S70 BEPoax OF the Horticultural Department op the) 



Ounce trees in the orchard was observed, and no constant differ- 

 ence could be found. Some were mo're fruitful on the west side 

 and some on the east side. It may be said that the better i-esult 

 from (Spraying in bloom v/as due to the fact that those trees 

 sprayed after blooming were treated rather late; but this fault 

 applies to all the experiments, whatever the results. 



The second result (no apparent injury to blossoms) of this 

 season's work seems to be without exception, unless in the case of 

 Mr. Freeman's test. Trees in full bloom which were covered with 

 Bordeaux till every flower was blue instead of white, set just as 

 good a crop as those not sprayed in bloom. Apple blossoms on 

 trees in Orleans County and pear blossoms on trees in the Cornell 

 OTchard were drenched with Bordeaux when fully open, and 

 tagged. An average percentage of fruit set in both cases. Yet, 

 despite these results, the spray may have killed many blossoms, 

 for not one blossom in twenty could have set fruit anyway. 

 Laboratory tests at Cornell showed that apple pollen would not 

 germinate (or grow) after it had been immersed in Bordeaux 

 mixture. 



REMARKS ON THE ATTITUDE OF ORCHARDISTS IN THE REGION 



UNDER DISCUSSION. 



Various apple growers of Niagara and Orleans Counties, par- 

 ticularly of Gasport and vicinity, contend that it is allowable or 

 even necessary to spray when their trees are in full bloom, for 

 three reasons: 



(1) Experience is said to show that spraying when in bloom 

 gives more and better fruit. 



(2) Even as a matter of necessity and not of choice, some 

 spraying must be done at that time. With the extent of orchards, 

 it is sometimes impossible to complete the first spraying before 

 blossoming time, even though the work is begun when the buds 

 fir.st show pink. 



(3) It is donbtful whether bees are killed by arsenical sprays 

 under normal orchard conditions. 



