70 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



undoubtedly be as good a market in the future as in the past. While 

 we are apt to think there is over-production of apples when there is 

 a full crop in the various apple producing states, commission men and 

 dealers claim there has never been too much good fruit produced. It 

 is true, however, that poor fruit has often been in overabundance and 

 a drug on the market. The Michigan apple grower is favored with a 

 soil and climate capable of producing just such fruit as brings the 

 highest prices in market, and it rests entirely with him as to whether 

 or not he will make a success of the business in the future. 



INSECTICIDES, FUNGICIDES AND SPRAYING. 



PROF. L. R. TAFT, AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 



Three conditions necessary for success in spraying are, (1) the 

 use of proper materials; (2) at the right time, and (3) in a thorough 

 manner. 



In the selection of spraying materials one should have a knowledge 

 of the nature of the insect or disease for which it is to be used. For 

 nearly all plant diseases an effectual remedy will be found in sulphate 

 of copper, commonly known as blue vitrol, either as a solution or com- 

 bined with an equal weight of lime, in what is known as Bordeaux mix- 

 ture. The latter has the advantage of remaining for a long time on the 

 fruit or foliage, and it can be used much stronger than the solution, 

 without danger of injuring the foliage. On the other hand, copper sul- 

 phate solutions are easier to prepare and apply, and when immedian' 

 effect only is desired, they are more effective and do not have to be as 

 strong. The solution will be found most desirable for destroying spores 

 and mycelium of fungi that may be upon the trees or plants, while the 

 adhesiveness of Bordeaux mixture renders it especially valuable as a 

 preventive against the attack of fungi. 



Whichever material is used, complete success cannot be secured un- 

 less all parts of the plants are covered, and the applications must be 

 repeated sufficiently often, duiing the period of the year when there 

 is danger of attack, to secure this. 



Nearly all fungi live inside their host plants, and when seated be- 

 neath the epidermis are beyond the reach of fungicides, and hence the 

 remedies must be used to serve as preventives to keep them from en- 

 tering. The portions that suffer most are the growing parts of the 

 stems, the leaves and the fruits, but as many fungi winter on the bark 

 or buds of the old wood, it is always desirable to give the fruit t 

 an application of copper sul])hate solution in the spring, before the 

 buds open. At that time it can be used as strong as one pound in 

 fifteen gallons of water without danger of injury to deciduous trcs. 

 For leaf-curl of the peach a single application will prevent all injury, 

 but it must be made about four weeks before the buds open. Later 

 applications are of some value, but serious loss may result, in the case 

 of varieties subject to attack, if the spraying is delaved after the middle 

 of April in average seasons at this latitude. While the small expense 



