70 VERMONT AGRICULTURAL REPORT. 



been set in the ground a few days, long enough for the ground 

 to,become fixed about the roots so the tree will be firm in the 

 ground, the top of the tree can be very easily trimmed. Trim 

 high as you want the lower branches when the tree is grown. 

 If the tree is too short for this, trim all the branches off and 

 form the head the next year. Trim every April, cutting 

 away suckers and also limbs liable to cross others and chafe 

 them. Later keep thinned out enough to let the sunlight in 

 among the branches. 



SPRAYING. 



Spraying is necessary in an orchard which is run for 

 profit. In certain cases, of course, fair crops of fruit may be 

 grown without spraying ; but as a rule this cannot be done. 

 At all events when a man can spray a tree at a cost of two to 

 three cents and secure an increase in the crop of $2 to $3 

 worth, — as he usually can ■ — he ought to spray. That is, 

 ought to spray if he is growing apples for money. If he is 

 running his orchard just for the fun of it he may do as he 

 pleases. 



The principal insects which trouble apples in this state 

 are the codlin moth, the tent caterpillar and the apple mag- 

 got, or railroad worm. The last named can not be controlled 

 by spraying. In fact, there is no thoroughly satisfactory 

 remedy known. The principal fungus diseases in the apple 

 orchard here are canker of the tree and scab of the fruit. 

 Both these diseases, and all the insects except the apple mag- 

 got can be kept in check or exterminated by spraying. 



For the fungus diseases spray with bordeaux mixture, 

 made as follows : Take 6 pounds copper sulphate (blue vit- 

 riol), 4 pounds of stone lime and a barrel of water. Dissolve 

 the sulphate and slake the lime in separate vessels, dilute 

 each with about half of the total water to be used and then 

 pour the sulphate solution into the lime water while stirring 

 vigorously. Continue the stirring for a minute or so to insure 

 perfect mixture. The mixture deteriorates somewhat upon 

 standing and should therefore be used soon after made. Use 

 precautions to keep the mixture clean to avoid clogging of 

 pump and nozzles; strain the solutions and have a strainer on 

 suction tube of pump. A quick and convenient way to dis- 

 solve copper sulphate is to place it in a cheese-cloth or similar 

 bag and suspend this just below the surface of the water. 



For spraying against the insects add a quarter of a pound 

 of paris green to each barrel of bordeaux mixture. If one 

 sprays for caterpillars or codlin moths only, without reference 

 to : fungus diseases, the paris green may be used in the same 

 proportions in clear water — a quarter of a pound to the 

 barrel. 



