62 NEBRASKA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY 



spraying of apple orchards in this country is that of J. S. Woodward, of 

 Guelph, New York, who reported to the Western New York Horticultural 

 society in January, 1879, the results of a trial of Paris Green the previous 

 sieason against the canker worm in the orchard of Mr. Haynes, of 

 Niagara county. New York. Not only was the orchard rid of canker 

 worms, but the ravages of the coddling moth within the fruit were greatly 

 lessened. Thus we are indebted to the fruit growers of France for the 

 discovery of the Bordeaux mixture, and to the wide-awake farmer of our 

 own country for the use of poisons in a commercial way against destruc- 

 tive apple insects. The discovery of Bordeaux mixture and the use of 

 the poisons against insects was made before the foundation of the ex- 

 periment stations which, however, have been of inestimable value in per- 

 fecting formulas for the various solutions and in acquiring and dissemi- 

 nating information of all kinds relating to this and other important 

 Horticultural subjects. 



While the apple industry in Nebraska is confined to the eastern part 

 of the state, and is of comparatively recent origin, it is by no means 

 unimportant. The census of 1900 shows a total of 3,877,329 trees and a 

 production of 1,343,497 bushels. Since this date these figures have un- 

 doubtedly greatly increased. Nebraska is fortunate in having but two or 

 three ordinarily important insect enemies of the apple, and but one or 

 two impoTtant apple diseases. One of these insects and one of these dis- 

 eases, viz: the coddling moth and the apple scab may cause a total loss 

 of the crop in some cases. Now it has been shown repeatedly in some 

 sections of the country that these two pests may be profitable controlled 

 by spraying. If then, it is possible to save a large proportion of this loss 

 at a small cost, why should we not do so? To spray efficiently, it is neces- 

 sary to spray uuderstaudiugly, and to do this the fruit grower must 

 know why he sprays and how and when to do it. 



The question, "Why is it more necessary to spray now than former- 

 ly?" is often asked and may be answered in a general way like this: 



1. The mai'ket demands a better fruit. 2. There are more kinds of 

 insect pests than formerly; they are also more numerous. 3. Diseases 

 are more prevalent than formerly. 



Not only do we require better clothes, houses and live stock than did 

 our fathers, but we also want better things to eat. The number of peo- 

 ple who want and can pay for first-class fruit is growing larger each 

 year. It then behooves the grower to produce only the best, for in this 

 class of fruit is the greatest profit. It is impossible to produce this kind 

 of frupit in most sections without spraying. Therefore, spraying to a 

 wide-awake grower is as necessary as cultivation or pruning. 



The second reason that spraying is more imperative than it formerly 

 was is due to the fact that in their struggle for existence our native 

 fruit insects have been assisted either by the increased cultivation of 

 their host plants or by the destruction of their natural enemies. Foreign 

 insects have also been introduced and distributed. As long as a country 



