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STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY 



accordingly selected for treatment with Bordeaux mixture. The Seckle trees were 

 used for the double purpose of testing the Bordeaux mixture as a fungicide for pear 

 scab, and also for comparing the value of two treatments before blooming with three 

 treatments before blooming. Several other interesting and practical questions invited 

 investigation, but it was thought best not to complicate the experiments by trying to 

 make them answer too many questions at once, and therefore attention was directed 

 chiefly to the two objects just named. 



At the last meeting of this society, in a paper on recent results in spraying for 

 apple, it was shown that the leading investigators in the United States and Canada were 

 almost unanimous in their verdict for the Bordeaux mixture as being on the whole the 

 most satisfactory fungicide yet tested for apple scab, and many of them especially 

 mentioned a dilute Bordeaux mixture with favor. 



The fungus that causes pear scab is much like the apple scab fungus in general 

 appearance, and also in habits of life so far as these habits are known at present. It 

 was, therefore, thought that the dilute Bordeaux mixture which had given so good 

 results in treating apple scab might also prove equally effective against pear scab. 



In the paper just mentioned on "Latest Results in Spraying for Apple Scab," it was 

 also stated that it was very important to begin spraying before the blossoms open, for 

 recent investigations at the Geneva Experiment Station had shown that both with pear 

 scab and with apple scab infection begins before the blossoms open. In planning these 

 experiments for 1893 it was therefore decided to test the efiBcacy of early treatments, 

 and so three treatments before blooming was compared with two treatments before 

 blooming. 



In one part of the orchard three rows of Seckel trees were selected for the experiment. 

 Each row contained originally thirty six trees, but there were now some vacant places 

 and occasionally a tree of another variety was found, so that the number of Seckle. 

 trees included in the experiment was but sixty-four, of which number fourteen were 

 sprayed six times, fourteen were sprayed five times, and thirty-six were left untreated 

 for comparison. Fourteen White, Doyenne trees located in another part of the orchard 

 were also selected for the experiment. Six of these were treated five times, and 

 the remaining eight were left untreated for comparison. The treated Seckel trees 

 were in two blocks, one of which was surrounded by untreated infected trees, while 

 the other was hemmed in on three sides in the same way. The White Doyenne trees 

 were somewhat scattered, but in most cases the treated trees were separated by a 

 short distance only from untreated infected trees. In considering the results of these 

 experiments it is therefore well to note the fact that the sprayed trees were thus 

 constantly open to infection from adjacent trees that were not sprayed. Where an 

 entire orchard is treated this source of infection may evidently be obviated in a large 

 measure. 



TREATMENT. 



One block of Seckels was sprayed May 3. At this time the buds were swelling, but 

 none of them had begun to open. A week later, May 11, this block was treated again, 

 together with the second block of Seckels and the White Doyennes. At this time the 

 cluster buds were opening. After this all sprayed trees were treated exactly alike. 

 The next treatment was made on May 19, when the trees were just beginning to 

 blossom. As soon as the trees were out of blossom, on May 31, they were sprayed 

 again, and Paris green, at the rate of one ounce to about eleven gallons was now added 

 to the Bordeaux mixture. June 12, and again June 28 the trees were sprayed with 

 Bordeaux mixture and Paris green as before. 



The fruit was picked the fourth week in September, assorted into three classes, 

 namely: firsts, seconds and culls. The firsts and seconds were marketed. No use was 

 made of the culls. The grading and marketing was done by Mr. William Smith, 

 according to his usual custom, and a record was kept of the sales. The fruit sold at 

 the following prices: 



