172 State Horticultural Society. • 



niencing to fill my spray barrel I empty one sack of vitriol in the strainer, 

 then pour the water through this strainer, until the barrel is near half 

 full, then remove the strainer and empty one package of lime and one 

 package of Paris green into the barrel, replace strainer and finish fill- 

 ing barrel ; by this time the vitriol in strainer is near two thirds dissolved. 



I then place the spray nozzle over the vitriol so that the liquid will 

 pass through strainer and back into barrel, now putting the force of the 

 spray against the vitriol soon dissolves it, and the agitator at bottom of 

 barrel thoroughly agitates and mixes the spray. 



So it takes but a short time to prepare fifty gallons of spray for use. 



Next spring I wall be compelled to make some changes in my spray- 

 ing outfit, as I will have over six thousand trees to spray, but will pre- 

 pare the spray as described. 



This last spring there were a number of orchards in this vicinity 

 troubled with the canker-worm, some of the trees being entirely stripped 

 of their foliage, and the fruit in these orchards was of a low grade ; these 

 orchards w^ere not sprayed. 



This same trouble was in these orchards last year, while in my 

 orchard there was no trace of the canker worm to be found. 



My observation has proven to me beyond a doubt that the spray- 

 ing has enabled me to keep my orchard rid of the insects and fungus 

 pests. A great many people seem to think that their orchard should re- 

 ceive no attention unless they can see prospects of a paying crop in 

 sight, then do but little until picking time, then should the fruit be of 

 poor quahty and the number of bushels less than expected they are 

 ready to condemn the orchard business, and to show how willing they 

 are to do their part, they will gather this fruit in the roughest manner 

 possible, then turn in their cattle, horses and sheep to graze the orchard 

 until another bountiful crop will be expected. 



This is quite a mistaken idea of the way a profitable orchard should 

 be handled, and the men that expect to handle an orchard in this manner, 

 I would advise them the first time they plow their orchards to place a 

 heavy chain on their plow and see how neat a job they can make of 

 turning their trees under. This would save much future disappointment. 



In conclusion would advise good cultivation, regular pruning and 

 thorough spraying and the results will be gratifying and profitable. 



DISCUSSION ON SPRAYING. 



J. H. Hale. — There is some lime so good, clean and pure that it 

 slacks with no grit or sediment, and may be successfully used in the 

 spray pump without straining; but that kind is very rare. We have 

 had some of it from Tennessee which we used in our Georgia orchard. 



