FORTY-FOURTH ANNUAL REPORT. 29 



"Black Leaf 40" to 100 gallons of spray mixture at this time. Spray 

 No. 3 should be applied immediately or within three or four days 

 at latest after the petals of the blossoms begin to fall. It is most 

 important that this spray should be a fine mist and driven deep into 

 the calyx, and is the principal spray to protect us from the ravages 

 or damages of the codling moth and in average seasons is probably 

 the most important application for apple scab. Spray No. 4 should 

 be applied a week or ten days following Spray No. 3 and Avill catch the 

 few codling moths and leaf eating insects which escaped the previous 

 spray. Spray No. 5 should be applied the last week in .Tuly, or not later 

 than the first week in August, and is to kill the late brood of codling 

 moth and to kill the spores of the fungi, which, under favorable condi- 

 tions, sometimes begin to develop at this time. The strength of the lime 

 and sulphur solution and arsenate of lead used in sprays Nos. 3, 4 and 

 5 should be practically the same as that given for spray No. 2. 



Fertilizations — The best fertilizer or material to use for the fertiliza- 

 tion of orchards, is stable manure, which should be applied annually at 

 the rate of a large farm wagon load to four trees, or, at least 500 pounds 

 to each tree. Where stable manure cannot be obtained, other manure 

 or commercial ferilizers must be used. As there are no rootlets, or 

 feeders, within 3 or 4 feet of the tr^ink of a large tree, the material ap- 

 plied within that distance is practically wasted. The balance of the 

 ground, however, should be completely covered. If in doubt, it is better 

 and safer to apply double this amount of fertilizer per tree than a 

 smaller one. Liberal application of stable manure to your orchards 

 furnishes humus to make the soil warmer, checks sudden changes of 

 temperature, makes hard soil more pliable and loose soil more compact, 

 adds plant food in the most available and desirable form, holds moisture 

 and renders available plant food which has been lying insoluble in the 

 soil. 



Papers have been written, many talks given and irreparable damage 

 done by able and honest men on the waste of fertilizers in our orchards. 

 I have as yet, however, to find a single fruit grower in the western New 

 York fruit belt whose annual crop will range from 400 to 1,000 bushels 

 per acre over a series of years, an advocate of the unprofitable fertiliza- 

 tion of orchards, or who would dare to plan to extend their operations 

 over a future series of years, with a full understanding of the inroads 

 of soil depletion, their large crops are making without liberal and 

 judicious application of stable manure or fertilizers annually. 



