The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. THURSDAY, AUGUST 5, 1909. CARE OF FRUIT TREES.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2572, 5 August 1909, Page 4

The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. THURSDAY, AUGUST 5,1909. CARE OF FRUIT TREES.

The announcement that Air AY. A. Boucher, Government Pomologist, is to give a spraying demonstration tins afternoon should he of interest to that large section of the community which attempts to grow fruit. It is quite a mistaken notion that only those owning large orchards should go to the trouble of having their -fruit trees sprayed. The practice is equally necessary and advisable for the cottago gardener whose allotment contains only half a dozen trees. Whether, a person has six trees, or six hundred it is grievously disappointing to find as, the season advances and his apple, plum and pear trees should ho bursting into blossom that some have been attacked by disease and, if not killed, are ruined for the season. Still more aggravating is it to discover later on that a promising crop of fruit which, more by luck than good management, has attained maturity, is being spoiled by the ravages of the codlin, moth and other parasites. In such an ,event the man with a large orchard declares in disgust that Poverty Bay is no place for fruit growing or, if he is wise, makes proper preparation to deal with the natural enemies of his crop' next season. • The small householder, however, in nine cases out of ten, merely grumbles a little and forthwith hies to town and purchases apples at from 2d to Gd per lb. simultaneously commenting on the terribly high cost of living, and thinks no more of the matter. Afet every fruit tree, if properly handled should be worth a few pounds per annum' to its owner, and to ensure this desirable result only commonsciue and a little pains are necessary;. It is, wo know, a fact that fungoid growths and insect pests are shockingly prevalent in this district. This is only natural for the same climatic advantages which make Poverty Bay an ideal locality for the production of fruit in luxuriant quantities also encourage the prolific breeding of insect pests. It is quite likely that during tho coming spring this fact may he more than usually evident, for tho mildness of the winter season as far as it has gone will undoubtedly tend in that direction. However, the troubles of fruit-growers are not at all insuperable, and those

ivho are wise enough to attend at Mr Francis’ orchard to-day can learn from an undoubted expert what steps should bo taken to ensure their fruit trees being maintained in a healthy condition. During recent years the Agricultural Department lias done splendid servico for the fruitgrowers of the Dominion in obtaining and circulating information concerning the industry. Thanks to its efforts iiractical fruitgrowers recognise nowadays that even the deadly codlin moth can be virtually abolished from any orchard provided the instructions given by the Department are rigidly followed out. The task of cleaning the orchards of Poverty Bay' is a huge one, hut considering the potentialities of the district as a fruit-growing centre, it is well worth undertaking. Unfortunately, the greatest difficulty does not exist, in finding means to eradicate harmful (pasts, but in inducing apathetic orchardists to utilise them, and unless unanimous action is taken the task is very much harder for those who do attempt, it. Thus the man who sprays to keep off the codlin moth is sometimes greviously disappointed to find that his efforts have been rendered futile by the invasion into his orchard of myriads of insects bred on the trees of his more careless neighbor. The same principle applies as in the ease of the foul brood disease in connection with bee-keeping. We should like to see a largo attendance at the free demonstration that is to be given by Mr. Boucher this .afternoon, and we shall ,welcome the time when the provisions of the Orchard and Garden Pests Act are so rigidly enforced that every person owning fruit trees in large or small quantities will be; compelled either to take proper precautions to N keep both plant and fruit free from pests or else to destroy tlie trees.