No. 6. DEPARTMENT OP AGRICULTURE. 382 



PLUMS. 



This crop is not giving universal satisfaction. The fine European 

 varieties no longer thrive and produce as they did a few years back, 

 owing to eurculio, black knot and fungous diseases. The American 

 varieties do not have the good qualities to ever become a favorite 

 dessert fruit. The Japan varieties are not fulfilling expectations, 

 being less hardy in tree, short-lived and fruit poor in quality, they 

 will never fill the place of the prunes and gages of the past. 



CHERRY. 



This fruit is not being so extensively planted as it should be, and 

 the supply is becoming shorter yearly, especially of the sweet varie- 

 ties. This seems owing to the unhealthy condition of the trees, very 

 few surviving bearing age. The sour varieties seem to do well, bear 

 heavy crops and sell at very remunerative prices. 



SPRAYING. 



This is one of the essentials of successful, profitable fruit raising, 

 and the owners profits are measured by the attention he gives his 

 orchard. With the endless varieties of insect foes and fungous dis- 

 eases that infest every variety of fruit, spraying several times a year 

 has become so necessary that the man who expects to raise fruit 

 without spraying is a back number, and will soon be crowded out 

 of the business, as the citizen of to-day has educated tastes that 

 call for clean, perfect, high colored fruit of exquisite flavor and this 

 can be obtained only by spraying. 



* HOW OFTEN MUST WE SPRAY? 



For good results three times, and for best results four times: First, 

 with lime, sulphur and salt, while trees are dormant; second, with 

 Bordeaux mixture and an arsenite immediately after bloom drops; 

 third, about ten days later with the same material; fourth, about the 

 beginning of August. These four sprayings, thoroughly done, with 

 a power that will maintain a uniform pressure of 100 pounds will be 

 a guarantee of clean perfect fruit. 



THINNING. 



This is another essential for fine, large, perfect fruit of high quality. 

 There is no other one thing, except spraying, that gives such satis- 

 factory results. It does more, it adds longevity to the tree and 

 makes it an annual bearer. 



SAN JOSE SCALE. 



This pest is on the increase and the efforts thus far made have 

 had but little effect in holding it in check. Occasionally we find a 

 man who, by determined and persistent fighting, has held it under 

 control and has his orchard in good condition, while his neighbor 

 who has apparently been using the same means has no success what- 

 ever, the scale having taken entire possession, defying all his efforts 

 and his orchard is in a dying condition, being only a matter of a short 

 time until the battle is over and he is out of the business. This 

 causes us to pause and consider wherein the difference lies. There 

 must be a cause and T feel safe in saying that there are two causes 

 of failure: 



