"A WAR SPRAYING PROGRAM" 



Dr. E. Porter Pelt, State Entomologist, Albany, N. Y. 



There is no time when spraying should be given more 

 careful consideration than this season. "We cannot afford to 

 waste valuable time or material under the present conditions 

 and it is equally unwise to imperil profits simply because a 

 few precautions are not adopted. Have we cancelled our 

 fire insurance and surrendered our life policies? Not under 

 present conditions and what is true of these matters applies 

 in a general way to the spraying program. It is a poor time 

 to insure in a weak company and likewise we cannot recom- 

 mend quetionable short cuts or substitutes in a spraying pro- 

 gram. No protection may be better than that depending 

 upon an indifferent application or a material of doubtful effi- 

 ciency. It is a poor time to try experiments. There never 

 was a greater need of hitting the mark. Spraying is a par- 

 ticular operation and should be performed to secure certain 

 benefits. The application made on general principles, while 

 doubtless of value, may give comparatively small returns. 

 The individual grower should know enough of his own con- 

 ditions to realize his more important problems and direct his 

 energies toward mastering them, rather than rely too much 

 on general practices which may be ill adapted to his needs. 



In the first place it is necessary to have the spraying out- 

 fit ready when needed and the requisite materials on hand, 

 and as matters now stand it may be difficult to meet one or 

 both of these conditions. 



There is a great deal of common sense in the following 

 message just received from a prominent firm dealing in in- 

 secticides: "Replying to your letter 20th, there is a fair 

 probability that we shall be able to meet the needs of our 



