PROCEEDINGS OF THE ANNUAL MEETING. 339 



superiority over Paris green is fully demonstrated by further extensive 

 experiments, it may largely replace the latter. In his experiments dur- 

 ing the past summer, Mr. Marlatt thinks he has also found another 

 promising arsenical insecticide in the arsenite of lead (" Gypsine" is the 

 arsenate of lead). 



Among the developments in the line of insecticides for sucking insects, 

 whale-oil soap is destined to come into more general use. Used at the 

 rate of two pounds in a gallon of water, it seems to be the most effective 

 substance yet found for the San Jose scale here in the east. Thus, there 

 are a few recent developments in the line of insecticides, and these show 

 that our experimenters are on the alert for any improvement on our 

 present standard " remedies." 



We doubtless lead the world so far as improved methods for fighting 

 insects are concerned. Paris green is only just coming into general use 

 in England and other foreign countries. Our leadership is well illus- 

 trated in the development of our present spraying and other insecticide 

 machinery during the past fifteen years. Our manufacturers are today 

 making the simplest, cheapest, and best of such machinery. The first, 

 weak, short-handled, " backaching " pumps fast disappeared with the 

 advent of those more powerful and easier to work ; and yet the restless^ 

 ingenious Yankee fruitgrower was far from satisfied. He must have a 

 pump of more power, with a better agitator; and hundreds of manufac- 

 turers all over the country strained every nerve to be the first to meet 

 the demand. Your worthy president, doubtless " Bent on Harbor "ing 

 no longer the old-style pumps, has recently ''Eclipse "d them all. 



But the end is not yet. All realize that the science of spraying has 

 come to stay. It has become evident that the scheme to shift the work of 

 pumping upon the horse — the horsepower sprayer — is not adapted to 

 orchard work; it may do fairly satisfactory work in a potato field, or 

 possibly in some vineyards. Several of our larger orchardists now depend 

 upon small steam or gasoline engines to furnish the necessary power to 

 throw at one time several good, strong sprays. When competition has 

 cheapened these expensive power machines, they will doubtless come inta 

 general use where spraying is done on an extensive scale. 



There seems to have been few new developments in the line of nozzles- 

 recently. The Vermorel in its various combinations and the McGowen- 

 still remain the best for general purposes. 



Many horticulturists are very conservative in regard to spraying. They 

 require an object lesson a year or more long, by one of their more pro- 

 gressive neighbors, before being convinced of its efficacy. Unfortunately, 

 some go too far and trust to the spray alone to produce a good crop, for- 

 getting the equally necessary operations of feeding and cultivating the 

 trees. A tree that is habitually unfruitful can not be made to bear by 

 any spray, but the spray may act as an insurance policy on a good setting 

 of fruit; and it will also tend to insure a better crop the following season. 

 If the foliage be kept healthy during the summer with the spray, it cani 

 mature more and better fruit buds in the fall for the next season's crop.. 

 Much work yet remains to educate the mass of horticulturists up to the- 

 philosophy of spraying. Your own former Prof. A. J. Cook did a magni- 

 ficent pioneer work in this line, not only in Michigan, but his example and 

 writings stimulated thoughtful men everywhere. 



