244 State Horticultural Society. 



sprays, with about equal success. Three spraying-s with the Hquid cost 

 three cents per tree ; with the dust, one cent per tree. The dust spray is 

 best in wet or busy seasons, as you spray over two-thirds more trees. 

 Work, whether with Hquid or dust, must be done thoroughly; the ap- 

 paratus must be efficient and you must know the life history of the insect 

 or fungus you are trying to get rid of. 



"Management of Orchard Soils" was discussed by Prof. S. A. Beach 

 of Iowa Agricultural College. It goes without saying that the best 

 soil should be selected for the orchard. We do not know all about the 

 soil and its functions and should study it more in relation to the tree. 

 Geologists tell us that soil is decomposed rock. Between our fingers 

 and under the microscope the soil particles vary immensely. There is a 

 film of water around all soil particles, even in a dry soil, which fact is 

 made evident by putting some absorbent in it. The difference in adap- 

 tion of soils, says Prof. Beach, is largely due to the variation of soil par- , 

 tides. Soil is the anchor of the tree and its source of food and moisture. 

 Besides this, the soil controls the climatic conditions around the roots. 

 This fact is not realized by ^ry many, and the relation of soil and roots 

 is not studied as closely as it should be. Prof. Beach's theory is that the 

 root climate is the main cause of apples failing to grow as far south as 

 the peach. In the matter of food supply, he said, it is through the root 

 hairs, just back of the root tip, that the food enters the plant. When a 

 soil is too wet the vital activity of the roots is checked, because the root 

 hairs are deprived of air. We now know enough abQut the conservation 

 of soil moisture and should spend our time in the future studying how to 

 get air into the soil and in maintaining the right proportion between air 

 and moisture. A very frequent cause for leaves falling too early in the 

 season and for short crops is the need of soil drainage. No one can lay 

 down a set, of rules for the care of orchard soils; the work must be 

 learned by experiments made on the land. A check plot should be used 

 in every instance where there is any experimenting to be done. 



The paper, "What Shall Be Done With No. 2 Apples?" by Mr. T. 

 H. Todd of New Frankhn, Mo., will appear in a future issue of the Rural 

 World, and needs no further mention here. We have not said all we 

 wish to about this horticultural meeting, and our next issue will contain 

 what we further wish to say. — Colman's Rural World. 



