14 Department Circular S29, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture 



Pennsylvania farmers. Results of the spray work were gathered 

 each year from widely distributed and accurately measured demon- 

 strations, with adequate cheeks, and were made known to other 

 growers in the State. Records of cost as well as yield were kept, 

 and the Pennsylvania farmers have evidence that this practice is 

 profitable. 



ORCHARD SPRAYING 



Home- orchard spraying. — Power equipment purchased for the use 

 of spray rings for spraying potatoes made possible economical spray- 

 ing of the few fruit trees growing around the farm home, which by 

 themselves had not justified the purchase of power equipment. The 

 type of combination sprayer described on page 13 did good service 

 in Pennsylvania during 1923. 



Where the potato crop or other plantings on the farm did not 

 require attention, the spray ring proved profitable in treating the 

 home orchard alone. W. S. Brock, the extension horticulturist of 

 Illinois, reported as follows: k> The problem of spraying the home 

 orchard was handled by stimulating interest in the community 

 power spray ring. In 1922 we reported that 35 such spray rings 

 were in operation; in 1923 there were 4i>.* , 



S.pray service to commercial orchardists. — Orchardists in 14 

 States were assisted by the maintenance of some kind of spray serv- 

 ice. These services were conducted in various ways, depending 

 somewhat on the State extension organization. As a rule, this work 

 involved cooperation between the departments of horticulture, ento- 

 mology, and plant pathology of the State colleges. The plans used 

 in New York, Virginia, and West Virginia are of interest because 

 of the different methods of organization. 



In Xew York the spray service is conducted under the supervision 

 of two leaders, one from the department of plant pathology and one 

 from the department of entomology. In reporting on this service 

 for 1923, M. F. Barrus, extension plant pathologist, wrote as fol- 

 lows : 



Field assistants with good fundamental training' in plant pathology and 

 entomology are stationed in the counties as early in the spring as is necessary 

 and continue therein during the growing period, which is usually six months. 

 They have direct responsibility for the details of conducting the demonstration 

 projects and for attending to such miscellaneous demands for information and 

 assistance on the control of plant diseases and insect pests as their time will 

 permit. 



The Xew York State College of Agriculture cooperates in this project by 

 providing salary at the rate of $50 per month for the field assistant, who is 

 appointed upon the recommendation of the leaders, subject to the approval of 

 the farm bureau executive committee; by supplying him with the laboratory 

 equipment needed for the proper and effective conduct of his work; and by 

 giving him supervision through the leaders of this project or through other 

 specialists whom they may assign to the work. These men. by visits and 

 correspondence, continually aid the field assistant and check up his work. The 

 county farm bureau organization cooperates by providing the field assistant 

 with office room and facilities for office work, including telephone and tele- 

 graph expenses, and by allotting him space in the farm bureau news for news 

 items. The county farm bureau organization also pays a part of the trans- 

 portation of the field assistant to and from the State college at Ithaca not to 

 exceed three times during the season on call for conference, the remainder of 

 this expense being paid by the college: provides him with an automobile for 

 full-time use within the county ; maintains the car and pays all other necessary 

 traveling expenses within the county when he is away from his headquarters; 

 pays an additional salary of §100 or more per month; and gives such other 



