SPRAYING THE APPLE ORCHARD 



L. W. 



SPRAYING an apple orchard is an ex- 

 pensive as well as a disagreeable job, 

 but in nine years out of ten it brings large 

 returns if done with intelligence. 



Some people spray with no definite ob- 

 ject in view ; they read in the papers that the 

 work should be done, and they do it with a 

 foolish expectancy of magical results. 

 Others, having tried it and failed, go to the 

 opposite extreme and declare spraying a use- 

 less operation. 



Spraying must be done thoroughly and 

 with a definite object in view if definite re- 

 sults are to be obtained. Every inch of 

 wood not covered is liable to the attack of 

 the enemy. The finest nozzles must be 

 used, and the spray applied to every part 

 requiring protection in such a fine vapor that 

 like a mist it will deposit itself without run- 

 ning off in drops to the ground. 



The trees must be prepared for spraying 

 by a most thorough and careful pruning, 

 else much costly material will be wasted 

 upon useless wood. If scab is present, an 

 especially severe pruning is judicious. Old 

 apple trees are often allowed to grow too 

 high to be easily reached by sprayer, pruner 

 or fruit gatherer; these should be topped 

 well back to a reasonable height. 



For aphis, oyster shell bark louse and San 

 Jose scale, and all such insects as do not eat 

 the foliage, but simply suck the juices of 

 plants, kerosene emulsion, whale oil soap, or 

 the new sulphur and lime mixture are the 

 standard remedies. The latter is a winter 

 or early spring spray, while the others may 

 be applied in summer, in certain proportions, 

 without injury to the foliage. Not a day 

 of delay should pass after discovery of 

 aphis before the kerosene emulsion is ap- 

 plied, for when once the leaves are curled 

 with them it is almost impossible to destroy 

 them. 



For insects that chew, such as the tent 

 caterpillar, the bud moth, the canker worm, 

 codling moth, and for such fungi as apple 

 scab, bitter rot, apple canker, etc.,^ apply 

 Bordeaux, with paris green or arsenite of 

 lime added, which is a combined fungicide 

 and insecticide. 



MAY be; used in the garden. 



Kerose'ne emulsion is useful, not only m 

 the apple orchard, but also in the garden for 

 destroying aphis on the rose bushes. It is 

 prepared according to the following for- 

 mula: 



Hard soap, Yz pound, or soft soap i quart. 



Boiling water (soft), i gallon. 



Coal oil, 2 gallons. 



After dissolving the soap in the water add 

 the coal oil, while still boiling, and stir vigor- 

 ously for five or ten minutes. This will 

 form the stock solution. When using, dilute 

 with 9 to 15 parts of water. 



Bordeaux may be prepared according lo 

 the following formula: 



Copper sulphate, 6 pounds. 



Quick lime, 4 pounds. 



Water, i barrel of 40 or 50 gallons. 



First dissolve the copper sulphate in say 

 ten gallons of water, suspending it in coarse 

 sacking. Use an earthen or wooden vessel 

 for this purpose. When the copper sulphate 

 is dissolved pour the solution into the spray- 

 ing barrel and half fill the barrel with water. 

 Next slack the lime, diluting it .with water 

 to at least ten gallons : then pour this milk 

 of lime into the spraying barrel through a 

 wire strainer to keep out all lumpy bits. Add 

 water to fill the barrel, and stir vigorously. 



WHERE TIME MAY BE SAVED. 



For large orchards much time will be 

 saved by having stock solutions in readiness ; 

 that is a barrel of copper sulphate solution 

 and a barrel of milk of lime. II these are 



