»2- 



Plant pathologists who have devoted much time to this subject have 

 been unable to locate a spray that, when applied to the matured leaves short- 

 ly after harvest, will eradicate the Scab fungus without appreciable injury 

 to the trees, to the fruit buds in particular. Moreover, even though such 

 a spray mixture were discovered, its use could not be expected to be very 

 effective for the reason that in most seasons many scabbed leaves fall to 

 the ground before the eradicative post-harvest spray could be applied to the 

 trees. Hence, for the present, the use of an eradicative spray to the trees 

 following harvest seems to be out of the question. 



There remains, then, the advisability of a ground spray in the late 

 fall or early winter. It is a well proven and accepted fact that early spring 

 applications of certain sprays to the orchard floor are very effective in 

 destroying the Scab fungus in the overwintered leaves. Effective sprays in- 

 clude one-half per cent solution of sCdium dinitro-ortho-cresolate (Elgetol)j 

 100 pounds of sulfate of ammonia in 100 gallons of spray; 100 pounds of ni- 

 trate of soda plus 4 pounds of calcium arsenite in 100 gallons of spray. 

 Are these same sprays equally effective v>rhen applied to the leaves on the 

 ground in the fall? There appears to be no experimental evidence on this 

 question. Pathologists who established the usefulness of the springtime 

 eradicative sprays have indicated (through correspondence this fall) that 

 the same sprays might be expected to prove effective, although it is point- 

 ed out that the Scab organism is not in the same stage of development in 

 the early winter as it is at delayed-dormant time in the spring. Further- 

 more, it v;ould be advisable to wait until practically all the leaves are 

 down before such a ground spray is applied in the fall. It is felt that 

 if such caustic sprays are applied in late fall or early winter to both the 

 ground and the remaining leaves on the trees,. Injury to fruit buds would 

 likely result. 



Hence, it seems advisable for growers who ordinarily cannot get 

 into their orchards at the silver tip to delayed dormant period and who 

 wish to try out a fall or early winter eradicative spray for Scab control, 

 to wait until all of the leaves are on the ground. Then wet the leaves 

 thoroughly on the ground with one of the sprays mentioned above, preferably 

 Elgetol one-half to one gallon in 100 gallons of spray. Thorough coverage 

 of the floor cannot be expected v;ith less than 550 to 600 gallons of spray 

 per acre. For those who generally are able to operate the spray rig in the 

 orchard in the early spring, it is preferable to wait until that time of 

 year to apply the eradicative spray to the orchard floor, 



— 0. C. Boyd 



SHRIVELLING of APPLEI3 IN STORAGE 



Studies on shrivelling of apples in storage by Dr. Smock of Cornell 

 University indicate that the early part of the season often is a critical 

 period. Dry boxes and wooden walls absorb a great deal of moisture and keep 

 the air dry. The obvious solution is to keep the floors and perhaps the 

 walls v/et, especially in the Fall months. Vfetting the boxes themselves 

 would be an even more effective procedure but might not be advisable if 

 apples are stored in market boxes, 



— R. A. Van Meter 



