No. 6. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 185 



any signs of it at sixty. But we have had the gospel of open air 

 discussed in our family for the last forty-five or fifty years, and we 

 do not believe there is any danger in the night air, for as has been 

 said, it is the only kind of air you can get. 



On motion of Mr. Hutchison, duly seconded, a vote of thanks was 

 returned to Dr. Rothrock for his able and instructive address. 



The CHAIR: We will next hear from Dr. J. H. Funk, of Bover- 

 town, on "Spraying: When, How and What For." 



Dr. Funk's paper is as follows: 



SPRAYING: WHEN, HOW AND WHAT FOR. 



By Dh. J. H. Funk, Boyertmvn, Pa. 



To the fruit raiser who desires healthy trees with rich, luxuriant 

 foliage, producing annual crops of clean, high-colored, luscious fruit, 

 spraying is no longer an experiment, but as much an actual necessity 

 as is fertilizing and cultivating the soil for the production of maxi 

 mum crops. There was a time in the early history of our forefathers 

 when the virgin soil was so rich in all the elements of fertility 

 necessary for the best growth of root, stock and seed, that annual 

 applications of manures was not necessary. The soil was full of 

 humus, making it loose and porous, giving access to air and heat, 

 absorbing and holding moisture, that maximum crops were raised 

 with little effort and cultivation on the part of the farmer. 



So it was with the fruit raiser. In those early days trees grew 

 spontaneous, maturing fruit in abundance. There were not so many 

 varieties of a high standard as at present, but such as there was 

 (and some of it was excellent) grew without molestation from our 

 insect enemies. Fungi was a thing unheard of by those early 

 pioneers in horticulture. And the few insects that were native 

 to our country were held in check by the feathered songsters that 

 were so plentiful and made the forest and field cheerful with their 

 bright colors and sweet music. But with the increase of population 

 and advance of civilization the demand was made for more tillable 

 land. Forests were devastated, destroying the nesting places of 

 our feathered friends, and driving the various insects that subsisted 

 upon the wild forest trees to invade our orchards and change their 

 diet from the wild to our cultivated lands. 



But this does not complete the story. Our country, this great, 

 grand and glorious country where freedom abounds, has always 

 IS 



