NINETEENTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART IX 493 



SPRAYING TREE FRUITS. 

 By R. S. Herrick. 



To secure the best results from fruit trees it is as necessary to spray 

 them as it is to do any other important work on the farm. 



Spraying is cumulative in results, as not only large yields of better 

 fruit are obtained, but the trees are in better condition to produce fruit 

 buds for the next year's crop. During the growing season the trees 

 must: first, feed the insect pests and diseases that live upon them; 

 second, mature, if possible, a crop of fruit; and third, produce fruit buds 

 for the next year's crop. Unsprayed trees are as a rule not able to per- 

 form perfectly all three of these functions, and hence become "shy" 

 or alternate year bearers. A good motto is to "prune and spray every 

 year." Then there will be some fruit worth picking each season. 



In out 1918 demonstrations sprayed trees produced 2.8 times as many 

 bushels of apples as the unsprayed ones. It cost 57.5 cents to spray the 

 average bearing apple tree four times. This includes cost of spray ma- 

 terial, labor, and depreciation of spray pump equipment. 



SPRAY MATERIAI- TO USE. 



For all insects having biting mouth parts, use lead arsenate paste at 

 the rate of from 2 to 3 pounds to 50 gallons of water, or one-half as 

 much dry lead arsenate. 



For all sucking insects, such as plant lice, use one-half pint of nico- 

 tine-sulphate (40% nicotine) to 50 gallons of water. When this is used 

 alone add V2 pound of dissolved soap to help make it stick. 



For fungus diseases, such as apple scab, 5 to 10 quarts of lime sul- 

 phur to 50 gallons of water, or bordeaux mixture which is made up by 

 using 3 to 4 pounds of bluestone with same number of pounds of quick 

 lime to 50 gallons of water. Bordeaux and lime sulphur should never 

 be used together. Bordeaux is considered a better fungicide than lime 

 sulphur, but when bluestone is very high in price the commercial lime 

 sulphur solution is cheaper and is generally used and with very good 

 results. Never use lime sulphur on grapes or potatoes, as It causes 

 sovere leaf burning. Lime sulphur is more apt to burn than bordeaux 

 during periods of hot weather. Severe bordeaux injury usually occurs 

 during damp and cloudy weather, when fruit is young and tender. 



SPRAYING CALENDAR. 



The following spray is applicable for bearing apple, pear, plum and 

 cherry trees. The plum and cherry should be sprayed earlier than the 

 apple, as they bloom earlier. The last of July spray need not be ap- 

 plied to early summer apples, plums or cherries. 



First. — Cluster Bud Spray. Spray just as blossoms are showing pink 

 and before they open, for apple scab, curculio, canker worm and other 

 leaf eating insects. Scale insects such as San Jose, Oyster Shell and 

 Curfy, can be controlled with this spray by using the lime sulphur from 

 4V2 to BVz gallons to 50 gallons of water. The lead arsenate should also 

 be added. Bordeaux will not control scale. 



