462 THE MONTHLY BULLETIN. 



save one spraying. These suggestions have been made on the supposi- 

 tion that the average almond grower will use the dry rather than a 

 liquid spray. The dry spray is much more economical in its applica- 

 tion than is the wet. It is far less disagreeable for the operator and 

 has generally proved itself effective when properly applied. For a dry 

 spray use lime 40 pounds, sulphur 5 pounds and Bordeaux 3 pounds. 



A home-made mixing machine is easily constructed. Take any good 

 heavy barrel. Bore a hole in the middle of each head and put a round 

 shaft completely through the barrel leaving it project at each end far 

 enough to give bearings on which to revolve. Put a crank on one end. 

 Cut a door in middle of barrel at point of greatest diameter and fix so 

 that it can be tightly fastened. Put in materials and turn until all 

 are thoroughly mixed. 



The best way to apply the dust spray is with a specially prepared 

 dust spraying machine. These are made in different sizes. The 

 smaller ones are made to run by chain geared to a sprocket which is 

 attached to a wagon wheel. The larger ones are run by gasoline power. 

 Those geared to the wagon wheel are cheapest and easiest to operate. 

 They are efficient and well adapted to the needs of the average grower. 

 The first cost is moderate and anyone having the least adaptability to 

 machinery can run them. Add to this a man, a span of horses and a 

 wagon, and the equipment is complete. Having this, use it. The in- 

 gredients for the mixture cost but little. The ravages of the insects 

 and other pests run into dollars very fast. 



Use the dust spray early in the morning while the dew, if any, is on 

 the foliage. Begin on the side of the orchard from which the wind, if 

 any, is blowing. Drive alongside each fourth row. The machine will 

 blow the spray high into the air. Tn settling it will be distributed over 

 the entire adjacent trees. Repeat this operation several times each 

 season, each time going in different rows. Tt is best to select for spray- 

 ing a morning when there is a dew and but little wind. 



Harvest. 



Provide yourself with some kind of mechanical huller and separator. 

 Life is too short and time too valuable to hull almonds by hand. While 

 there is some loss from machine hulling and separating, it is more than 

 offset by the saving in expense and the lessening of the number of 

 employees. Machines of varying capacities and more or less efficiency 

 are in the open market. While the almonds may be left on the tree for 

 a time after the hulls have opened without serious loss, it is best and 

 most economical to gather them as soon as the hulls open and expose 

 the nut sufficiently to hull easily. If left much after this time some 

 of the hulls will begin to dry and draw closer to the nut, making hulling 

 more difficult. Then, too, the nuts will begin to fall to the ground of 

 their own accord. Should a heavj^ wind occur at this time many nuts 

 will be blown from the tree. The expense of picking almonds up from 

 the ground is fully three times that of gathering them in the usual 

 manner. Promptness pays in the handling of almonds. Be ready for 

 the harvest and have a crew of gatherers in proportion to your acreage. 



Provide canvas sheets to spread beneath the trees on which to knock 

 the almonds. The size of the sheets needed will depend upon the size 

 of the trees in the orchard. Have two sheets for each tree. The two 



