Spraying Orchards.

Waikato Times, Volume XXX, Issue 2492, 30 June 1888, Page 2 (Supplement)

Spraying Orchards.

An American correspondent wrote: Being fully convinced of the necessity of combatting insects injurious to the applo last spring, such as codlin moths and cunker worms, I proctirred a little plant atomizer with climax nozzle and went to work.- This machinu is nicely mounted upon three wheels; ami the tank holds 40 gallons of water. It may be drawn about by hand, or placed in a waggon-box, an 'l or! oor wo horses used. I used London-purple instead of Paris-greeu on most of the orchards, as it is lighter, and remains in suspension in the water much better than the green, and answets every purpose. I used threefourths of a pound to a tank full of water (-10 gallons) which I found to answer the purpose very well. When the canker worm was very bad I used lib. I used the atomizer in a waggon, as I could do my work much more quickly this way. I and my assistant sprayed 200 very large trees in throe-quarters of a day in this way.

I only applied the poison once ; but the good effect was very noticeable all summer, and especially in the autumn ; for while my crop of apples was not as large as it would have been if I had sprayed them earlier and oftener, the applea wore very flue aud perfect in appearance, nut being stung by insects, causing hard lumps, or wormy and rotten. I took ten premiums at the State fair last autumn ; while my neighbours hud no apples worth mentioning. I attribute my success wholly to the use of the poison .before mentioned ; and I believe that this is a sure way, as far as insects are concerned, to raise a good crop after they have once formed upon the tree. I also chinlc that the time is past when farmers should idly fold their hands and say to the insects, " thy will be done," looking upon them as an evil which must bo borne. Tbe

Department of Agriculture, with its corps of assistants, has ably demonstrated that nearly every insect injurious to crops and fruit may bo successfully combated if we only use the proper moans in the proper time and way. When farmers cense to pay a tax of from 10 to 51) per cent, to insects, they will not have oau-e or need to grumblo so much about their tax to tlic State.

Apple Scab. Whether this disease is curabls or not. is a problem of which the solution is of the greatest consequence to our local orchardists. In this mutter opinions differ. Some maintain that no remedy enn lie found, and nil'that the orohardist can hope is that like epidemics that attack the higher animals, the disuse will in time wen- itself out. Others again contend that there is 110 reason why the fnsicladiums should not lie as amenable to treatment as smut, oldium, and some other fungi,

Among remedies suggested in my report on the fusicladiums was the use of a dilute solution of sulphate of iron as a spray. The two principal experiments with this salt have been the late Sir Robert Ross and Mr Thomas Pugh, of Balhannali. Both these gentlemen were of opinion that it had a decided action in checking the fungus, but as on miseroscopio examination of the spores that had been blackened by the action of iron, they appeared to germinate as readily as the unaltered spores I came to the conclusion (I hope erroneously) that the iron salt was of 110 value as a fungicide in this case.

Sir Robert repeated his experiments in the season 1886-7, and again reported favourably of the action of the iron sulphate, and his con (Mr A Ross) ha? favoured mo with a letter on the same subject, which on account of the valuable information it contains, I give in extenso. Highereoinbe, February 13, 1888.

Dear Mr Crawford, —Just a line to let yon know how the applo trees are faring under your sulphate of iron treatment, as it may interest you. At the beginning' of this fruit season, when the young apples were about the size of small damsons, the leaves, as well as some of the fruit, showed signs of a bad attack of the bhick spot (Fusicladium). Immediately 011 observing this the trees vere treated with a wash of sulphate of iron—two ounces to every three gallons of water. This was done all through the orchard as each variety of apple showed signs of the disease, and later 011—in a month or so — this was repeated with the kinds that were most affected—chiefly the Cleopatra, Mobb's Codlin, Mobb's Royal, Nelson, and Winter Pearmain. The treatment proved thoroughly successful, as by its timely use alone at least two-thirds of our crop was saved. Judging from the results bore the trees should be sprayed while the fruit is 110 larger than a large pigeon's egfr, as if done later the iron sulphate is apt to stain and damage the more mature fruit. If at •mv time I can in any way be of use to you in your re-searches, I shall be most happy to do what I can,—Believe me, sincerely yours, A. E. Ross. Mr Ross, it will be observed, lays areatstrefsnpon early treatment. In this he is undoubtedly right, but I am inclined to carry it farther even than he does, and recommend a general spraying of every tree before the disease makes its appearance, Vignerons know that to prevent oidium vines must be sulphured before the fungus appears, because when once the oidium is developed it has lUtlo or no effect-, and it certainly is wor:-h trying whether the same effect may not follow the early application of the iron salt in the ease of the fusicladium, But I think italso advisable that the orchard should be thoroughly spayod once during the winter, as the trees are then capable of bearing with impunity a much stronger solution of any chemical fungicide than when in leaf. The object of so doing is to destroy the spores of fusicladium that may be lodged in the crevices of the bark or elsewhere. For this purpose I recommend a solution of copper sulphate (blue-stone). enoe can alone teach the proper strength to use, but I suggest half an ounce to '-,he gallon as worthy of trial. In spraying an orchard, it matters little what chemicals are used, unless an effective machine is employed for the purpose. That used at Highercombe and also by Mr Pugh is a triplet cyclone nozzle attached by a long india-rubber tube to a small forco pump. This is the only really effective machine for the purpose, and it is waste of time, money, and material to attempt to spray an orchard with any other. —F. S. CRAWFORD, in Garden and Field.