21 



last year, was present only in a trifling degree. The same is true of 

 the apple and pear scab, as well as rot and mildew of the grapes. 



The checks on my own premises giving but little information, I 

 learn from other growers that theirs have suffered considerably more 

 than mine. On my three acres of Concord grapes I did not find a 

 spot of peronospora (powdery mildew) on the foliage, and all of the 

 berries affected could be put into a quart measure, while those 

 affected with black rot would not exceed four qunrts. I have one 

 trellis of twenty-five different varieties many of which are quite prone 

 to mildew, but I have never seen it so absolutely free from peronos- 

 pora* only two leaves on a Delaware showing three small patches. 



This trellis, as well as most of the others, was treated with the 

 solution of copper sulphate, one pound to 800 gallons. In all that I 

 have seen, either out of doors or under glass, there has been nothing 

 to indicate that this solution is not fully as efficient as any other 

 preparation of copper. The amount required for one acre at a single 

 application is from one and one-half to two ounces, while the Bor- 

 deaux mixture uses from eighteen to twenty-four pounds. The 

 solution is very cheap, clean and requires less labor and skill in its 

 use than the others and is, moreover, entirely compatible with Paris 

 green so that the two may be used together freely. 



The unsatisfactory character of the apparatus for applying fungi- 

 cides and insecticides in a water spray set me at work to devise some 

 more simple and efficient substitute. I used the force pump, which 

 the Station furnished, by attaching it to a barrel which was trans- 

 ported on a stone-boat. A stretch of twenty feet of hose was used, 

 one end being supported upon the end of a light pole, twelve feet 

 long. The nozzle, which was an adjustable one, was set at an angle 

 of 45° from the handle, which made it easy to throw the spray in 

 every direction. Three men operated it, one mannging the spray, 

 one running the puin[), and the third caring for the horse. The last 

 position was an important one, as the man was exijected to keep the 

 horse moving at such a pace as would permit a thorough spraying of 

 every part of the foliage without wasting the liquid or drenching any 

 part of the tiee. I found that the combined efforts of the whole 

 force was unable to do the work evenly. Parts of trees were over- 

 supplied and portions were left entirely dry. Bordeaux mixture was 



* Other vineyards in the state, though perhaps differently located, and under different 

 cultivation and not sprayed with the sulphate of copper or iron before the foliage developed 

 have suffered a good deal from this pest, but not as much as in former years. 



