The Canadian Horticulturi^ 



Vol. XXXI 



FEBRUARY, 1908 



No. 2 



Some MisappreKensions in Regard to Spraying' 



H. A. Surface, M.Sc, Harrisbur^, Pennsylvania 



THERE are many popular misap- 

 prehensions in regard to spraying. 

 The following are some of them: 



We spray to prevent the coming of 

 insects. This idea is erroneous, ex- 

 cept in the case of the codling moth. 



Bordeaux mixture is an insecticide. 

 This is not so, as its insecticidal prop- 

 erties are of little or no value. It is a 

 fungicide. Only when it is combined 

 with Paris green or some other poison 

 does it become an insecticide. 



It is thought by some orchardists 

 that Bordeaux mixture will cure plant 

 diseases. It does not cure. It pre- 

 vents. For insects, we spray to cure; 

 for fungous diseases, we spray to prevent. 



There is an impression that bene- 

 ficial results may be had by spraying 

 fruit trees when in bloom. This is 

 wrong. The practice is bad. Nothing 

 is gained and much is lost. Spraying 

 at that time kills the bees that are re- 

 quired in the fertilization of the bloom, 

 and also injures the essential organs 

 of the flowers and thus harms the 

 fruit crop. 



Some persons have an idea that 

 spraying will poison fruit and vege- 

 tables. There is no danger from this 

 source except a theoretical possibility 

 if the poison is applied just before 

 gathering, with no rain afterwards. 

 Applied at the usual strength, one 

 would have to eat 200 cabbages to 

 consume enough Paris green to kill. 

 There is no danger to live stock from 

 spray mixtures on grass. 



Many persons think that if a little 

 is good, more is better. They are in- 

 clined to increase the strength of the 

 -mixture. The truth is that too much 

 is worse than too little. It is liable 

 to injure the trees, and it will not per- 

 form the desired result. 



Mixing spraying materials by guess 

 is a common practice. For accurate 

 and economical results, the mixing 

 must be done by definite proportions. 

 The exact strength should be known 

 and accurately measured each time 

 materials are to be mixed. 



* A portion o[ an fxtemiK>r:iiHM>us address delivered 

 1 1 [;istlconventi(»n of the Ontario I'ruit Growers' Asso- 

 ciation. 



A few growers hold the opinion that 

 spraying can be done when the wind 

 is blowing and get good results. It is 

 useless to spray against the wind. 



It is thought by some that the harder 

 the liquid is blown or thrown against 

 the tree, the better. Such is not neces- 

 sary for good results, and has even 

 been known to prove damaging bv 



Satisfactory Results 



Our advertisements in the De- 

 cember and January issues of The 

 Canadian Horticulturist have 

 brought a large number of enquir- 

 ies from distant points, as well as 

 from all parts of Ontario. Eng- 

 land, India, South Africa, Australia, 

 United States and British Colum- 

 bia are all represented by letters 

 that we have received from readers 

 of The Canadian Horticultur- 

 ist. These enquiries show the 

 large field that The Canadian 

 Horticulturist covers, and its 

 high standing among those inter- 

 ested in horticulture. The enquiry 

 from India was for stock to be 

 supplied to a Canadian estate 

 owned by the person replying to 

 our advertisement in The Can- 

 adian Horticulturist. — Stone & 

 Wellington, Toronto. 



driving the spray liquid into the stomata 

 of the leaves. 



That sprinkling is spraying is the 

 opinion of the inexperienced. They 

 are not the same. A nozzle that throws 

 a coarse spray should not be used. 

 The spray should be fine as mist. 



An idea is prevalent that the height 

 to which a spray can be thrown de- 

 pends only upon the power of the ap- 

 paratus. It depends more on the height 

 of the apparatus, the length of the hose 

 and the extension rod. 



It would seem that some growers 

 consider that any kind of apparatus, 

 no matter how poor, is good enough 

 for the work. Good results are secured 



only by the use of proper apparatus. 

 It should be thoroughly adapted to 

 the work, simple and strong in con- 

 struction and easy to operate. For 

 economical spraying, the best of ap- 

 paratus is none too good. However, 

 this does not mean the most expensive. 



It is sometimes advocated that one 

 spraying is enough. The best orchard 

 practice demands more than one ap- 

 plication. With the sprajdng mix- 

 tures that are in common use, and for 

 the purpose of combatting all classes 

 of orchard troubles, at least four ap- 

 plications should be given during the 

 season. 



Some growers imagine that they 

 can spray only a few trees in the orch- 

 ard and not the others, and at the 

 same time control the pests. If only a 

 few trees in the orchard are infested 

 with insects, especially scale insects, or 

 infected by disease, the entire orchard 

 should be sprayed. Only by this means 

 can the trouble be successfully com- 

 batted. 



There is a feeling among certain 

 orchardists that the formulas for spray- 

 ing mixtures can be changed at will. 

 This is a mistake. The wiser plan is 

 to leave the formulas alone and to 

 mix the ingredients in the proportions 

 and manner recommended by experts. 

 There is chance of danger in meddling 

 with the standard formulas, especially 

 by persons unacquainted with the 

 chemistry and effects of insecticides 

 and fungicides. 



Spraying is sometimes practised with 

 no definite purpose in view. The oper- 

 ation should be definite and for some 

 one thing, or purpose. The orchardist 

 .should know what he wants to accom- 

 plish. Usually, a good reason is not 

 difficult to find. Spraying should be 

 performed at the proper time for the 

 most effective results in combatting 

 the various insects and diseases. 



Thorough spraying is the keynote 

 to success in fruit growing. Spraying 

 in it.self is not sufficient. It should be 

 practised in conjunction with the proper 

 methods of cultivation, pruning, thin- 

 ning, and other modern orchard practice. 



