112 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS. 



fruit early in. the season, and the checks of Duane's Purple rutted considerably, although 

 not so badly as they did some other years." 



In connection, Mr. Orr states that " he found spraying with Paris green effectual 

 in destroying the curculio." 



Mr. Burrell, of St. Catharines, also writes that he had two rows of bearing plum 

 trees, the end tree of each row being left unsprayed. On October 22nd when these two 

 untreated trees were practically bare of foliage the rest were looking green and thick 

 with leaves. I may say in this connection that the Experimental Farm plum orchard, 

 made up of some 75 varieties, including many varieties of Prunus Americana, has been 

 kept entirely free from rot by the persistent application of Bordeaux mixture each year 

 in conjunction with Paris green to prevent curculio attacks. Native plums in the vicinity 

 of Ottawa have for the past three years been a failure owing to rot (Monilia) and the 

 spot disease (Cladosporium.) In my opinion, no plum grower can afford to omit spray- 

 ing with Bordeaux mixture and Paris green. 



CHERRIES. 



Experiments for the prevention of rot were carried out in the orchards of Messrs. 

 Broderick and Gregory of St. Catharines, Ont., and E. J. Woolverton, of Grimsby, Ont. 



Spraying began with Bordeaux mixture on May 1st, when the blossoms were begin- 

 ning to open. Three additional applications were made with the same mixture with the 

 addition of Paris green. Records of yields were obtainable from Messrs. Broderick and 

 Woolverton. The former gives the yields of two trees of Yellow Spanish as nearly alike 

 in every respect as possible at the beginning of the season. 



Sprayed tree yielded 90 pounds of sound fruit. 

 Unsprayed " 30 " 



Mr. Broderick adds that the lower branches of the treated tree were well loaded 

 with sound fruit, while there were a good many cherries at the top of the tree which was 

 not thoroughly covered in spraying. This emphasizes the necessity of great care in 

 applying the fungicide to all parts of the tree. 



Mr. Woolverton's results were rather startling in their emphatic conclusiveness. 

 He reports as follows : — " Gave cherries three applications of Bordeaux mixture with 

 four ounces of Paris green to 50 gallons of water on the following dates, blossoms having 

 fallen, May 10th, May 26th and June 4th, also one application of Ammoniacal Copper 

 Carbonate on July 4th." Note ; June 4th " cherries already show good results ; the 

 tree left unsprayed is much inferior in fruit and foliage to the one treated." 



July 9th. " Picked fruit on unsprayed tree, yield, 17 pounds." July 10th. "Picked 

 part of fruit off sprayed tree, amounting to 112 pounds ; the remainder not quite ripe." 

 July 17th. "Picked remainder of fruit on sprayed tree, 18 pounds ; total yield, 130 

 pounds." 



" Spraying cherry trees with Bordeaux mixture not only prevents rot, but seems 

 to prolong the growing season, as will be seen from the above dates of picking." He 

 further says that the advantage from spraying these trees is apparent from the follow- 

 ing figures which are absolutely correct. Cherries from sprayed trees netted $9.25, and 

 were a choice sample. Cherries from unsprayed trees netted $1.20, and were a medium 

 sample. 



These are actual results, obtained from two large trees, the advantage being on the 

 side of the unsprayed, in point of size of tree and bearing capacity, at the time spraying 

 began. One of the lessons this teaches is that in the case of cherries early spraying — 

 that is, before the buds start — is not so important as the thorough and frequent appli- 

 cation of the fungicide during the growing period of the fruit. 



PEARS. 



The spotting and cracking of early pears, notably, the Flemish Beauty, has for the 

 past few years been a source of great loss to fruit growers. Strong evidence on this 



