11 Sept., 1916.] Orchard and Garden Notes. 573 



This year the heavy breed sections are a great improvement on 

 previous years, both in point of quality and egg production ; this verdict 

 is borne out by the fact that the world's record for a winter test for all 

 breeds, both light and heavy, has been broken by a pen of six Black 

 Orpingtons, owned by the Oaklands Poultry Farm, which laid 570 eggs, 

 an average of about 5i eggs per week for each bird during the four 

 months 15th April to 14th August. Brooklyn Poultry Farm, with a 

 score of 522, obtained second place. 



Mr. W. H. Eobbins's pen of White Leghorns secured first prize in the 

 winter test for light breeds, with a score of 545 eggs to its credit, while 

 Mr. T. A. Pettigrove's pen was second, with a total of 536 eggs. 



The rainfall for the month was 65 points. Temperature — lowest, 

 32°, highest, 65°. 



A. Hart, 

 Chief Poultry Expert. 



ORCHARD AND GARDEN NOTES. 



E. E. Pescott, F.L.S., Principal, School of Horticulture, P>iirnley. 



The Orchard. 



Spraying. 



The peach aphis will now have made its appearance in orchards 

 which were not sprayed with the red oil emulsion in the winter. The 

 tobacco solution will now be required, and this may be sprayed on as 

 strongly as the grower wishes. If possible, a second spraying should 

 be repeated quickly after the first operation, so as to kill any aphides 

 previouslv protected by the others, or any that may have only been 

 weakened by tbo first operation. 



The time has also arrived when spraying is needful for the pre- 

 vention of all fungus diseases, such as shothole or scab, black spot, leaf 

 rust, leaf curl, &:c. In the case of these pests. " prevention better than 

 cure" is the invariable rule; and to delay beyond the correct period 

 the application of the necessary sprays is to court disaster. For black 

 spot of the apple and pear, the spraying should be performed as soon 

 as the earliest flowers are opening. For shothole and scab the time 

 to spray is before the flower ])etal'^ expand; and the spraying may be 

 repeated, if necessary, after the fruit has set. 



For rust and leaf curl the spray sliould Ix' a])i)li('d before any sign 

 of the trouble api)ears on the foliage; thus, if the fungus were present 

 during the ])revious season, it will l)e necessary to spray early to combat 

 it successfully. 



The basis of all the successful fungicides is sulphate of copper or 

 bluestone. Bordeaux mixture (a mixture of bluestone, lime, and 

 water, known as the 6.4.40 formula), is used; the materials and quan- 

 tities being 6 lbs. bluestone, 4 lbs. lime, and 40 gallons water. 



Another spray, and in some locations equally successful in its re- 

 sults as the Bordeaux mixture, is the co]iper-soda sjiray, tlie propor- 

 tions being 6 lbs. bluestone, S lbs. washing soda, and 40 gallons of 

 water. Tn each case the materials should be se|)aratelv dissolved, and 

 then evenlv and siniultaneouslv niixrd in a third vessel. 



