Page 24 



BETTER FRUIT 



Marcli 



SUPERLATIVE 

 RASPBERRY 



blooms that set the highest percentage 

 of fruit in each cluster. This fact makes 

 it of essential importance that the sprays 

 be applied with these blooms particularly 

 in mind. Spring frosts at the time the 

 central blossom is open and lateral ones 

 are still in the bud, by destroying the 

 -ones which are farthest advanced, some- 

 times reversing the ratio, however. 



The direction of the bloom has much 

 to do with the manner of applying the 

 spray. When the calyces are in ideal 

 condition for spraying about one-third 

 point in the downward direction and 

 about two-thirds upward, and, of course, 

 many of these point outward in all direc- 

 tions. Sprays must, therefore, be applied 

 from every direction in filling the calyx 

 cups. A higher per cent point upward 

 in the center and top of the tree than 

 on the outer limbs; also a higher per 

 cent point upward as the calyces close 

 than when the blooms first open, due to 

 the strengthening of the stems of the 

 growing apples. When the apples attain 

 sufficient weight Iheir stems yield and 

 tliey again reverse the direction of the 

 blossom end and hang downward. 



Spraying when the trees are in full 

 bloom is never to be recommended. It 

 is likely to be destructive to honey bees 

 at that time, and is not when the calyx 

 cups hold the most spray. By the time 

 00% of the petals are of¥ the bees will 

 have largely abandoned tlie trees, and the 

 spraying may be safely begun. How- 

 ever, if arrangements are so that the 

 orchard can be covered in a short time 

 it will be better to postpone the spray- 

 ing even later, until the green sepal tips 

 have begun to draw together, forming 

 tube-like calyx basins, holding a maxi- 

 mum amount of spray. The syraying 

 shrjuld not be delayed so long that any of 

 thr calyces will close licfore treatment, 

 and due allowance must be made for 

 rain> and other hindrances which might 

 make \cry costly delays at this time. 



Although the ideal time for 

 spraying is after the calyces 

 have drawn into deep tubes, at 

 that time it is also even more 

 necessary that a coarse spray 

 at high pressure be directed 

 straight down into them. The 

 following general recommen- 

 dations for times of sprays are 

 given : 



It is to be assumed that a 

 fungicide treatment with the 

 standard bordeaux mixture is 

 to be applied before any arsen- 

 ical sprays are used for cur- 

 culio or codling moth. This 

 spraying would be aimed at 

 apple scab primarily, but could 

 also be used in connection with 

 arsenate of lead should any 

 bud or foliage-eating larvae, 

 such as canker worm, apple 

 tent caterpillar, bud moth, etc., 

 be present. This dormant spray 

 is to be applied after the clus- 

 ter buds have opened, but prior 

 to blooming. Orchards sprayed 

 very late in the spring with 

 dormant lime-sulphur spraj's 

 would probably not require the 

 bordeaux mixture before bloom. 

 Following the dropping of the petals 

 from the bloom and before the closing 

 of the calyx cups, apply the first curculio 

 and codling moth spray. This is the 

 most important of all sprays applied 

 against these pests. It is the spray 

 referred to in the subject next preceding 

 the last. It is applied at a time long- 

 before the first codling moth eggs are 

 laid, but is for the purpose of filling the 

 calyces before they close with a poison 

 bait to be eaten later on by the codling- 

 moth worm as it attempts to enter the 

 blossom end of the apple. Two-thirds of 

 the first generation worms, or more, and 

 many of the second enter at this point. 

 Some adult curculio are probably out of 

 hiding and feeding at this time. If any 

 spray is omitted or slighted it should 

 not be this one, for the success of the 

 season's spraying for codling moth, and 

 to a considerable extent curculio, depends 



upon this application. ll should be of 

 arsenate of lead and applied in a most 

 thorough manner in a coarse spray under 

 a high pressure, driven squarely into the 

 calyx cups. In case the variety sprayed 

 is not very subject to scab, omit bor-- 

 deaux mixture entirely from this appli- 

 cation, since the extra amount of liquid 

 applied, if containing- full strength bor- 

 deaux mixture, would be likely to cause 

 burning of the leaves or russeting of the 

 fruit. If bordeaux mixture is added at 

 all it should be in very dilute strength. 



In ten days or two weeks following 

 the first apply the second treatment of 

 arsenate of lead. This application, for 

 most varieties in average seasons, will 

 be after the calyx cups have closed and 

 considerably in advance of the hatching 

 of the first codling moth worms. In the 

 West, where codling moth is the princi- 

 pal pest, and where curculio is absent, 

 this spraying is generally omitted. In 

 Missouri, where curculio is common, it 

 is a necessary treatment, since it is at 

 this time that the feeding punctures of 

 the plum curculio are first being made 

 in apples, which are then about the size 

 of peas or small marbles. This spray 

 being for the purpose of coating over 

 the surface of the miniature apples, a 

 mist spray, applied under a high pres- 

 sure, is used, and with the less copious 

 application bordeaux mixture may be 

 added at a diluted strength (one-half to 

 one-third regular strength) against scab. 



Use arsenate of lead at the usual 

 strength from ten days to two weeks fol- 

 lowing the second. This spraying will 

 fall about three or four weeks after the 

 petals drop, and will be when apples of 

 standard winter varieties approximate a 

 diameter of three-fourths to one and one- 

 half inches. Curculio food and egg punc- 

 tures are beginning a period of abun- 

 dance at this time, and the first codling 

 nioth eggs are beginning to hatch, and 

 the worms will soon be entering the 

 apples. It will be seen, therefore, that 

 this spraying is a very timely one for 

 both of these insects. Orchardists famil- 

 iar with the appearance of the eggs of 

 codling- moth as they appear at this time 



RASPBERRY FIELD OF G. E. MERRILL IN BLOOM, HOOD RIVER, OREGON 



