HOUSE AND GARDEN 
260 
April, 1911 
For large orchards, the spray must, of course, be applied with 
powerful and expensive machinery. For the small fruit garden 
a much simpler and very moderate-priced apparatus may be ac¬ 
quired. The most practical of these is the brass-tank compressed- 
air sprayer, with extension rod and mist-spray nozzle. Or, one 
of the knapsack sprayers may be used. Either of these will be 
of great assistance not only with the fruit trees but everywhere 
in the garden. With care, they will last a good many years. 
Whatever type you get, be sure to get a brass machine, as cheaper 
ones made of other metal quickly corrode from contact with the 
strong poisons used. 
The insects most commonly attacking the apple are the codlin 
moth, tent-caterpillar, cankerworm and borer. The codlin moth 
lays its eggs about the time of the falling of the blossoms, and the 
larvae when hatched eat into the young fruit and cause the ordi¬ 
nary wormy applies and pears. Owing to these facts, it is too late 
to reach the trouble by spraying after the calyx closes on the 
growing fruit. Keep close watch and spray immediately upon the 
fall of the blossoms, and repeat the spraying a week or so (not 
more than two) later. For spray, use Paris green at the rate of 
one pound, or arsenate of lead (paste or powder — less of the lat¬ 
ter; see accompanying directions) at the rate of four pounds to 
one hundred gallons of water, being careful to have a thorough 
mixture. During July, tie strips of burlap or old bags around 
the trunks and every week or so destroy all caterpillars caught in 
these traps. 
The tent-caterpillar may be destroyed while in the egg state, as 
these are plainly visible around the smaller twigs in circular, 
brownish masses. Upon hatching, also, the nests are obtrusively 
visible and may be wiped out with a swab of old bag or burned 
with a kerosene torch. Be sure to apply this treatment before the 
caterpillar begins to leave the nest. The treatment recommended 
for codlin moth is also effective for the tent-caterpillar. 
The cankerworm is another leaf-feeding enemy and can be 
taken care of by the Paris green or arsenate spray. 
The railroad-worm, a small white maggot which eats a small 
path in all directions through the ripening fruit, cannot be reached 
by spraying, as he starts life inside the fruit; but where good 
clean tillage is practised, and no fallen fruit is left to lie and decay 
under the trees, he is not apt to give much trouble. 
The borer's presence is indicated by the dead, withered appear¬ 
ance of the bark, beneath which he is at work, and also by small 
amounts of saw¬ 
dust where he 
entered. D i g 
him out with a 
sharp poc k e t - 
knife or kill him 
inside with a 
piece of wire. 
The most 
troublesome dis¬ 
ease of the ap¬ 
ple, especially in 
wet seasons, is 
the apple scab, 
which disfigures 
the fruit, both 
in size and in 
appearance, as it 
causes blotches 
and distortions. 
Spray with Bor¬ 
deaux mixture, 
5 - 5-50 or 3-3-50 
(see formulae 
below) t hree 
times just before 
the bio ssoms 
open; just as 
they fall; and 
ten days to two 
weeks after they 
fall. The second 
spraying is con¬ 
sidered the most 
important. 
The San Jose 
scale is, of 
course, really an 
insect, though in appearance it seems a disease. It is much more 
injurious than the untrained fruit-grower would suppose, because 
indirectly so. It is very tiny, being round in outline, with a 
raised center, and only the size of a small pin head. Where it has 
once obtained a good hold, it multiplies very rapidly, makes a scaly 
formation or crust on the branches, and causes small red-edged 
spots on the fruit. For trees once infested, spray thoroughly, both 
in the fall, after the leaves drop, and again in the spring, before 
growth begins. Use lime-sulphur wash, or miscible oil, one part 
to ten of water, thoroughly mixed. 
Sour cherries are more easily grown than the sweet varieties, 
and are less subject to the attacks of fruit enemies. Sweet cher¬ 
ries are troubled by the curculio, or fruit worm, which attacks 
also peaches and plums. Cherries and plums may be sprayed, 
when most of the blossoms are off. with a strong arsenate of lead 
solution, five to eight pounds to one hundred gallons of water. 
Spray cherry trees when most of the blossoms are off, with arsenate of lead solution, 5 to 8 pounds to 100 gallons of 
water. Sour cherries are more easily grown than the sweet varieties. 
