28 STAIR HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Study the particular insects and diseases that the particular trees you 

 are growing are subject to, and then spray these trees to prevent these 

 troubles. 



One of the greatest troubles in spraying, for the beginner especially, 

 is the fact that the spray is not put on at the right time. Success de- 

 pends largely upon doing it jnst when it should be done. For example. 

 in spraying for the codling moth, we must know that if we do not get 

 the spray on before the calyx lobes close up, it is impossible to get 

 the poison on in such a manner as to make it most effective. We spray 

 therefore for this insect just as soon as possible after the petals fall. 



On the farm you will find much general work to do just at spraying 

 time. The beginner in fruit growing, because of these other pressing 

 duties, is often inclined to put off spraying until a more convenient 

 time; but if he does this, he will never meet with the degree of success 

 that he should. 



How frequently we see a man spraying — who gets his spray on all 

 right at the beginning and the fruit from these trees is all perfect, but, 

 because of intervening rainy days or other causes, the time goes by, so 

 that when the spraying is finally completed it proves ineffectual and 

 the value of it is lost. In spraying you should learn the propert time 

 for putting on the spray for the particular insect or fungus you wish 

 to combat, and then let nothiug deter you from getting it on the trees 

 jnst at that time. 



.Many do not realize the importance of thoroughness. Everyone thinks 

 lie is doing a good job, but, frequently he does not really know what 

 thorough work in spraying is. If a man knows the life history of the 

 insect that he wishes to combat, it will help him much, and this is what 

 he should study to know. 



In many instances we see fruit where the surface facing the outside 

 is free from disease, but that facing the center of tree is badly infested 

 with seal). We must cover all the foliage and we must also cover all 

 sides of the fruit, if we wish to save it from these pests. 



Another frequent cause of failure in spraying is the fact that the 

 wrong spray is often used. People write in and say that they have 

 sprayed with Bordeaux and their apples are wormy. There is a reason 

 for this which you can plainly see. Bordeaux mixture does not control 

 insects. 



W'c classify our fruit troubles into: Insects, fungus diseases, and 

 bacteria diseases. Of the insects the chewing insects such as the com- 

 mon potato bug, the canker worm, the codling moth — are all easy to 

 control; all we have to do is to make a thorough application of arsenical 

 poison and the work is accomplished. But arsenical poison is of no 

 use for sucking insects. The scale is a sucking insect; plant lice are 

 sucking insects; and for that reason they are not controlled by these 

 poisons. Contact sprays must be used to kill these insects. To control 

 the San Jose scale for example we must spray while the tree is dormant, 

 before it comes out in foliage, because that is the only time when we can 

 get the spray on strong enough to kill the scale without killing the 

 foliage. A fungicide is a low form of plant life — one plant living on 

 another plant. These plants have different stages of development, just 

 as other plants do. The spores or seeds of a fungus are carried in the 



