MISCELLANEOUS PAPERS. 231 



is taken for two years. The result, in some cases, I find to be astonish- 

 ing, and it is quite often that old varieties which had almost been dis- 

 carded show to better advantage than many of the newer sorts, and I 

 find this to be about the only way to find out the actual qualties, etc., 

 of the different fruits. 



In the case of pears, I have one column for blight. The record 

 for peaches I have about complete ( running through two seasons ). 

 Here I have put down the flowers, whether large or small, shape of 

 leaves and their glands, rot, etc. This record, though yet incomplete, 

 1 find to be of great value to me. Trees that do not come up to a 

 certain standard are transferred to the brush-pile, and something better 

 is planted in their places. In making out my list to propagate, I go by 

 this record entirely, so that I know just what I am doing. 



F. LlONBERGER. 



ABOUT SPRAYING TEEES. 



From the Prairie Farmer. 



A late Ohio Agricultural Experiment Station bulletin says : 



The heavy and continued rainfall during the spring and early sum- 

 mer of 189218 thought by many to be the direct cause of the failure of 

 the apple crop. No doubt this was true in many cases, as when heavy 

 rains occur at the time of blooming the pollen may be washed away 

 and pollenization prevented. The bees, not being able to fly at such 

 times, cannot visit the blossoms, which fact alone is sufiQcient to 

 account for the crop failure in a great measure. 



The opinion has been held by a few that unfavorable weather is 

 not, in all cases, the dirct cause of failure, and some experiments car- 

 ried on by the Ohio Experiment Station strengthen this opinion. An 

 orchard of Newtown Pippins of nearly 200 trees was divided off into 

 plots, none of the plots containing less than one row, and some as 

 many as four. Several compounds were used, but the fact that some 

 adhere to the foliage better than others renders comparison out of the 

 question, nor is this matter of any importance in this connection. 



The dilute Bordeaux mixture, which was found to be best last 

 year, occupied the same place this season. The ingredients used in 

 this mixture are, sulphate of copper, 4 pounds; lime, 4 pounds; water, 

 50 gallons. Comparing the two plots where this compound was used 

 with the two uusprayed plots, the astonishing fact was observed that 

 no marketable fruit could be found on the uusprayed plots, nor was 



