CHAPTER XII. 

 SPRAYING FOR INSECTS AND FUNGI. 



155. Evolution of Spraying. In the sense in which the 

 word spraying is now used we may say that it is an opera- 

 tion of our day. In commercial fruit-growing centres of 

 California, and indeed of all parts of the Union, spraying 

 for the destruction of insects and lessening injury of plant, 

 tissue by fungi has become almost as necessary as tillage- 

 pruning, and other leading essentials of fruit management. 

 In Europe, France took the lead in this important work. 

 But it was not until the appearance of the downy mildew 

 upon the grape in 1878 that any real advance was made 

 in the way of methodic spraying. Indeed, it was not 

 started until 1882, when Paul Oliver used the solution of 

 water, sulphuric acid, sulphate of iron, and sulphate of 

 copper for fungous diseases of the pear. 



In 1882 the writer on a visit to France found spraying 

 with sulphate of copper on the grounds of Sir Henry 

 Vilmorin, south of Paris, and in 1883 Millardet wrote: 

 " Recent observation makes me hope that perhaps the 

 most satisfactory results may be obtained by the use of 

 certain mineral solutions, such, for example, as the sulphate 

 of iron or of copper." But it is singular that the practical 

 use of the discovery was not made until spraying with 

 milk, lime, and sulphate of copper was given along road- 

 ways and in exposed places to prevent the stealing of the 



141 



