20 



harrow after you sow your vetches. They grow fast and form 



a nice bed for the apples to fall on later. 



. Question. What do you pay for basic slag? 



Mr. WooDWORTH. I have to pay $13 for basic slag through 

 the companies, and I think it is 12^ per cent of phosphoric 

 and about 40 per cent of free lime. It has quite a high 

 percentage. You know they put the limestone into the furnaces 

 at the steel works and the dross comes out, and the finer it is 

 ground the better for us. This works splendidly on the low 

 lands on account of the phosphoric acid it contains. 



Question. Are you troubled with the aphis? 



Mr. WooDW^ORTH. Yes, we used to be. You must keep in 

 touch with the professors so as to know when the aphis is 

 coming. 



Question. How can you tell whether you are going to have 

 it or not? 



Mr. Woodworth. You can see these little aphides very 

 early in the spring. Quite a lot, I believe, depends upon the 

 season. But we examine our trees with a glass just as soon as 

 the very first leaves commence to show, that is, when the 

 little aphides hatch, — and we get intelligence, too, from all 

 over the valley, — from the fruit companies, — and the spray- 

 ing is all done about the same time of the year. The indi- 

 cations for aphis are reported at the central office, and we have 

 a co-operative newspaper which spreads the news all through 

 the valley, w^hich is a great aid to us. 



Question. Do you have the tent caterpillar? 



INIr. Woodworth. Yes, a few. But, as I say, the black 

 spot is what we are fighting, and I expect it is the damp 

 weather conditions that cause it down there. 



Question. Do you use any Bordeaux in fighting the black 

 spot? 



Mr. Woodworth. We used to rely on Bordeaux. I used 

 to go around the country with lime and blue vitriol and mix 

 Bordeaux, and show the farmers how to apply it; but since 

 lime and sulphur came in I have used Bordeaux only one or 

 two years. Lime-sulphur has taken its place. The only 

 objection I have to Bordeaux is that it russets the apples. I 

 can't grow apples unrusseted by the use of Bordeaux, and I 

 can grow clean fruit with lime-sulphur. 



