CONFERENCE ON SPRAYING OF FRUIT TREES. 317 



occurs to my mind that Mr. Massee looks upon fighting fungus as sport ; 

 otherwise I imagine that if we do away with fungus there will be no 

 disease. The meeting is now open for the discussion of the papers 

 brought before it. 



Dr. Gathergood (Wisbech) : I think we have to thank Mr. Massee 

 and Mr. Getting for the papers we have heard to-day. I have come 

 about 140 or 150 miles this morning, and I must say that I feel 

 a little despondent — not as regards the papers we have heard read, but 

 as regards the information we are seeking. During the last ten years I 

 have spent, I think, hundreds of pounds, perhaps thousands of pounds, on 

 spraying. Hitherto the result has been but little ; but I think that if 

 we could get some consensus of opinion amongst the growers themselves, 

 giving us the results of any benefits they may have received from in- 

 dividual appliances or dressings, it would be a great help to the fruit 

 industry. First, as regards the fungi, we all know the damage we suffer 

 from them, and the damage is very serious, and, as Mr. Massee has already 

 said, it is increasing very rapidly. And I am sure that his recommenda- 

 tions for winter work ought to be fully carried out — I mean as regards the 

 pruning out of dead branches. But the far greater damage that we are 

 suffering from to-day in the Wisbech district is from insects, especially 

 from the aphides, the apple sucker, the caterpillar, and the apple blossom 

 weevil. The last has worked very great havoc with us in the Wisbech 

 district. I will now give you the result which I have had from spray- 

 ing ; and I do not think you will have much trouble from the apple sucker 

 if you adopt the method which I have found very successful. I have 

 cleared nearly 100 acres of orchard from apple sucker during the last 

 year ; previously to that it had been very badly infected for years ; and 

 the method I adopted was to use the winter spray of ordinary caustic 

 wash with a considerable proportion of petroleum and soft soap. With 

 the first dressing I cleared perhaps 50 to 70 per cent, of the apple 

 sucker in the first year. Last year I finished the apple sucker off ; and I 

 cannot find a trace of it to-day in my orchards. I take it that if any 

 grower could give us any experience similar to that it would be a great 

 benefit to us as a body of fruit growers. It seems to me very evident 

 that if we cannot stop the ravages of these insects we must stop all our 

 orchards and give over fruit growing. Still I hope remedies may be 

 found which will prevent that calamity. 



Question : May I ask the Doctor what percentage of caustic soda 

 was used ? 



Dr. Gathergood : I used 3 lb. of caustic soda, 3 lb. of caustic potash, 

 and about a gallon of petroleum to 30 gallons of water. 

 Question : But what grade of caustic soda ? 

 Dr. Gathergood : 98 per cent. 



Question : Do you think that using caustic soda and potash without 

 petroleum makes any difference — I mean, would you have any results with 

 only caustic soda and potash ? 



Dr. Gathergood : No, I think not. 



Mr. Salmon (Wye) : Various points have cropped up on which I 

 should like to offer a few remarks. Mr. Massee showed us photographs of 

 a badly sprayed leaf and a well-sprayed leaf. I think that much of the 



