666 



Spraying Mixtures. 



[FEB., 



spraying with lime and sulphur boiled together, without any 

 soda. But the spraying was done in April, which was probably 

 too late in the season. Coating the buds over thickly with lime 

 and sulphur just before the time of expansion may be easily 

 imagined to be possibly injurious ; and it is stated that the buds 

 were " well swollen " when the operation was performed. In the 

 four orchards where no appreciable damage was done the spray- 

 ing was probably much slighter. 



In full confidence that this mixture will not harm entirely 

 dormant leaf or blossom buds, it has been used this season on 

 apples as well as gooseberries instead of the usual winter wash 

 of caustic potash and soda, over which it appears to have some 

 advantage, particularly as a partial preventive to scab. So far 

 as personal experience indicates, the caustic potash and soda, 

 used year after year as a spraying mixture in February, have 

 no effect whatever as a preventive of scab, apple-sucker, or 

 aphis, valuable though they are for cleansing the trunks and 

 branches of the trees of moss, lichen, and American blight, and 

 possibly for destroying hibernating insects and eggs. The 

 attacks of the apple-sucker, the aphis, and scab could hardly 

 have been worse than they have been where this spray has 

 been used, while infestation by caterpillars has been slight, the 

 Codlin moth larva being " conspicuous by its absence." It does 

 not follow that the caustic spraying has been the cause of this 

 immunity. In the New York State experiments the lime, 

 sulphur, and caustic soda mixture was of no effect as a pre- 

 ventive to the Codlin moth. For that purpose it was followed 

 by two sprayings with Bordeaux arsenical mixtures. 



It is obvious that' the spraying of fruit trees and bushes is at 

 present in a crudely empirical stage, and that a great number 

 of experiments more varied and precise than those which have 

 been carried out hitherto require to be conducted before the 

 practice will be placed upon a satisfactory basis. There is much 

 to be learned as to the best insecticides and fungicides, the most 

 effective strength of each compatible with safety in application 

 to different fruits, the suitability of various materials for mixing, 

 and the most appropriate seasons for operations desirable for 

 various purposes. 



William E. Bear. 



