RECENT ADVANCEMENT IN HORTICULTURE. 133 



ph\s uuderlyiug spraying which are thus being discovered. 

 Such active- orchardists may be truly said, to be, in tiieii* own 

 way, scientists in just so far as through their practice in 

 spraying they discover factors in spraying which from year 

 to year are useful to them. 



All this activity in behalf of securing better fruit repre- 

 sents great progress for the better. As compared with other 

 old practices, it may be said that the progress which has been 

 made during the last two decades along the line of spraying 

 has been almost phenomenal. 



On the other hand, with the example right within our view 

 of the number of leading horticulturists who profit by spray- 

 ing, it is perhaps remarkable to find how many orchardists 

 still neglect to spray. I do not know whether it is true in Ne- 

 braska, but it is true in Missouri that a large proportion of 

 our orchardists either do not spray at all, or else fail to use 

 the right mixtures at the right time, and do the work at best 

 very imperfectly. Some do not even believe yet that it pays 

 to spray. 



It is my purpose not to censure the opinion or position of 

 those who do not spray, but to try, if possible, to encourage 

 them to adopt the practice. It is my belief that one of the 

 greatest reasons why many orchardists do not spray is be- 

 cause they look to the fruit alone in judging the effects of 

 spraying. Most of them look at a sprayed apple, and per- 

 haps another one not sprayed, but almost as good, and do not 

 stop to consider the effects of spraying upon the growth, 

 vigor, and productiveness of the tree itself. We should re- 

 member, in considering spraying, that the comparative ap- 

 pearance of a sprayed apple and one which is not sprayed 

 can tell, at most, only one-half of the story in favor of spray- 

 ing. It is quite as important that we consider the effect of 

 spraying upon the growth, vigor, and vitality of the tree 

 itself throughout its life history. Many of the noxious in- 

 sects do not affect the fruit, but feed upon the leaves of the 

 tree. Some of those which mar the fruit, injuring its appear- 



