Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1895-04-25
PRESS COMMENTS.
Necessity and Value Of Spraying.

NONCSSAsy Ahu 0ANC VI spray
No commercial orchardist in any part
of the country can hope long to preserve
his trees and fruit free from the ravages
of insects or disease without good care
and cultivation from the start. The term
''good care" is mprehensive, and en-
braces not only proper pruning and fer
tilizing, as well as watering where irrlga-
ton is required, but covers also the fea-
ture of using such means and appliances
as are necessary to destroy or prevent dis
ease and insect depredations. In many if
not most parts of the country, the protec-
ton of orchards against fungus diseases
and other incidents to the presence of in.
sects of various kinds, is among the ne
cessities which must be reckoned with by
him who contem plates planting an orch
ard for business purposes in any part of
the United States, whether in the irrigated
regions or not.
As matter of fact, it is found that the
better conditions which may and general
ly do surround orchards planted on irri.
gated land are conducive to more healthy
and prolific trees than if planted else
where. But even on the best of soil and
supplied with plenty of water and we'll
cultivated, orchards are still liable to at
tacks from legion of insect enemies
which require vigilance to detect and
promptness to suppress on the part OF
the successful orchardist. And it may as
we'll be said here that be who is not vigil
ant and prompt in the detection of enc
mics to his trees and the administration
of remedies is rot and can not be sue
cessful orchardist.
In previous numbers of the Age atten-
tion has been called to this sub ject, and
very full and com plete tables of prescrip-
tions for sick trees have been given. All
fruit growers should study such tables
carefully and keep them close at hand for
ready reference. In general sense, the
most valuable remedies known to orchard
therapeutics are Paris green, the Bordeaux
mixture, and the lime, sulphur and salt
compound. Nearly all the ills that orchard
trees are subject to yield to great ex-
tent at least to treatment by one or other
of these remedies. They hold practically
about the same valuable relations to dis
eases of fruit trees that quinine, NOR.
phlne and iron hold to the diseases and
distempers of men. The fact, too, that
the scientific application of these poison
GUS chemicals to growing crops is neces
sity to their proper growth and maturity
calls for men of more than ordinary
judgment and culture for their proper
application. Hence the commercial or
chardist who makes a success of his call
! ing is almost always found to be per
son of superior intelligence and SOUND
judgment.
And herein rests one of the most valu
able and attractive features of fruit cul
ture, especially in the irrigated regions
The business as there successfully carried
on attracts to its ranks the best talen'
and energy of the district, and they who
stand highest in fruit culture in any
nelghborhood are almost sure to tower
above their fellows in social education
and business standing also. Perhaps il
is, therefore, that insect pests and othel
woes that aflict the fruit grower are moi
unmixed evils. If the business did not
req uire the constant attention, the unre
mitting vigilance and activity which arr
the price of fruit crop, it is quite IN
likely that so many superior men woult
be found in that line of business to-day
To disease and insect, to drouth and food
to fungus growth and foot-root, as vel
AZ to numerous other ills that afiiict boil
tree and fruit, we no doubt owe to grea
extent the splendid list Of fruits to b
seen somewhere in the market nearly
every dav in the year. These fruits hav'
bsen produced by men who have Tough
their way to success through all the diff
culties that have beset them.-Irrigatior
Age.