22 REPORT OF STATE BOARD OF HORTICULTURE. 



tlioroughness of spraying, usually five sprayings being re- 

 quired. Success in this work is only to be secured by the 

 most minute thoroughness in the application of the spray, 

 and a certainty of the purity of the material used. Hundreds 

 of failures in spraying are reported to the board, but, in every 

 case examined, the cause was found either in impure materials, 

 not a sufficient number of applications, or general carelessness 

 in methods of application. 



Inasmuch as diseased and wormy fruit will not be allowed 

 sold, even in local markets, it is quite important that growers 

 should understand this, and be governed accordingly ; the 

 board has therefore constantly notified the public, through 

 the press, of its intention to strictly enforce every feature of 

 the law regarding the selling of fruit. It is very gratifying 

 to learn, from the reports of the various commissioners and 

 quarantine officer of the port, that the dealers in fruit are 

 heartily in accord with the law which prohibits the sale of all 

 infected, wormy, or diseased fruits, and will give every 

 assistance in carrying out the provisions of this law. 



And in this connection I would suggest that the fruitgrowers 

 of this state urge upon the legislature the necessity for a 

 small appropriation for the importation of beneficial insects, 

 the value of which cannot be overestimated. Our neighbor- 

 ing state to the south has expended thousands of dollars in 

 this line, with most beneficial results, and we could easily 

 profit by this experience. 



ADULTERATED SPRAYING MATERIALS. 



The board has earnestly endeavored to enforce the law re- 

 garding the sale of impure and adulterated materials for 

 sprays. So far there has not been much good accomplished, 

 because of carelessness on the part of the growers. Laws 

 cannot be made effective to protect joeople who do not want 

 protection, and until those who use this material feel the 

 necessity for an execution of the law, the work of the board 

 will not be successful in that direction. A great many of the 

 disappointments in spraying come from adulterated materials. 

 This is especially true of paris green and blue vitriol, and 

 every orchardist should be sure that he is not being defrauded 

 in these poisons. > 



The work of the board for the year has not been as effective 

 as a whole as I had hoped. The individual work of the com- 

 missioners has been earnest and faithful, and the improved 



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