Interesting' Bulletins and Reports 



EVERAL of the colleges and fruit esperi- 

 ment stations have been more liberal 

 than usual this season in supplying valu- 

 able information to the fruit growers 

 ly means of bulletins. In addition to those 

 tlined in recent issues of The Horticul- 

 RIST, the following bulletins and reports will 

 found of interest to those engaged in horti- 

 Itural pursuits: 



ONTARIO FRUIT GROWERS 



The work done by the Fruit Growers' Asso- 

 ation of Ontario is outlined in the 37th annual 

 port of that association. This volume in- 

 udes the discussion that took place regarding 

 ;he revision of the constitution, as well as the 

 iddresses given by the leading speakers at the 

 Various sessions and the discussions that fol- 

 lowed. Reports from fruit growers in Algoma 

 regarding fruits that are hardy in northern 

 sections, and from Prof. H. L. Hutt, of the 

 O.A.C., and Mr. W. T. Macoun, of Ottawa, 

 regarding new fruits that promise to be of 

 value, are contained. Spraying, cover crops, 

 cooperation and other subjects of vital interest 

 to orchardists, are carefully discussed by com- 

 petent horticulturists. This report can be had 

 by applying to the Dept. of Agri., Toronto. 



SPRAYING FOR SCALE 



Bulletin 273 of the N.Y. Expt. Sta., Geneva, 

 N'.Y., contains an outline of tests of spraying 

 mixtures made in treating San Jose scale. 

 These tests confirm the results of previous 

 experiments that the sulphur washes applied 

 in the fall are effective. No advantage was 

 shown by the addition of salt to the sulphur 

 wash. The self-boiled mixtures did not give 

 as satisfactory results as those boiled by fire 

 or steam. The experiments indicated that 

 kerosene-lime sprays were not as efficient nor 

 IS uniform in their effects as the sulphur wash. 

 .\mong the soluble oils, Scalecide was satis- 

 factory, and was said to be promising as a 

 dormant-season treatment for the scale. Spring 

 ' ])plications, however, retarded the develop - 

 _ lent of buds, while the summer spraying 

 caused severe injury. The results of the tests 

 did not lead the officials at the station to advise 

 the abandonment of the well-known standard 

 sprajTS. 



SPRAYING AT NEW JERSEY STATION '' ■* 



A valuable compilation of information regard- 

 ing spraying with the different insecticides and 

 fungicides in treating the enemies of the different 

 crops, and a description of spray pumps is given 

 in bulletin 194 of the N.J. Expt. Sta., New 

 Brunswick, N.J. The crops are arranged alpha- 

 betically, and the improved methods of treating 

 each pest carefully outlined. The merits of 

 the various insecticides and fungicides, including 

 formalin, carbon bisulphide and hydrocyanic 

 acid gas, are fully discussed. Spray pumps 

 recommended for small gardens and orchards, 



well as power sprayers and the nozzles that 

 most satisfactory, are described. 



A DELAWARE BULLETIN 



The results of experiments conducted at Del. 

 College Expt. Sta., Newark, Del., to show the 

 effects of different strengths of kerosene lime 

 emulsion on San Jose scale are given in bulletin 

 73. It is pointed out that the principal causes 

 of non-success were improper preparation of 

 the mixture and incomplete sprajring. Two 

 thorough sprayings, one in late spring and 

 the other in late fall, it is said, should be the 

 minimum. It is claimed that if there is any 

 one best time it is late Oct. or eariy Nov., as 

 the insects at that time have not glued their 

 scaly covering to the bark and the remedy 

 reaches the tender body beneath the scale very 

 easily. Besides, the trees have ripened their 

 wood and can endure a moderately strong 

 insecticide. The preparation of the kerosene 

 lime IS outlined as follows: Stir the kerosene 

 and hme in a barrel thoroughly; add 10 to 20 

 gals, of water, and stir to loosen the kerosene 



aoi 

 cat 



and lime from the bottom and sides of the 

 barrel; pour in water until the barrel is more 

 than three-fourths full, then with a hoe splash 

 and pound the mixture for 4 or 5 mins. to 

 emulsify it, and fill the barrel with water. 

 Where carefully made and thoroughly applied 

 it is claimed that this mixture is equal to any 

 of the standard remedies. The 20% mixture, 

 which consisted of 10 gals, kerosene, 40 lbs. 

 lime and 381^ gals, water, was more effective 

 than lime, sulphur and salt, or kerosene emul- 

 sion. As a general rule nothing stronger than 

 25% strength is advocated, but in spring, 

 when the trees are crusted with the scale, it is 

 said to be more economical to use 30% on 

 peach trees and 30 to 35 % on other trees. The 

 25% K.-L. mixture is composed of 121/^ gals, 

 kerosene, 50 lbs, lime and 34^4 gals, water, 

 while the 30% mixture consists of 15 gals, 

 kerosene, 60 lbs. lime and 30^ gals, water. 



MAINE ORCHARD NOTES 



Bulletin 128 of the Me. Expt. Sta., Orono, Me., 

 contains notes on spraying for scale insects, 

 caterpillars, apple scab and pink rot, results of 

 unbalanced ration on fruit, winter injury from 

 freezing and from mice, and suggestions regard- 

 ing handling fruit and pruning. A canvass of 

 the orchards in Wayne and Orleans counties 

 showed that 66 sprayed orchards, representing 

 626 acres, yielded at the rate of 280 bus. per 

 acre m 1903, while 107 unsprayed orchards, 

 representing 673 acres, yielded at the rate of 

 253 bus. per acre. For the sprayed fruit the 

 average price was $2.02 per bbl., while the 

 unsprayed fruit brought only $1.80. The value 

 of spraying is cleariy shown by the following 

 figures: Trees unsprayed, average income per 

 acre, $103; trees sprayed once, average income, 

 $139; trees sprayed twice, average income, 

 $143; trees sprayed three times, average income, 

 $184; trees sprayed four times, average income, 

 $211. 



In spraying for the apple scab it was clearly 

 demonstrated that even in a bad season there 

 was a difference of 50 % in the amount of fruit 

 on sprayed and unsprayed trees. The best 

 results were obtained from the use of Bordeaux 

 mixture. When there was no crop of fruit the 

 increased vigor of the trees, resulting from clean, 

 healthy foliage, more than repaid the cost of 

 spraying. Applications just before the buds 

 burst and immediately after the blossoms fall 

 give the best results. On a wet season at least 

 four treatments, at intervals of two or three 

 weeks, are recommended. 



HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY REPORT 



A report of the 51st annual meeting of the 

 Western N. Y. Horticultural Society contains 

 much that is of interest to fruit growers. Among 

 the subjects discussed are: "The Formation of 

 Fruit Buds," "The Blight Canker of Apple and 

 Pear Trees," "Relation of Tillage to Improve- 

 ment of Orchards," and "The Prospect for 

 Education in Horticulture." Garden vegetables, 

 shrubs, flowers and bedding plants also are dis- 

 cussed. These subjects are handled by such 

 horticultural authorities as Prof. L. H. Bailey, 

 of Cornell; G. T. Powell, of Ghent, N.Y.; W H 

 Jordan, of the N. Y. Expt. Sta., and others. A 

 copy of the report can be had bv writing to Jno. 

 Hall, Sec, Rochester, N.Y. 



BULLETIN ON CRANBERRIES 



Varieties of cranberries, cultural methods, 

 insect pests, grasses usually troublesome in 

 cranberry bogs, and various other information 

 of interest to those engaged in growing cran- 

 berries is to be found in bulletin 119 of the 

 Agri. Expt. Sta., Madison, Wis. Flooding, and 

 other means of preventing frost, are fully out- 

 lined. Various methods of planting, the care 

 of the young plants, and the methods of har- 

 vesting adopted in the leading cranberry dis- 

 tricts, are described. Those interested in the 

 cultivation of cranberries should secure this 

 valuable bulletin 



163 



SPRAYING FOR POTATO BLIGHT 



Results of experiments conducted in spraying 

 for potato blight during the season of 1905, are 

 given in bulletin 236 of the Mich. Agri. Expt. 

 Sta. Correspondence with potato growers 

 throughout the state showed that a large num- 

 ber did not know what Bordeaux mixture was, 

 and most of them believed the blight to be in- 

 curable. The reasons for so few growers spray- 

 ing were attributed to: (1) Ignorance as to the 

 cause of the disease, (2) Not knowing there is 

 anything that will prevent it, and (3) A belief 

 that the results will not repay for the time and 

 trouble required to do the spraying. The bul- 

 letin attempts to set the growers right on these 

 points. After outlining the cause of the disease 

 and describing it fully, the results of numerous 

 experiments conducted at the college are given. 

 Unsprayed potatoes gave a gross gain of $20.50 

 per acre; those sprayed with lime water every 

 four days, from July 22, netted $26.25; those 

 sprayed with Bordeaux mixture (4 lbs. copper 

 sulphate, 4 lbs. lime, 50 gals, water) netted 

 $34.40; those sprayed with Bordeaux mixture 

 every 15 days netted $36.75; those sprayed 

 with Bordeaux mixture every 10 days netted 

 $40.25; and those sprayed with Bordeaux mix- 

 ture every four days netted J40.75. The cost 

 per acre per application was found to be about 

 72 cts., but it would be much less on large field 

 operations. It is claimed that two acres or more 

 could be sprayed thoroughly at a total outlay 

 of 55 cts. per acre. 



ONTARIO VEGETABLE GROWERS 



The first annual report of the Ont. Vegetable 

 Growers' Assn. contains the history of the forma- 

 tion of the assn. and an account of the valuable 

 work done during the short time since its 

 organization. The report of the first annual 

 convention includes the following addresses: 

 Truck Farming in Delaware, by A. N. Brown; 

 Growing Vegetables at Guelph, by H. S. Peart, 

 B.S.A. ; Fertilizers for the Vegetable Grower, 

 by Prof. R. Harcourt; Growing Vegetables 

 under Glass, by J. L. Hilborn; Experiments in 

 Potato Growing, by Prof. C. A. Zavitz; Injuri- 

 ous Insects and Fungii of the Garden Crops and 

 How to Combat Them, by T. D. Jarvis, B.S.A. ; 

 The Growing and Marketing of Cauliflower, by 

 A. McMeans; and Experiments in Vegetable 

 Growing at the Central Expt. Farm, by W. T. 

 Macoun. Many interesting discussions, also, are 

 included. 



The OvitlooK in the "West 



J. J. Philp, Winnipeg, Man. 



To one standing on the high ground in the 

 centre of the continent and looking toward 

 the east and the west, and then withdraw- 

 ing his gaze for a look at his more immed- 

 iate surroundings, those surroundings being 

 the city of Winnipeg, there must come 

 a feeling of intense satisfaction at the prospect 

 for this season's business. And to no line of 

 business activity is the prospect more encour- 

 aging than to the fruit interests of Ontario 

 fruit growers. 



Meeting at the Dominion Fruit Conference 

 in Ottawa, as we did, the principal men from 

 the several provinces, one could not help but 

 admire the unlimited optimism and the ex- 

 hilarating breeziness of the B.C. contingent. 

 Granting, however, all they claim that they 

 can grow fruit without spot or blemish, there 

 is this to be remembered that the western 

 provinces are becoming populated with such 

 rapidity that it will take the B.C. growers all 

 their time to attend to the wants of those nearer 

 home than is Man. 



As a result of the labors of the convention 

 and the improved legislation in connection 

 with the Fruit Marks Act. This act in the 

 future, will take higher ground than it has ever 

 done in the past. One may search in vain 

 during the course of an extended trip, as I did, 



