138 
PEAR LEAF-BLIGHT.* 
In the work on this disease an effort was made to throw some light 
upon the following questions: 
I. The relative value, as preventives of the disease, of the Bordeaux 
mixture, the ammoniacal solution, mixture No. 5,f copper carbonate in 
suspension, and copper acetate. 
II. The number of treatments necessary to obtain the best results at 
the least expense. 
III. The relative value of early and late sprayings. 
IV. Cost of each treatment. 
The orchard chosen for the work consisted of Bartlett standards, 
Bartlett dwarfs and Duchess dwarfs, all of which were last year early 
defoliated by the leaf blight. 
Following is a detailed account of the work taken from our held 
notes : 
1. Bordeaux mixture.— One treatment to two adjacent rows of 54 
Bartlett standards .—The treatment was made May 29, after the foliage 
was already partially diseased, numerous patches of the fungus being 
plainly visible on many of the leaves. Forty-four gallons of the mix¬ 
ture were used, costing 92 cents, or 1.7 cents per tree. The labor of 
preparing and applying was 60 cents, or 1.1 cent per tree, considerably 
less than in the experiments on a smaller scale. 
Results .—The difference between the sprayed and unsprayed rows 
was very great, the latter appearing almost entirely bare on Septem¬ 
ber 24, while the former were still in full leaf. Had the appliances at 
hand permitted the topmost branches to be sprayed thoroughly the dif. 
ference would have been still more striking. It may be well to add 
here that for the entire work we used a Nixon Little Giant machine 
provided with 16 feet of hose and a Vermorel nozzle. Two men were 
required to work this apparatus, one to do the pumping and move the 
machine from tree to tree, the other to handle the nozzle. The machine 
did its work quickly and efficiently as is shown by the very small cost 
of the treatment. 
The apparatus as it was used cost somewhere in the neighborhood 
of $40. We are satisfied, however, that a machine fully as efficient could 
be constructed by any intelligent person for less than half the above 
sum. Such a machine, made by us the past season and used in treating 
nursery stock, consists of a small force pump fastened to a barrel, the 
latter in turn being seated upon a sled which is drawn by a horse or 
mule. The machine, provided with 14 feet of hose and a Vermorel 
nozzle, can be made for about $18. This apparatus requires a horse, 
a man, and a boy to work it, and while it is an easy matter to spray as 
* Entomosporium maculatum, L6v\ For an account of the life history of this fungus 
see Annual Report of the Commissioner of Agriculture, 1888, p. 357. 
t Composed of equal parts of ammoniated copper sulphate and sodium carbonate. 
