This light surface cultivation keeps down weeds and the dust mulch produced does give the trees every encouragement. They thus grow well without the competition of grass.
During the cultivations, organic fertilizers like hoof and horn meal may be given at 4-5 cwt. to the acre, say, early in March. It is not advisable to plough in or dig in large quantities of well-rotted dung or compost before planting. Such bulky organic matter is better applied as a top dressing around the trees after planting, when it provides a mulch and so does good. Furthermore, of course, the worms will pull down such an organic mulch gradually and so it will be incorporated into the soil without causing the land to become puffy. Incorporating heavy quantities of organic matter prior to planting does make it difficult to plant the trees firmly.
The second method is that known as 'ringing'. This consists of the removal of a ring of bark about blossom time inch wide and an inch or two below the level of the lowest branch. A sharp knife removes this ring of bark down to the wood, leaving the ring clean and tidy. The wound should be covered over afterwards with a strip of adhesive grafting tape.
The sucker insect which slips in between the unopened petals of the blossoms and ruins them is completely controlled by the spraying with the tar-oil wash in December, because you kill the eggs on the branches where they are laid.
Another method of encouraging the production of fruit buds is the shoot-circling method. The laterals or one-year-old side growths, instead of being pruned in the summer or winter are left at full length and then are tied down with string to form an almost complete circle.
These should be tied on to the trunk in June and should be removed each December for burning, together with the weevils which will be hiding inside them.
During the cultivations, organic fertilizers like hoof and horn meal may be given at 4-5 cwt. to the acre, say, early in March. It is not advisable to plough in or dig in large quantities of well-rotted dung or compost before planting. Such bulky organic matter is better applied as a top dressing around the trees after planting, when it provides a mulch and so does good. Furthermore, of course, the worms will pull down such an organic mulch gradually and so it will be incorporated into the soil without causing the land to become puffy. Incorporating heavy quantities of organic matter prior to planting does make it difficult to plant the trees firmly.
The second method is that known as 'ringing'. This consists of the removal of a ring of bark about blossom time inch wide and an inch or two below the level of the lowest branch. A sharp knife removes this ring of bark down to the wood, leaving the ring clean and tidy. The wound should be covered over afterwards with a strip of adhesive grafting tape.
The sucker insect which slips in between the unopened petals of the blossoms and ruins them is completely controlled by the spraying with the tar-oil wash in December, because you kill the eggs on the branches where they are laid.
Another method of encouraging the production of fruit buds is the shoot-circling method. The laterals or one-year-old side growths, instead of being pruned in the summer or winter are left at full length and then are tied down with string to form an almost complete circle.
These should be tied on to the trunk in June and should be removed each December for burning, together with the weevils which will be hiding inside them.
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When you have opened the packet of fruit tree seeds and have made the first sowing in the garden, place the remaining seeds, in the packet, in an airtight container such as a Mason jar and put it on the back shelf of the refrigerator.
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