124 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



and the proper cultivation, we may expect a reasonably healthy 

 crop. Neglect these factors and we know that we may expect an 

 unhealthy crop. We know that soil, plant food, culture and 

 weather conditions all have their influence on the health of ])lants. 



We have come to learn, however, that we cannot control many 

 specific diseases by cultural methods. We must resort to spraying 

 and seed or soil treatment of various kinds. We know that we can 

 control apple scab, bitter rot of apples, black rot of grape, and 

 many other similar diseases, with Bordeaux Mixture. We have 

 come to realize that spraying of certain crops is a necessity to suc- 

 cessful culture. The successful apple grower sprays as faithfully 

 as he prunes. The successful potato grower, in sections where 

 late blight of potatoes is prevalent, sprays as regularly as he culti- 

 vates, and is always assured of a crop. The farmer who wishes a 

 crop of oats free from smut knows that he may obtain such a crop 

 by proper treatment of seed before planting. The market gardener 

 who grows cabbage with the best success knows that he must treat 

 his cabbage seed with formalin or corrosive sublimate as a pre- 

 caution against the introduction of the bacterial rot. 



There are a host of diseases which might be mentioned for which 

 some specific treatment is in common practice. 



Why then is it necessary for us to have resistant varieties ? 

 Spraying is a nuisance at best, and any man who has had any 

 actual spraying to do would gladly eliminate this not inconsiderable 

 item of labor and expense. The second reason is that, while 

 spraying may be profitable for the large grower, particularly the 

 man who makes a specialty of some one crop, it frecjuently is not 

 profitable for the small grower. The man who grows a few apple 

 trees, a few acres of potatoes, tomatoes, cucumbers and other 

 vegetables in proportion, frequently has to give up the cultivation 

 of any crop that is repeatedly attacked by a serious disease. Spray- 

 ing frequently is not profitable for men who carry on diversifietl 

 farming. I do not wish to be misunderstood in this connection. 

 When the mere item of added expense of materials and labor 

 necessary to do the spraying alone is considered, we will find that 

 spraying is profitable in most cases even for the small grower. 



The labor question, however, adds another factor. When it is 

 possible for the small grower or the man who carries on diversifieil 



