SPRAYING. 155 



done. Properly prepared inixtures will stick to the foliage, even 

 throuo-h hard rain storms, provided they have half an hour in which 

 to dry. Cloudy weather or the appearance of rain should not hinder 

 the work. 



Insecticides are not applied until the insects make their appear- 

 ance, but it is not best to delay much longer than that tiine. 



SPRAYING THE PLUM. 



The best mixture to use on plums is a cotnbination, containing a 

 fungicide and an insecticide. The formula for dilute Bordeaux mix- 

 ture given on page 153 is used, and two ounces of Paris green or Lon- 

 don ptxrple added. This mixture is to be applied with a suitable force 

 pump as soon as the blossoms have fallen, and repeated three or 

 four times at intervals of one week. There does not seem to be any 

 necessity for more than four applications, and three have been 

 found to answer very well. 



Cautions: Do not spray when the trees are in bloom, but do not 

 delay making the first application more than a day or two after the 

 blossoms have fallen. Do not continue much longer than advised, 

 for the reason that the mixture, if applied too late, will stick to the 

 fruit until after it is ripe. Fruit with a considerable quantity of the 

 mixture adhering may be eaten without danger to the health, but 

 such fruit is unmarketable, and washing is not practicable. 



SPRAYING THE APPLE. 



In the December bulletin of 1891, one spraying was advised before 

 blooming and three after; but it is now believed that it is better to 

 make two applications before blooming and two after. The first is 

 to be made just before the buds open, using either dilute or strong 

 Bordeaux mixture, but preferably the latter. The second is to be 

 made just before the blossoms open, using the same compound. 

 For the third application, which should be made as soon as the 

 blossoms have fallen, use the dilute Bordeaux mixture, and to this 

 add four ounces, or one-fourth of a pound, of Paris green or London 

 purple to fifty gallons of the mixture. About this time the codlin 

 moth lays its eggs in the blossom end, or calyx, of the apples. These 

 eggs soon hatch, and the young worms are killed by eating the 

 poison, which explains its use. Another application of the same 

 combination mixture should be made within ten days from the time 

 of the third spraying. No further spraying during the season is 

 advised. If desired, the aminonical solution of copper carbonate 

 may be used some weeks later, but it is better to discontinue the use 

 of the Bordeaux mixture at the time specified, as it sometimes causes 

 a russet appearance on the fruit, if applied too late. So far as ob- 

 served, late applications have not been very beneficial, and four 

 seem to be sufficient. This matter has not been fully settled bj^ ex- 

 periment, but, no doubt, much depends upon the compound used, 

 the weather, the variety of fruit and the manner in which the work 

 is done. 



Cautions: Do not spray when the trees are in bloom, and do not 

 delay the third application more than three or four days after the 

 blossoms have fallen, 



