i65 



are receiving at the present time from $4.00 to $7.00 per bar- 

 rel for apples, I wonder at this neglect. AVhen I make a 

 closer examination of the dying trees, I find that they are 

 being killed by starvation, decay, fungous disease, and in 

 most eases the San Jose scale or other injurious insects. 



I feel much worse about this condition of affairs right 

 here in New England, where we are supposed to be more 

 highly educated, than in any other part of the country, when 

 I realize that spraying has been so simplified. There is no 

 reason for allowing the trees to die in this way if a man 

 studies the question at all. A fcAV years ago the subject was 

 much more difficult, but within the last five years spraying 

 apparatus and materials have been so greatly improved that 

 very nearly every problem can be controlled almost perfect- 

 ly. The fruit grower of New England should be better able 

 to save his trees and crops than the grower in any other sec- 

 tion, as we are much more advanced in this line of work. 

 This has come about largely through the experiments of the 

 State Gypsy Moth Department, which has not only given us 

 valuable insecticides and spraying apparatus, but has trained 

 a large force of men. 



SPRAYING APPARATUS 



The spray pump has largely been a creation of the last 

 twenty-five years, and has been improved more since 1905 

 than at any time previous to that date. I believe that we 

 have practically reached the standard and cannot expect 

 very many improvements in the future. 



It is utterly impossible for me to advise you what pump 

 to use maless I know your conditions and the amount of 

 spraying which you require. However, I wish to impress 

 upon you one point, and that is, buy the best of the size that 

 you decide upon. A spray pump is required to do a great 

 deal of work in a very short time. The season is short, and 

 time lost during the right season may prove extremely ex- 

 pensive. The market is flooded with cheap pumps, and they 

 are being bought very extensively. 



Many fruit growers do not realize the importance of 

 spraying until too late. They wonder why the Western ap- 

 ple is selling for such a high price and is reaching such per- 

 fection. If you ask the Western farmer if it is necessary to 

 spray fruit in sections where the nicest fruit is raised, he will 

 so no. If you pin him down, you will find that he is spraying 



