STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 61 



fruit. This proportion of apples and of some varieties a larger one, 

 it has already saved in raj^ own orchard. The science is but yet in 

 its infancy and I shall be greatly disappointed if further develop- 

 ments and practice do not produce a much increased result. 



This article would be very incomplete to omit stating the reason 

 for spraying. The wise man has said, ''There ate times and seasons 

 for everything under the sun." This is eminently true of spraying. 

 The time, varying in early or late varieties of trees and in different 

 localities according to the forwardness of the season, is about the 

 first of June, for the apple at the first application. When the fruit 

 gets the size of a cherr}^ it is an index that the time is at hand for the 

 codling moth (which is rarely seen in the daytime) to be depositing 

 its eggs at night, one only in the calyx of each apple. At this time 

 the calyxes or blossom ends at the fruit are all invariably turned 

 upward toward the sky, in a position to readily receive the egg of 

 the moth and also to receive the spray as it descends on the tree 

 from the force pump. In our climate there are always two broods 

 of codling moths, but we are now only considering the first brood 

 which continues to hatch through the month of June and July. The 

 spraying should be repeated in from ten to twelve days and should 

 be done the third time for the best results to the crop. 



The proper season for the first spraying of the plum tree, to 

 destroy the curculio, is just as soon as the blossoms have entirely 

 dropped from the tree. Here let me call attention to a very preva- 

 lent mistake in spraying the plum while in blossom, the results of 

 which, in regard to the curculio, are a failure, as its time for work 

 does not begin until the plum is larger than a currant. When 

 sprayed in the blossom, instead of the curculio it is the honey bee 

 which suffers, as well as the owner of them. Not only is the storing 

 of honey checked by the needless destruction of the bees, but also 

 the fertilization of the blossoms of all varieties of trees is interfered 

 with by this worse than useless ""slaughter of the innocents." 



I am well aware, Mr. President, that in advocating the merits of 

 Paris green over London purple as well as in reducing the amount 

 of it to be used fifty per cent, I have antagonized opinions given in 

 years past, through the columns of newspapers, manj' of which were 

 not based on careful, practical experiments ; but whatever ma^' be 

 the discrepanc}' between present and past opinions as to the best 

 insecticide and as to the most desirable amount to use, these differ- 

 ences may be partly accounted for by different conditions connected 



