FARMERS' INSTITUTES. 121 



pounds of muriate of potash, and two hundred to four hundred pounds of 

 ground bone per acre, and the use of leguminous cover crops to supply 

 nitrogen and humus." The smaller amount would cost about five dollars 

 per acre, while the larger quantity recommended would cost twice that 

 sum but would suffice for two years. After the trees have produced one 

 crop, the amount might be increased with profit as, on many soils, the 

 use of ten cents per tree for additional fertilizer might give one barrel 

 more of apples, that would be worth from one to two dollars, and thus 

 give back the investment with usury. 



While the use of fertilizers for apple orchards where everything is 

 favorable for the crop would be highly profitable, I am firmly of the 

 opinion that it would be better if manure and wood ashes could be 

 obtained, and in a majority of cases it would be possible to secure them 

 either on the farm or from nearby villages. 



SPRAYING. 



The last of the four more important steps in the renovation of an old 

 orchard, is the spraying of the trees. This is placed last, not because 

 deemed of least importance, as of them all it will do most to give a crop 

 of perfect fruit, but because it naturally follows the others, and although 

 there is less need for it when the trees are making a strong, healthy growth 

 from being properly cared for in other ways, the best results from spray- 

 ing cannot be obtaibed unless each of the other matters referred to has 

 had proper attention. 



Spraying, as ordinarily carried on, is for the purpose of securing free- 

 dom from the attack of insects and plant diseases. 



In spraying for the destruction of insects, we naturally make two 

 classes of the remedies that we may call special and general. The first 

 class of sprays are used only occasionally, and if the trees are well cared 

 for may never be needed. This special spraying is used for the scale and 

 other sucking insects. Among these are the green lice, or apple aphis, 

 which occasionally appear in large numbers on the opening buds. They 

 seldom do much harm to large trees, but may be treated with the approved 

 remedies if very numerous on newly planted orchards. The oyster-shell 

 scale is often found in old and neglected orchards. These are easily 

 destroyed by spraying with kerosene emulsion about the time the young 

 lice hatch, which is early in June in most seasons. When the trees are 

 manured and cultivated, and especially if they are sprayed with Bordeaux 

 mixture, using a surplus of lime, this insect will soon disappear without 

 the special spraying. 



There are several other scale insects that may appear in an apple 

 orchard, and among them the San Jose scale. The note of warning against 

 this insect was sounded several years ago, but I would repeat it now with 

 renewed force. Do not be deceived by the statements in the papers that 

 the fruit growers in New Jersey, Georgia and other states no longer fear 

 this insect. Perhaps the word fear is used advisedly. While I am not 

 afraid of this minute creature as I would be of a masked burglar armed 

 with a revolver during the hours of night, I certainly feel a pronounced 

 dread at its appearance in the State. There is not a fruit growing state 

 to the east of us where it has not done from ten to a thousand times the 

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