INDIANA HORTICULTUKAL SOCIETY. 385 



was almost an over-prodnction of Keiffer pears. I feel that I am in a 

 position to be familiar with the situation in our own State, but I think the 

 gi'ower must be the first judge of the commercial value of his KeifCer 

 pears. If he finds that it has been a paying crop during the past four or 

 five years, there is nothing in the future that would justifying him in cut- 

 ting down his trees. The same is true of the Ben Davis apple. In fact, I 

 believe that the Ben Davis apple is really more popular in the markets of 

 the world than it was four or five years ago. 



President Stevens: Now we will take up the discussion of "Spraying." 

 Mr. R. A. Simpson, of Vincennes, will read a paper on this subject. We 

 have taken up most of the morning with a discussion of the varieties of 

 apples, and I think it is most fitting in this connection. 



Mr. Simpson then read the following paper on spraying: 



SPRAYING. 



BY R. A. SIMPSON, VINCENNES. 



Spraying is now an old subject and one that has been hashed and re- 

 hashed time and again; but for all that, it is an important subject and one 

 that orchardists of the United States know little about— the fact is, we 

 are just beginning to pick up a few facts along the line, when the whole 

 subject is considered. For all that, when these few facts that are now 

 known are thoroughly and economically applied to our orchards, great 

 benefits are derived therefrom. 



At the Illinois State meeting last year, and at quite a number of other 

 large horticultural meetings, that old question, "Does spraying pay?" was 

 not even mentioned. If there was a question about this matter, why was 

 this not asked? Because those orchardists are convinced of the good re- 

 sults of spraying thoroughly. Now, since our best authorities know that 

 it pays them, can we draw conclusions other than that it is a settled fact 

 that we must spray and that it will pay us if thoroughly and economically 

 done. 



The most successful orchard men over the United States have, as a 

 rule, abandoned that old question. "Does it pay to spray?" and are now 

 studying how to spray their trees thoroughly the required number of times 

 in the most economical manner. 



Gentlemen, we might just as well stare this monster square in the 

 face and accept the facts as they stand, and, if you will go to work at 

 once without prejudice, but with a feeling that you are just a little behind 



25— Board of A. 



