Biennial Report - Oregon. Board of Horticulture (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1902 Excerpt: ...Slingerland holds that subsequent sprayings after the first two are useless. His idea is that the calyx of the apple being cup shaped will hold sufficient poison to kill the young larvae, but that we cannot coat the sides of the apple with a sufficient amount to be effective. I cannot concur in this conclusion. The calyx of many varieties of apples never closes and I believe it is well to renew the poison that may have been dissipated at the eye of the apple. Again the moth lays many eggs on the upper surface of the leaves and may we not coat these leaves and even the fruit Itself with such an amount of poison-bearing lime as to afford a very uncomfortable diet for the newly-born larvae. An opinion has obtained among many growers that the lime itself if not an insecticide is at least a deterrent and for that reason we use from six to eight pounds freshly slaked to fifty gallons of spray. Late sprayings are important from the fact that the moth is never so much in evidence as between the I5th day of August and the I5th day of September. Third, the spraying must be done thoroughly to secure best results. From my point of observation, on the top of the spray-tank, I find that there is a tendency to slight the center and the highest branches of the trees by the men who guide the nozzles. Again story-telling on the part of the sprayers does not work well in my orchard; their entire attention must be centered on their work, and thoroughness ceases when talking begins. I repeat that the cardinal principles of successful spraying are materials of full strength, carefully compounded and applied at the right time, in a thorough manner. I do not hesitate to say that failures or partial failures are usually on account of non-compliance with these indispensable conditio...