Chapter XVII 



PRUNING^ SPRAYING, HARVESTING 



THE day has gone, probably forever, when 

 setting out fruit trees and giving them 

 occasional cultivation, ''plowing up the or- 

 chard" once in several years, would produce fruit. 

 Apples and pears and peaches have occupied no 

 preferred position against the general invasion of 

 the realm of horticulture by insect and fungous ene- 

 mies. The fruits have, indeed, suffered more than 

 most plants. Nevertheless there is this encouraging 

 fact : that, though the fruits may have been severely 

 attacked, the means we now have of fighting fruit- 

 tree enemies, if thoroughly used, as a rule are more 

 certain of accomplishing their purpose, and keeping 

 the enemies completely at bay, than are similar 

 weapons in any other line of horticultural work. 



With fruit trees, as with vegetables and flowers, 

 the most important precaution to be taken against 

 insects and disease is to have them in a healthy, 

 thriving, growing condition. It is a part of Na- 

 ture's law of the survival of the fittest that any 



(2IO) 



