1914. 
THE RURAL* NEW-YORKER 
131 
PENNSYLVANIA SPRAYING NOTES. 
Like the general weather conditions of 
the past few seasons, the first heavy 
frost occurred quite late last Fall, and 
as a result the apple leaves were late in 
falling from the trees. However, a wind¬ 
storm following a few such frosts finally 
stripped the apple trees of leaves. Then 
in December we had a few weeks of 
generally fair weather, during which 
time our spraying outfit was put in opera¬ 
tion. We succeeded in spraying about 
10 farm orchards, but should have 
sprayed twice this number in the time we 
were at it. A worn-out strainer on the 
end of the suction hose probably caused 
us more trouble than any one thing. As 
it is quite impossible to keep all the dirt 
out of the tank, the strainer should be in 
good shape. Bits of leaves, sticks, etc., 
will cause no end of trouble by clogging 
up the nozzles. Frequently a bit of dirt 
will get as far as the shutoff between 
hose and rod, and stop operations com¬ 
pletely until the connection is taken 
apart and cleaned out. Keep an extra 
strainer on hand, as the fine brass wire 
soon rusts through when spraying with 
lime-sulphur. 
Then several mornings when we were 
out spraying it was too cold to begin 
work for a few hours. One evening we 
failed to drain out the pump thoroughly 
and it took us several hours to thaw out 
things next morning. When there is 
danger of freezing the plugs should all 
be removed from the pump and then the 
engine wheel given several turns to get 
all the liquid out of the valves, air-cham¬ 
ber and pipes. The hose and extension 
rods should be taken apart and thorough¬ 
ly drained. Then if you wish to thaw 
things out next morning, first put shut¬ 
offs, nozzles, etc., in hot water, and it 
may also be necessary to heat up the 
hose and rods. Then put the plugs in 
pump and place suction hose in a bucket 
or more hot water, start your engine and 
run this hot water tnrough pump and 
hose, adding the parts till the water 
comes freely through the nozzles. Ice 
in the hose or any of the parts will 
cause no end of trouble till all is blown 
out. 
There seems to be quite a difference of 
opinion among the farmers here as to 
which end of the dormant season is the 
better time to spray for San Jose scale. 
Some insist on having their spraying done 
in Fall, while others are just as certain 
that Spring spraying is more effective. 
As far as my practical experience has 
gone and comparing this with the scien¬ 
tific investigations of others, I am not 
able to perceive any difference, and I 
have advised the farmers accordingly. 
The important points are that the trees 
are thoroughly pruned and the leaves 
well off, the weather reasonably calm and 
not so cold that the liquid will freeze 
before drying on the trees, and that the 
liquid is thoroughly applied and of suffi¬ 
cient strength to kill the scale at any 
time during the dormant season. Advo¬ 
cates of Fall spraying fear that if the 
scale on their trees is not destroyed be¬ 
fore .Spring the insects will continue to 
feed on the sap during the Winter. 
However, it is not believed that the scale 
feed any in Winter at all. The various 
stages of the scale may be illustrated by 
stating that the “chicks,” or those which 
have not reached maturity, freeze as 
Winter approaches, while the “pullets” 
remain dormant on the tree till Spring, 
unless they begin feeding on the sap 
again. Then about June the young scale, 
now fully matured, begin to give birth 
to their young; the old “hens,” or those 
which have been active the previous sea¬ 
son, die of old age sometime during the 
Winter. On the other hand there are 
those who believe that the scale are more 
easily destroyed in Spring when they’ be¬ 
gin to feed again. While this may or 
may not be the case I believe in making 
the liquid strong enough to destroy the 
scale at any and all times during the 
dormant season. My belief is that the 
lime-sulphur solution does its work in a 
few hours after it is applied. The 
principal reason why I advocate begin¬ 
ning to spray in Fall is for the reason 
that suitable days are generally few, and 
sometimes far between at any and all 
seasons, and when such days or parts of 
days occur at any time during Fall or 
Winter they should be taken advantage 
of. This applies especially to the com¬ 
mercial sprayer who has much spraying 
to do, and I may say that the man who 
makes a business of spraying farm or¬ 
chards is becoming more popular with 
the farmers every year if he does good 
work at a reasonable charge. As a rule 
we have a few week’s time in Spring 
after it gets warm enough and before the 
young apple leaves appear to spray 
almost steadily, but sometimes this sea¬ 
son is more or less stormy, and not much 
spraying is accomplished after all. Hence 
the advice to take advantage of favorable 
days earlier in the season, and especially 
in Fall during “Indian Summer” days. 
I have frequently remarked to farmers 
that spraying is only one requisite to¬ 
wards maintaining a profitable farm or¬ 
chard. Pruning, fertilizing, cultivating 
(when needed), etc., are equally if not 
even more important, and if these are neg¬ 
lected the spraying cannot be expected 
to accomplish much good. But when 
these other things are properly attended 
to, then spraying may be said to be 
always beneficial (if properly done) 
while in many places spraying has be¬ 
come an absolute necessity if the farmer 
desires to have any fruit at all. 
Pennsylvania. david rank. 
MASSACHUSETTS FRUIT GROWERS. 
It was an enthusiastic and interested 
body of horticulturists that assembled in 
Springfield, Mass., on the occasion of the 
Fruit Growers’ convention. The direc¬ 
tors held a meeting before the regular 
sessions of the society began, at which 
Worcester was selected as the next place 
of meeting. They recommended that the 
association take membership in the Amer¬ 
ican Pomologieal Society. The McKellar 
bill, now before Congress, was opposed 
in respect particularly to that section 
which forbids anything to remain in cold 
storage more than 90 days, and in so far 
as this had to do with fruits. President 
II. I.. Frost of Arlington said that mem¬ 
bership in the association had doubled 
the past year, and that it was now over 
1,000. lie emphasized the necessity of 
regaining the confidence of the purchas¬ 
ing public by giving them an honest pack 
which, he said, we are not doing at 
the present time. 
Prof. M. A. Blake of New Jersey gave 
a practical talk on the requirements of 
successful peach culture, and named as 
the five best varieties for commercial 
purposes the Elberta, Carman, Belle of 
Georgia, Champion and Ililey, with Iola, 
Iron Mountain and Fox Seedling also in 
favor. The hardiest varieties were 
Greensboro, Waddell, Carman, Lola, 
Alton, Early Wheeler, Ililey, Bell of 
Georgia and others of this type. He said 
that the New Jersey Station gave out 
90,000 buds last year that were free from 
disease, and they will be used to provide 
stock from which to propagate in the 
future. 
Dr. N. B. Gates of Amherst discussed 
bees in relation to horticulture. Bees 
were essential, he said, to the setting of 
the cranberry crop, which was worth 
$1,000,000 to the State every year. In 
Ontario bees were used to get a good 
clover crop, and there are 100 colonies 
as a center every mile apart for this 
purpose. Fruit growers cannot depend 
on the wind to carry the pollen. W. M. 
Burlington of Haydenville spoke on the 
benefits of orchards to bee-keepers. He 
brought out the fact that it is difficult 
to get apple-blossom honey in the super 
boxes, as it all goes into the brood boxes. 
It comes when the Winter supply is run¬ 
ning low and is used to stimulate the 
queen bees to greater activity. E. M. 
Nichols of Lyonsville and Prof. W. W. 
Chennoweth of Amherst also discussed 
different phases of the question as to the 
importance of bees to the fruit growers. 
Secretary F. Howard took for his 
topic the necessity of cooperation between 
farmers and business men. The deer 
problem received due consideration, and 
that animal was found to have few 
friends in the convention. The deer is 
a trespasser and must be treated as such. 
Ingram I. Margeson of Westwood, de¬ 
scribed some of his experiences in fruit 
growing. Dr. E. Porter Felt. State 
entomologist of New Y'ork, gave some 
practical suggestions on spraying for in¬ 
sect pests and Dr. J. P. Stewart of State 
College, Pa., discussed cultural methods, 
cover crops and fertilization. The last 
day of the convention was devoted to 
trades people. The exhibition of horti¬ 
cultural appliances and of fruit attracted 
deserved attention and favorable com¬ 
ment. j. w. D. 
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V 
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