THE JOURNAL 



OF THE 



BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



Vol. XI. No. iu 



FEBRUARY, 1905. [NEW SERIES.] 



SPRAYING FRUIT TREES AND BUSHES. 



Unless the prevalence of the insect and fungoid pests of fruit 

 trees and bushes has greatly increased, it is difficult to imagine how 

 any success could be attained in fruit-growing before spraying 

 came into use. The common impression is that the prevalence 

 of these pests has increased greatly ; but this may possibly mean 

 only that they are now observed more than they were formerly. 

 At any rate it is certain that nowadays it is only by a rare 

 chance that an uninjured crop of tree or bush fruit can be 

 obtained without spraying. This is particularly the case with 

 apples and pears, which appear to be more preyed upon than 

 any other kind of fruit by pests that are seriously injurious. 



Some years ago the plan of grease-banding fruit trees, to catch 

 the females of the winter moth and some other varieties, came 

 extensively into use. The bands require to be renewed from 

 time to time, and unless this is carefully done it will not 

 entirely prevent the females of the winter moth from getting 

 on to the trees, while it is of no considerable use in relation 

 to other pests. It does not, therefore, supersede the necessity 

 of spraying, and as it is a somewhat expensive operation, and 

 one that may be injurious to trees unless great care is taken,, 

 some growers of fruit have come to the conclusion that grease- 

 banding may be discarded, and spraying alone practised. ; 



Perhaps the strawberry needs spraying less than any other fruit,, 

 and yet the crop often suffers seriously from the strawberry-leaf 

 spot {Sphcerella fragarice), for which Bordeaux mixture is a 

 preventive, if used as soon as the leaves open, and again at 

 intervals ' f he ground beetles which prey upon the fruit of 



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