160 ANNUAIv REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



(litions. Siuce this work has been stai'ted here the x>f'<>plt' have 

 been phiced in touch with literature bearing on fruit raising; and 

 by the demonstrations and demonstration orchards. They have 

 been taught how to prune, fertilize and cultivate, the varieties to 

 plant, and'! where to plant them, how and when to spraj-, and the 

 materials to be used, and general orcliard management. This work 

 has resulted in a revival of the interest of fruit growing here, as is 

 evidenced by the number of new orchards set out last spring and 

 this fall, and more to be set out this coming spring. 



Should our work among the farmers and fruit growers be sus- 

 pended at the end of this year I feel convinced that the interest now 

 manifest will continue. They now have a better working knowledge 

 than ever before, and know where to write for the best literature 

 on the subject. Besides this, it is likely that an Indiana Horticul- 

 tural Society will be organized this winter, and this will have a 

 tendency to keep them better informed. All this will give the 

 farmer and fruit grower surer chances of success than under former 

 conditions. I am of the opinion, however, that the State v.'ould 

 commit a serious error in abandoning the Avork at this time. Many 

 fruit growers have started work on the strength of the State's help 

 and will now look for it. The education of the fruit grower, through 

 the methods of our Department, has proven successful. 



In my inspections over the county I have received most cordial 

 treatment. I did not advertise my inspections as freely as the dem- 

 onstrations, for two reasons. Being unfamiliar with the territory 

 ahead, it was almost impossible to state a week ahead the territory 

 I would work, and the fact that Indiana county is covered by rural 

 telephone, my presence in any given section was known through the 

 farmers phoning to each other, and my coming being known in ad- 

 vance. 



The only spray used for scale here is the boiled Lime and Sulfur 

 solution. The spraying done by myself and by owners of infested 

 orchards with my outfit showed best of results. I failed to find any 

 living scale on the trees that I treated myself. It might be stated 

 here that Scurfy and Oyster Shell Scale are i>revalent often to an 

 injurious extent. Have found young apple orchards injured by 

 Scurfy Scale and young and bearing apple orchards seriously dam- 

 aged by Oyster Shell scale. 



The outlook for fruit growing in this county never has been better. 

 We have here quite a number of fair-sized commercial orchards. 

 These orchards have never given best of results on account of 

 inexperience and lack of knowledge of general orchard management. 

 The owners of these orchards in most cases have availed themselves 

 of the work done for them and are planning to handle their orchards 

 along modern lines and also to increase their size, and at the same 

 time more new orchards are being planted. In my work here I have 

 found too many varieties. Tlie new orchards are being planned for 

 fewer varieties. 



There are now jdenty of peach orchai'ds, but through poor man- 

 agement the crops have been few and far between. 



We can further help the farmers and fruit growers by continuing 

 the work. The inspection is important. In the demonstration or- 

 chards the planting of young trees is advisable. In the planting 

 of commercial orchards it might be well to have us available if 

 wanted to direct the planting and give the owner yearly working 



