REPORT OF THE ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST. 211 



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Up-to-date fruit growers know well the advantages they derive from atteudi..^ 

 carefully to the work of spraying their crops. It is very seldom now-a-days that one 

 hears from practical business men engaged in fruit growing the childish, illogical excuse 

 that they have not "had time" to spray their trees, as these men know well that 

 "spraying trees" and "making money" are almost synonymous terms. There are 

 now to be had free for the asking in Canada publications setting forth the advantages 

 of spraying and giving full instructions as to the best way to prepare and apply simple, 

 cheap and effective remedies for almost any insect or fungous disease that is likely to be 

 found injuring orchard crops. Indeed, to those who have thought upon this subject it 

 may seem unnecessary to again draw attention to this matter in an official report ; 

 but in travelling through Canada, notwithstanding the fact that many of the 

 provinces have able and enthusiastic officers who are doing their utmost to teach farmers 

 the great benefits which they may derive from this simple method of protecting their 

 crops, I find that there are thousands of fruit growers everywhere who have never had 

 enterprise enough to follow the advice given. Knowing well, after many years study 

 of this subject, what enormous saving may be made for the whole Dominion through the 

 sure advancement of every individual, I again draw attention to some statements by 

 reliable men, which I trust may have the effect of persuading more of our Canadian 

 fruit growers and farmers that spraying does most decidedly pay, and, as far as I have 

 seen, successes follow intelligent, careful and conscientious efiort, much more surely in 

 the case of spraying fruit trees than in any other branch of agriculture or of most 

 -other walks of life. 



" Much loss has heen caused by insect pests. The apple crop in particular suffered 

 much from worms in unsprayed orchards." {Ontario Crop Report, Nov., 1898.) 



" Wolf ville, N.S., Dec, 1898.— Cankerworms have been less abundant this year 

 than usual, but some orchards in Grand Pre and Avonport were stripped. Where 

 spraying was practised, very little damage was done. 



" Spraying with Bordeaux mixture and Paris green combined is now generally 

 practised by most of our best fruit growers, both before and after blo'^soming. They 

 know that it pays them to do so, and is necessary if they are to secure fruit which will 

 bring the highest price. The methods, however, are evidently not as yet thoroughly 

 understood ; for some varieties of apples have been somewhat injured in appearance 

 this year, i. e., they are russeted by a too strong solution, or perhaps too frequent 

 applications ; but practice and experience will soon give the necessary skill to get the 

 happy medium between over and under dosing." — [R, W. Starr.] 



" The day of good crops of fair apples, without effort, is for ever gone, unless condi- 

 tions change greatly, but the prospects were never higher for the pains-taking, thorough 

 orchardist. If any one needs a full, conclusive, and final demonstration that spraying 

 is a necessary part of apple culture, let him look at almost any unsprayed orchard, then 

 compare it with any sprayed orchard which he may find. If he does not see the 

 difference, if he cannot find evidence that spraying has paid 500 to 1,000 per cent, 

 it will be because he is not open for conviction." (Extract from Report American 

 Pomoloyical Society, in Nova Scotia Crop Report for November, 1898.) 



" Victoria, B. C. — Most of the pests and diseases of fruit trees found here have 

 been successfully dealt with by simple remedies which have been recommended through 

 Bulletins and Reports. Enormous advantage has followed the adoption of spraying, 

 :an(l the feeling of uncertainty as to their success which certainly existed at one time in 

 the minds of many of our fruit growers, is graduall)'^ being removed. Those who attend 

 to their business properly are, as a rule, well satisfied." — [R. M. Palmer, Provincial 

 Inspector of Fruit Pests.] 



In this connection, special attention may be drawn to the series of spraying experi- 

 ments vv-hich have been carried on during the last four years by instruction of the Hon. 

 John Dryden, Provincial Minister of Agriculture and Arts of Ontario. These 

 experiments were at first supervised by Mr. A. H. Pettit, of Grimsby, Ont., and for the 

 last three years by Mr. W. M. Orr, of Fruitland, Ont. A great many orchards in all 

 parts of the province have been sprayed under the personal supervision of the inspector. 

 Fruit growers in the different districts have been invited to be present at these demons- 

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