SPRAYING FOR INSECTS AND FUNGI. 155 



apple-growing centres that every dealer and grocer in the 

 Union is compelled to handle scabby Baldwin and most 

 other leading commercial varieties. The fungus is first 

 seen on the leaves in the form of smoky-brown patches. 

 But it soon extends, changing the color and healthy 

 expression of the foliage. The spores live over winter on 

 the fallen leaves and on the branchlets of the trees. Hence 

 it is advisable to plow under or to rake up and burn the 

 leaves. In spraying it is usually advised to use the 

 standard Bordeaux mixture (162) for the first as well as 

 the after treatment. But the best results have come from 

 spraying before the trees start growth with a much 

 stronger mixture. Our practice has been to use six pounds 

 of the sulphate to the milk of four pounds of lime, with 

 water to make a total of fifty gallons. 



After the blossoms have fallen the standard mixture 

 may be used. In dry seasons the two treatments are 

 sufficient with most varieties. But in neighborhoods 

 where the scab is prevalent it is better to spray not less 

 than four times, with intervals between of from ten to 

 fifteen days. 



The spraying for scab will also answer to keep down the 

 bitter rot, powdery mildew, and to some extent the apple 

 rust. 



164. Brown Rot of the Stone Fruits, In the dry air of 

 the prairie States the brown rot or fruit rot of the stone 

 fruits is mainly confined to the foreign plums and the 

 peach. It rarely attacks the native varieties of the plum, 

 and the writer has never observed it on the Morello 

 cherries. But in the moister air of the States east of the 

 lakes it is a prevalent and serious trouble of the plum, 

 prune, apricot, peach, and often the cherry. But for- 

 tunately it can be largely controlled by the methodic use 

 of the Bordeaux mixture. The first spraying is done 



