APRIL 1, 1913 



[We sincerely hope that our correspon- 

 dent's efforts may succeed, for it is to be 

 regretted that a horticultural magazine 

 should come out with such a statement right 

 in the face of conclusive evidence to the 

 contrary that is being sent out by so many 

 of our experiment stations. Here is an- 

 other communication along the same line. — 

 Ed.] 



SPRAYING TREES IN BLOOM 



BY H. F. WILSON 



Assistant Entomologist, Oregon Agricultural College, 



Corvallis, Oregon. 



Mr. W. H. Volek, Horticultural Commis- 

 sioner, Santa Cruz County, Watsonville, 

 California, in the January number of Bet- 

 ter Fruit, under the heading of " Caterpil- 

 lars, Codling Moth, Aphids," pages 16 and 

 17, makes the following statements: (Quot- 

 ed above. — Ed.) 



Note that he states that the time men- 

 tioned appears to be the best. This rec- 

 ommendation, which is undoubtedly given 

 on reliable data and experiments, is a very 

 dangerous one for both the beekeeper and 

 the horticulturist. Certainly such a prac- 

 tice can not help causing the destruction 

 of insects wliich feed upon the nectar 

 of the blossoms, and, climbing about over 

 them in search of it, aid in cross-pollina- 

 tion. In localities where it is followed, the 

 honeybees will be destroj^ed; and one of 

 our local beekeepers suiJered such loss from 

 the spraying of a single orchard that he 

 was compelled to move to an entirely dif- 

 ferent locality. 



It is a common recommendation of this 

 station to suggest bees for the orchard and 

 farm, both for the value received from the 

 cross-fertilization of fruits and the surplus 

 honey secured. 



In view of this recommendation I will 

 state that in Oregon we have the tussock 

 moth, canker-worm, and several caterpillai-s 

 which cause more or less damage to the 

 fruit; but in only one instance have they 

 caused enough damage to make it necessary 

 to consider methods of control other than 

 those now in use. 



In localities where it becomes necessary 

 to combat these early-feeding caterpillars, 

 the spray should be applied before the blos- 

 som-buds open. At that time the young 

 caterpillars will be feeding, and should be 

 more easily destroyed than a week or ten 

 days later. 



There may be some opposition to this 

 extra application on account of the cost; 

 but surely the value of the cross-fertilized 

 fruit over the self-fertilized will be more 

 than the cost of spraying. 



Just how much we can depend upon the 

 wind and air cuiTents for distributing pol- 

 len is hard to say; but several investigators 

 have carried on experiments which tend to 

 show that not as much pollen is distributed 

 in this waj- as one would expect. 



In conclusion I would suggest that the 

 fruit-growers of eveiy State be careful 

 about spraying" when the trees are in 

 bloom; and such a practice should be re- 

 sorted to only as the last and final means 

 of insuring a crop of perfect apples. 



A COLLAPSIBLE EXTRACTING - HOUSE AT 

 EACH YARD 



Hauling Combs Home to Extract Keeps the Bees 

 Confined to One Story too Long 



BY LEON C. WHEELER 



Personally I should not Like the plan of 

 working outyards and cax'rying the combs, 

 etc., back and forth every trip. I find that^ 

 if not absolutely necessary, a honey-house 

 at each yard is at least extremely handy,. 

 and when one can have good portable 

 houses at a cost of $25.00 to $40.00 each I 

 believe that they are an economy. It is al- 

 most impossible to estimate accurately the 

 amount of combs one will need at an out- 

 yard; but he can \evy easily have a supply 

 of them in the honey-house at the yard, and 

 can draw on them at will. 



A light spring wagon will take the ex- 

 tractor, capping-melter, gravity separator, 

 etc., to the yard, and a few cream-cans make 

 excellent receptacles for carrying back the 

 honey. If one has a permanent stand ar- 

 ranged at each honey-house it is a short job 

 to set up the extractor and begin opera- 

 tions. Many of these combs must be put 

 right back on the hive, and a lot of time is 

 saved by not having to take them home and 

 then back again another day. Then, too, 

 the combs are on the hive quicker, and, con- 

 sequently, the bees are not left so long in 

 the cramped quarters of the single hive- 

 body. 



Large full combs of honey are not the 

 easiest thing in the world to haul over rough 

 country roads without breaking them; and 

 as the most of this work comes at the close 

 of the clover flow, and before the beginning 

 of the buckwheat flow, bees are inclined to 

 rob ; and each hive, as one loads it, has to 

 be carefully covered; and still, in spite of 

 all one's care, 1 e finds before he gets 

 through loading that there is a swarm of 

 eager excited bees around the load. These 

 bees may not do any harm to the man who 

 is fortunate enough to own an auto ; but 

 we poor fellows who are compelled to drive 



