SPRAYING PEACH TREES FOR PEACH CURL 



Fio. 136o. — Leaf Curl, filaments magnified. 



Orr, provincial inspector of spraying, 

 has been faithfully spraying his peach 

 trees since the first opening of the leaf, 

 with Bordeaux mixture. 



On the 24th of May the writer visited 

 the orchard for the purpose of noting 

 the result, and found that while orchards 

 on each side of his were affected to an 

 alarming extent with curl leaf, Mr. Orr's 

 were almost free. We further noticed 

 that certain rows had been whitewashed 

 by means of a spray pump in the 

 winter season, the whole tree being 

 thoroughly whitened. The object of 



this was in part to test the effect in 

 delaying the opening .of the buds until 

 danger of frosts was over ; but it seemed 

 to have a special effect also upon the 

 fungus under consideratidn, for on those 

 rows the foliage was still less affected. 



Experimental Spraying of apple 

 trees is being again pushed forward 

 most vigorously by Mr. W. M. Orr, the 

 Provincial Director. The province is 

 divided into three divisions, the Cen- 

 tral, Eastern and Western, and ten 

 points in each are selected for the ex- 

 perimental work. The apple trees in 

 each are selected in some orchard where 

 a good assortment of varieties can be 

 found, and these are treated with six 

 different applications of the Bordeaux 

 mixture The results in some cases have 

 been simply surprising, the trees being 

 not only free from scab and codling moth, 

 but also from canker worm, bud moth, 

 tent-caterpillar and many other insects. 

 No doubt Mr. Orr's next report will be 

 of still greater interest than his last one. 



THE SEASON AT ITHACA. 



The season here, in common with most 

 other parts of the Eastern United States and 

 I suppose Western Canada, has been abnor- 

 mal in many respects. At first — about the 

 middle of March — it gave promise of unusual 

 earliness. The peach buds swelled, here and 

 there and apricot showed its blossoms, but the 

 cold weather of April retarded vegetation 

 wonderfully and was the means of saving the 

 crop in many parts of the State from the 

 damaging effects of some late April frosts. 

 The prospects are at the present time most 

 favorable for an abundant crop of all kinds 

 of fruit Peaches will be rather light in some 

 places, but the crop generally bids fair to be 

 above the average. Curl leaf has, however, 

 made its appearance and may lesson the pros- 

 pective yield. Dwarf pears and Japan plums 

 have set very fully in the Experiment Sta- 

 tion grounds. The blossoming period of 

 fruits and ornamental shrubs was wonderfully 

 prolonged by the cold weather of April. 

 For instance, Forsythea began blossoming 

 March 28th, was in full bloom on April lOth, 

 and only lost its last flowers about a week 

 ago ; just now quinces are in full bloom and 

 very striking with their beautiful white ter- 

 minal tips. 



A careful study is being made this year of 

 the phonemna attending the pollination of 

 orchard fruits. This field appears to grow 

 wider the farther it is explored and important 

 results are expected to follow the investiga- 

 tions of this season. In.sects are abundant, 

 tent caterpillar everywhere and aphides al- 

 ready beginning a vigorous campaign on the 

 snowball. Apropos of this 1 may say that 

 Mr. Slingerland is following his interesting 

 bulletin on the codling moth with another 

 equally interesting, describing insects injuri- 

 ous to the quince, I am glad to learn that it 

 seems probable Mr. Slingerland will succeed 

 the late Dr. Lintner, as State Entomologist. 

 Such an appointment would certainly meet 

 with the hearty approval of nurserymen and 

 fruit growers. As an economic entomologist 

 Mr. Slingerland stands in the first rank of 

 workers in this branch. 



I may say in closing this hastj' note that 

 the HoRTiccLTCRiST is much appreciated by 

 the members of the University Horticultural 

 Club. 



JoHS Craig. 



Coinxdl Universitg, May 23,' 98. 



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