Fruit-Growing Industries. 129 



and then to break the rule when one is sure that the combination 

 of circumstances is such that spraying is not necessary. This 

 means that the fruit-farmer must master the reasons and the 

 principles, and then apply them as circumstances demand. As 

 a rule, the better the results of spraying the better has the 

 operator conceived of his own local problems. If the fruit- 

 grower follows this advice, he will probably' find himself spray- 

 ing apples and pears and quinces every year ; and he will be 

 more than likely to do the same for plums, grapes and straw- 

 berries. 



In no one of the applications of science-teaching to fruit- 

 growing has the American so clearly the advantage of the Euro- 

 pean as in the knowledge of insect and fungous pests and of 

 means of dispatching them. The superiority of the American 

 fruit as a general-market product, is due to a considerable degree 

 to spraying. The American, of all men, should be the last to 

 ask if spraying pays. 



