408 . STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



either the rosy-louse or the red-bug is strongly suspected of being 

 present, apply a spray of nicotine-sulphate, using a pint of 40 per cent 

 nicotine-sulphate, to 100 gallons of water, adding 2 or 3 pounds of soap 

 to the mixture; or else add a pint of the 40 per cent nicotine-sulphate 

 to 100 gallons of bordeaux or dilute lime-sulphur. Stir the nicotine in 

 just before applying, and be sure to omit the soap in this latter case. An 

 early spring with warm, dry weather following is unfavorable to the lice, 

 and a cold, wet, late spring is favorable to the lice. In seasons such as the 

 latter, spraying is almost imperative. As both of these insects feed 

 by sucking the sap from the foliage and from the fruit, it is necessary 

 to use a contact spra3^ The safest contact spray, besides being the 

 only one that can be mixed with lime-sulphur or bordeaux, is nicotine- 

 sulphate. 



Fire blight, — Fire blight is sometimes a serious disease in apple trees. 

 A constant watch should be kept for its aj^pearance from the time the 

 trees blossom until the end of the growing season. For a description 

 and method of control see ''Treatment for Pears." 



If dusts are used, — in place of liquid sprays, they should be applied 

 at the following times; — a pre-pink application, a pink application, a 

 calyx application, one two weeks later, one about the first of July, one 

 about the first of August or late in July, and one about two weeks later. 

 If weather conditions are particularly dry, some of these may be omitted 

 but the pre-pink application, the jjink application, the calyx applica- 

 tion and the one applied about the first of August should never be 

 omitted, regardless of weather conditions. 



Spraying Peach Orchards. 



Dormant Sprays. The dormant spray should be applied to peach trees 

 when scale insects are present on the trees. Careful inspection should 

 be made to ascertain whether or not they are to be found. Peach leaf- 

 curl is a most common and serious disease of peaches in Michigan and 

 is especiall}' serious on Elberta. If scale is present a strong dormant 

 spray of lime-sulphur solution (61/4-50) should be applied just hefore 

 the buds swell and the hud scales loosen, which will destroy the scale and 

 also prevent leaf-curl. If the scale fs not found the spray should be 

 applied for leaf-curl just before the buds swell and the bud scales loosen, 

 using 21/2 gallons of lime-sulphur with enough water to make 50 gal- 

 lons. This spray in extensive orchards and in the absence of scale may 

 be applied earlier to facilitate the work. Fall or winter applications 

 for leaf-curl are generally efficient. The control of this disease is not 

 usually efficient if the spraying is not done before the buds begin to 

 swell. Scale, however, demands that the spray be put on just before the 

 buds swell.* 



Summer ■ Sprays. The summer spraying of peach orchards may be a 

 very profitable practice in preventing decayed, scabby and wormy fruit. 

 The brown-rot usually appears just before harvest and may develop in 

 the package after shipping. Scab seriously detracts from the appearance 

 of the fruit and the work of the curculio produces blemishes; also these 

 spots often serve as points of entrance for the fungus of brown-rot. 

 Spraying also increases the bright and desirable color, so much so that 

 some progressive growers find it "pays to spray for color." 



•See tables for dilutions for this and other lime-sulphur sprays on back cover. 



