■vyluMfl Jie accosted, and, after stating his minion, inquired if ho (the man from Ratksna) knew of any fruit pes>ts or had any ia his orchard. The reply was short and to the point : "If any of you inspectors come nosing around my orchard, you will hear the report of a shotgun." " But," replied the local inspector, " lha\e been duly appointed by the State and County Boards, and amonlydi : >cluu-gingniy duties according to that authority." " The man from Ballena " replies," It don't make any difference if you ai - e the Go; ernor, you can c nose around my 01 chard ; besides all this talk of fruit pests is humbug and buncombe.'' As the local inspector didn't stai I out toexamine guns, but fmit pejts, lie wisely took another trail and started towa-ds home, pondering over the honours and incidents connected with the official duties of a regularly-ap-pointed guardian of our fruit interests. The local inspector facetiously suggests that the County Board send out a detachment of militia to back him up in the discharge of his duties. Wo aro anxious to know if other inspectors have found their path of duty obstructed by shooting-irons or codlin moth 6 :.—" Sam Diecran."

Transplanting Trees. In removing seedlings from the nursery forest to the orchard, lawn or site of the grove or shelter belt, it should be kept constantly in mind that trees are livingthings, that they are very liable to injuries of various kinds, and that their roots are mouths. It is impossible to dig up a tree from the giound where it sprang from a seed without cutting oft' or bruiting some of the roots.* $till, wounds will heal on the roots ofatieeas well as on the trunk and branches. Not unfrequently a tree is benefited by having some of its roots removed or shortened. The root of a 'tree that has received an injury should receive the same kind of treatment that -ia given to an injured branch. It should be entirely removed with a sharp knife pi' saw, or cut off above the point of injury with some implement that will leave the surface smooth. If this is done fibrous roots will generally start out from the end and be of great service in supporting the tree. If roots are very long, it i=* generally better to cut them off in the ground than to attempt to dig them up at their full length or to pull them out of the soil. If they are drawn through the ground that has not been loosened, they will be liekly to have their bark removed from them or to become split and stripped of lateral roots. If they are injured in any of these ways they will be likely to die if left on the tree. The roots of many kinds of trees are likely to be greatly injured between the time they are dug from the ground and are set out. Roots of trees out of ground are much like " fish out of water." They will live if they are kept moist, but will die if they are allowed to become dry. They can be kept from becoming dry by keeping about them some of the earth in which they grew, by covering them .with damped cloth, moss or hay, or by dipping them in a pool of water that contains considerable clay or ordinary soil in a state of solution or suspension. These substances will form a coating which will prevent the dry air from striking the surface of the roots. The operation of coating the roots of trees with ( mud is called "puddling," and should be ' practised by all who remove trees quite a distance during windy, dry or warm .weather. It is comparatively easy to so . protect the roots of trees that they can be carried any distance without injury. But the roots of trees are often greatly injured by being hauled a dozen miles in an open waggon. The covering of the roots is very tender and liable to be bruised by rubbing against the .side of the waggon. It is also liable, to crack if exposed to the action of 1 the w'ihd orsuri. Ground in which trees ai*e to be planted should be, well prepared before the treea'are brought to it. The sod should be roilted and the soil deeply ploughed or dug and •well pulverised. If the trees are to be planted quite ' near together a saving in digging holes may be effected by opening double furrows on the line of the rows. A sharp 'spade and, if the ground be quite hard, a pick should be employed in preparing the hole for the roots. It should be of a Bize to hold all the roots without bending or crowding them. If the soil is loosened for some distance beyond the end of the roots they will be encouraged to push themselves in the direction of it. At least two persons are required to set out trees expeditiously and economically. One person is required to hold the ti-ee in position while the other places the earth about the roots. The earth spread about the roots should be rich and firm. All turfs and hai-d portions of earth should be rejected. If possible trees should be planted when the soil is in the best condition to work. If it is quite dry it is well to throw a pail of water about the roots after the hole is well filled. This will carry the soil about the fibrous roots, where it is needed. After an hour or two the filling may be completed with soil that has not been wetted. The earth should not be heaped up around the tree, bub left flat and tramped down. ! In setting out trees it is generally best to incline them a littlein the direction from which the prevailing winds come. After a heavy wind the trees should be righted, if they have blown partly over, and the earth pressed about the roots. After new roots have formed tho liability of newly set trees to blow over will be dimin*ished. As a rule trees should be set no deeper in the soil to which they have

been transplanted, than they stood in the nurfjejx^ojL' forest.. The "collar of the i it>ot,^ wSr iS .generally well marked, should a&wkri 'with the surface of the ground where thpy are to grow. If trees are transplanted from low and moist ground to that which is High, dry, and sandy, they should be set fssalsTP^tef depth. It is best to remove unpfomisjn^and injured branches, and to shorten some of the longer ones on getting them out. This pruning, if judiciouslydone, wift improve the form of the trees, prevent them from"being easily blown over, and help promote a vigorous growth. An excess of foliage is not desired on trees that were recently transplanted. It favours a very rapid evaporation which is unfavourable to the trees. A sharp knife or shears should be employed to remove or shorten the branches, so as to insure a speedy healing of the wounds. Probably spring is the best time for transplanting trees to" injure their living. The ground is then ordinarily in a good condition to work, and the trees will soon produce roots that will cnablo them to keep their position evenif-tliere are violent winds. Still there are many arguments in favour of transplanting trees in the fall. There is then more leisure on tho farm. If transplanted in the fall they should not be dug up until after they have cast their leaves. If set at this time they will generally do well. The frozen ground will hold them in position against the wind during the winter, and there will be nothing to retard their growth in the spring.