_ 49 — 



surrounding the orchard. Raking up and burning such litter is good orchard 

 practice and economy in spraying also. 



In the application of the materials with which we spray there is considerable 

 saving done and fungi prevented from propagating if in pruning we reduce rea- 

 sonably the producing area of wood and thus open up the trees to admit sunlight 

 and air. 



2. — Economy in getting the material on time. There is nothing that is so 

 discouraging to a fruit-grower than not to receive his insecticides or fungicides 

 on time. There is no other way to avoid disappointment than to order these fully 

 two months before actually going into the orchard with the spraying rigs. It is 

 very bad economy to put off the ordering of insecticides and fungicides under the 

 pretext that perhaps prices may come down. We risk too much in not getting the 

 sprays on the trees on time in delaying so. Spraying must be looked at as an asset 

 and an insurance which is abolutely needed every year for success in the orchard. 



3. — Economy in the spraying rig. — There are spraying outfits suited for 

 every orchard and it is bad economy to rely on a small hand-pump outfit for 

 any orchard over 10 acres. There is such a thing as wanting to do things well with 

 bad outfits. As success in spraying, and I mean the fact of spending so much 

 time and money doing the work, depends on placing the material on the trees 

 on time, how can you expect to go around any large orchard, do the Avork well 

 and thoroughly, with a small outfit? There is no use spraying for codling moth 

 after the calyx sepals have reunited on the small apples. This calyx spray in 

 particular must be done thoroughly and quickly, and in very large orchards, I am 

 of the opinion that a dusting machine may be necessary some years when time is 

 scarce, on account of the soil being so sogged with rain water that a large spray- 

 ing outfit can not be easily and quickly hauled over the orchard in time to treat 

 all the trees. This is just one instance I mention here. 



It is not good economy to wait until spraying time to overhaul the spraying 

 outfits. At least a month before the actual time of spraying, the spray pump 

 should be thoroughly overhauled and cleaned up. All worn and damaged parts 

 should be replaced. This may require time to do, especially if it is necessary to 

 get new parts from a distance. The nozzles, hose, rings of the '"spray gun" also 

 should be inspected and defective parts replaced. A coat of paint on the spray 

 tank and pump will more than justify the expense and trouble. It is good economy 

 also to have on hand extra parts that we know we may need during the spraying 

 season. It is very had economy to have to stop spraying one day or two. if not 

 more, right in the height of operations, on account of some important part of the 

 pump that does not work smoothly. 



4. — Spraying material. — Here I am coming to the main point of this paper, 

 and there are a few points that I wish to emphasize strongly today.' There are too 

 many spraying materials recommended to our fruit-growers and farmers to be 

 able to spray economically to-day. It seems that some means should be found by 

 our Society and by the Provincial Entomologist that could enable our farmers 

 and fruit-growers to buy co-operatively all their insecticides and fungicides. 



