836 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD 



twigs, showing the condition of the buds at various times during the 

 winter and spring. Early in March buds of unwhitened trees were 

 perceptibly swollen, while whitened ones were still dormant. In the 

 middle and last of March the unwhitened buds were much more 

 swollen than the whitened ones. Early in April the unwhitened ones 

 were nearly ready to open, while the others were much less advanced. 

 The unwhitened buds opened from 2 to days earlier than the others. 

 Rivers Early peaches set very abundantly and about equally on 

 whitened and unwhitened trees. Whitened trees of Heath Cling, 

 Silver Medal, and Wonderful varieties set more fruit than the un- 

 whitened ones. 



At first a common lime whitewash was used, but it washed off badly 

 in rainy weather. A whitewash of lime with one-fifth skim milk added 

 to the water and 1 lb. of salt per bucketful proved more satisfactory. 

 The whitewash was applied with a spray pump. Four sprayings dur- 

 ing winter and spring were sufficient, 2 sprayings being given to 

 begin with to insure a thorough whitening. About half a bucketful of 

 whitewash was used per tree at each spraying. The author states that 

 the entire expense of the 4 sprayings need not exceed 10 cts. per tree. 

 A note is given on the use of copper sulphate applied with the white- 

 wash as a fungicide. 



In order to study the relative absorption of heat by the different 

 colors, 4 dairy thermometers, having their bulbs wrapped in green, 

 purple, black, and white muslin, and 1 theremometer with its bulb 

 naked, were exposed to the sun, being hung about 5 ft. from the ground 

 in the orchard. Readings were taken at various times in bright sun- 

 shine during February. The thermometers were then removed to the 

 south side of the building, their wrappings removed and placed over 

 them, forming a screen 1 ft. square. Headings were taken during 

 bright weather in the latter part of March. The temperatures recorded 

 are given in tables. The darker the color of the cloth the higher the 

 temperature reached. 



lu April readings were taken with 4 standard thermometers hung in 

 the open air. The bulbs and such portions of the tubes as could be 

 covered without hindering the taking of readings were coated with 

 whitewash. For 3 of the thermometers the whitewash was colored 

 with anilin dyes; in one case green, in one purple, and in one black. 

 A table is given showing the readings taken. The darker colors 

 absorbed much more heat than the lighter ones. A difference in tem- 

 perature of 10 to 15° was frequently shown between the white and the 

 purple bulbs, and once in very bright sunshine the difference ran as 

 high as 21°. This difference shows how whitening the green and purple 

 twigs of peaches tends to keep them dormaut during warm days of 

 winter. 



In the winter of 1895-'96 a few peach trees were protected by draw- 

 ing the limbs together with a rope, covering them with cornstalks, and 

 binding the whole into a bundle. About 60 per cent of the fruit buds 



