GENERAL CONSIDERATION OF SPRAYS APPLIED. 75 



The methods of i)i('puiiMM- and applyinjj^ the sprays used in 181>o are 

 considered in suhse(iiient chapters. In each case an etlort was made to 

 do thorough work in ai)i)lying- the sprays, hut, as is true with all such 

 work in the lield, more or less varia])le results ct)uld not he avoided 

 owing to the weather conditions and othei- intluences. The treatment 

 was given the 85 rows during the ten days immediately preceding the 

 general opening of the tlowers, that is, at the close of the dormant 

 period of the trees, or from February 2»> to Mar<h .">. In u few of 

 the more forward trees a small pcrci-ntage of the tlowers had opened 

 before the completion of the work. 



GENERAr. rONSIDKKATION OF SPRAYS APPLIED. 



Several distinct types of sprays were testt'd in t\\o preventive^ work 

 on curl in 189.5, and these were prepared in many forms and propor- 

 tions. The two fungicidal bases, copper and suli)hur. which are now 

 recoo"nized in all countries as most valuable for this class of work, 

 enter into the composition of a large proportion of the sprays used, 

 in on*' form or another. 



In testing spravs considerable weight was given to the fact that 

 the peach tree is subject to the attacks of certain serious insect pests, 

 prominent among which is the San Jose scale, and that a spray com- 

 bining both fungicidal and insecticidal pro])erties would often prove 

 of greater value than oiu^ the action of wliidi was solely fungicidal. 

 Haviiiii* these facts in mind, and knowing the demonstrated value of 

 the sulphur, lime, and salt spray as an ettective remedy for the San 

 Jose scale, this spray, together with various modifications, was tested 

 and compared (rows 1. 8, and 6). Besides (luantitative modifications 

 of the spray, tests of its constituents were made to acciuii-e such facts 

 respecting their value as were obtainable. The sulphur and lime 

 united were tested in several proportions without salt (rows 7, 9, 10, 

 12, 16, 51, and 57). The lime and salt were tested together (row 13), 

 and the lime was tested separately (row 44). The trial of a strong 

 salt solution was made the previous year (row 16), but as it injured 

 the foliage somewhat it was omitted in 1895. Other modifications 

 of the sulphur spray were prepared by adding different fungicides, 

 with the hope of increasing its fungicidal action without detracting 

 from its effectiveness as an insecticide. Sulphate of copper was 

 added in different proportions (rows 18, 19, and 36), and the addition 

 of iron sulphate was also tried (row 56). 



The copper sprays tested for leaf curl were numerous and were 

 variously prepared and combined. As already said, copper sulphate 

 was added to the sulphur sprays, but it was most extensively used in 

 the preparation of the Bordeaux mixture, in which form it was applied 

 in many experiments and of various strengths (rows 15, 21, 22, 25, 28, 

 33, 41, 45, and 54). Copper sulphate with ammonia (eau celeste) was 



