32 THE CONTROL OF APPLE BITTER-ROT. 



water came from a spring- about 100 yards above the platform, and was 

 conducted into the barrels and tanks on the platform through open 

 troughs. Where the convenience of an elevated spring- is lacking, the 

 water may be pumped up by hand, windmill, or engine. 



METHOD OF APPLYING BORDEAUX MIXTURE. 



The following account of the method of applying the Bordeaux 

 mixture in the experiments of the Bureau of Plant Industry may per- 

 haps serve as a guide to fruit growers in treating their orchards. 

 One can not emphasize too stronglj^ the necessity of reaching every 

 part of the tree with the spra}" and coating the fruits on all sides. 



The spraying was done with a specially constructed pump and a 

 tank of 200 gallons capacity. The pump is fitted with two sections of 

 i-inch hose, each 25 feet long, with a 14-foot bamboo extension rod 

 attached and double Vermorel nozzles. This outlit is seen in opera- 

 tion in Plate VIII, figure 2. When convenient two trees were sprayed 

 at the same time, and the operators were thus kept out of each other's 

 way. In spraying the tall trees the operator had to stand on the spra}' 

 tank or climb the tree. Where the conditions will admit, an elevated 

 platform built on top of the spray tank should be used for this purpose, 

 but in the case here mentioned the land was too steep. 



In making the first application great care was taken to coat the bark 

 thoroughh" from the ground to the tips of the twigs, but later appli- 

 cations were aimed at the fruit and foliage onlv. Nozzles with small 

 apertures were used and the pressure was kept as high as one could 

 maintain it with a hand pump. This produced a fine mist, and the 

 attempt was made to spray the tree so thoroughly as to envelop every 

 apple in this mist. So far as practicable, the trees were spra^-ed from 

 ever}' direction so as to hit every apple all over. When it could be 

 avoided, the trees were not left dripping, the aim being to pepper the 

 fruit and leaves thoroughly without producing drops large enough to 

 run off. Good spraying does not consist in drenching the tree. 



For extensive operations some form of power sprayer should be 

 used where' the conditions are suitable. Gasoline sprayers are per- 

 haps the most promising, but in some instances they have been disap- 

 pointing. 



CONCI.USIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS. 



Summarizing the results obtained, and considering the fact that the 

 experiments were made during a season unusually favorable to bitter- 

 rot, the followino- conclusions mav be drawn: 



1. Bitter-rot can be completely controlled I)}' proper applications of 

 Bordeaux mixture, 93.3 to 08.9 per cent of sound fruit having been 

 saved by such treatment in these experiments, while the checks rotted 

 completel3\ 



