BULLETIN No. 198. 



ORCHARD SPRAYING EXPERIMENTS. 



W. W. BONNS. 



Introduction. 



In 1909 the Maine Agricultural Experiment Station came 

 into possession of Highmoor Earm at Monmouth, Maine, the 

 purchase of which had been authorized by the State legislature 

 for experimental work in orcharding and other crops. 



Such work was inaugurated in the spring of 1910.- Several 

 experiments aiming at the solution of orchard problems were 

 begun at this time. It is the purpose of this bulletin to record 

 only the work and results so far obtained in the plots devoted 

 to spraying experiments with fungicides and insecticides. 



It is not the purpose of the Station to plead for the estab- 

 lishment and furtherance of spraying as a common orchard 

 practice in Maine. This must be emphasized by the State 

 agents for agricultural education and extension. Spraying has 

 long ago proved to be a profitable operation when intelligently 

 and thoroughl}^ conducted.* It remains for the experimenter 

 in orchard work to concern himself, so far as spraying is con- 

 cerned, solely with experiments that attack the problems aris- 

 ing from and proceeding with the extension of the practice. 



Nevertheless the data resulting from a continued series of 

 experiments along this line not only throw light upon the ques- 

 tions asked therein, but incidently furnish to the observant 

 orchardist comparative figures whereby he may determine for 

 himself whether the spraying of apple orchards is a profitable 

 operation. 



* For a concise account of an experiment dealing willi tliis question 

 see Farmers' Bulletin 479, U. S. D. A., pp. 8-10. 



