■1411 



THE MONTTILY BULLETIN. 



at the precise lime which is thought to he hest ; but the effort of the grower should 

 be to do the spraying in three successive periods as nearly as possible as follows: 



First spraying: Using four gallons lime-sulfur solution (35° Baume) to 

 100 gallons water, applied as the bud clusters are quite open but well before 

 the blossom buds are open. 



Second spraying : Using three gallons solution to 100 gallons water applied 

 as the blossom petals are beginning to fall. 



Third spraying: Using three gallons solution to 100 gallons water applied 

 about one week later. 



As the fungus is often visible before the blossom petals have fallen it is necessary 

 that the first application be made before blooming and this is done when the buds 

 are most accessible. Arsenate of lead for codling moth control is combined with 

 the last spraying for scab. It is impossible to find all the bud clusters just right 

 at any one time as some are always slower than others in opening. As to the best 

 time during this period of a few days the operator must be guided by his own 

 judgment. 



I 'might add in conclusion that Ukiah Valley had several absolute proofs this 

 summer of the success possible in combating pear scab. One of our larger growers 

 on a ten-acre bearing orchard had 5 per cent of the pears showing scab injury. The 

 same grower left one small plot of about 100 trees unsprayed and 92 per cent of the 

 pears were scabby. Several other examples as striking as this can be cited. We 

 believe that the ordinary attack of this fungus, under normal weather conditions, 

 can be completely controlled. We also believe that the method of control, under 

 weather conditions particularly favorable to its development, and adverse to spraying 

 operations, has not been found. 



SWEET POTATOES IN MERCED COUNTY. 



By Arthur E. Beers, County Horticultural Commissioner, Merced, Cal. 



Half the sweet potatoes produced in California are grown in Merced County, if 

 the U. S. crop reporter's estimate of six thousand acres for the state is correct. 

 Another third is grown in near-by Stanislaus County. Several Sacramento Valley 



counties have small acreages, while Orange County 

 and Los Angeles County produce enough potatoes to 

 supply southern California. Outside of California 

 no sweet potatoes are grown west of the coast region 

 of Texas. "Merced Sweets" are shipped in carload 

 lots to all the northwestern states and western 

 Canada and as far east as the Dakotas and Minne- 

 sota. This is little more than a good-sized sweet 

 potato apiece for the population of this territory. 



The -commercial production of sweet potatoes 

 requires a loose, sandy, but rich soil, with ample 

 moisture, either from irrigation or a high water 

 table. Moisture must not reach the tubers or they 

 will quickly rot. After five or six crops have been 

 taken from the ground, it is usual to set it to peach 

 trees and complete the exhaustion of the soil, or to 

 plant it to alfalfa to restore it for future crops of 

 sweet potatoes. 



The potatoes are grown from sprouts. The small 

 unsalable potatoes are carefully stored over winter, 

 and set out in the spring in hot beds to sprout. The 

 field is thrown up in ridges and the sprouts are set on the ridges and watered at 

 the same time by the aid of a special planter. The continued use of small 

 potatoes for seed has tended to reduce the quality, when care has not been used 

 in making selection. This year potatoes for sprouting were scarce, and four carloads 

 were selected in Tennessee and shipped to Livingston and Atwater. These new 



