The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1900-04-24
Horticulture.
CAUSES OF FAILURE IN SPRAY
ING

EDITORS PROGRESSIVE FARMER =
A belief exists in the minds of
some fruit growers that econ
mended methods for the destruction
of the codling moth are worthless !;
that spraying with arsenic com
pounds has proven of no avail. Dis
regarding the opposition OF some
whose ill-chOsen statements furnish
their WI REPUTATION, we must still
admit that trials of spraying by
fruit growers have too often resulted
in apparent failure, and in cOnse-
uuence have m~easurably destroyed
confidence in these methods. These
reported failures may have come
from one of several cduses: First,
an exaggerated idea of the results to
be obtained by spraying has led to
authorizations of a degree of success
not warranted by the experience OF
the most successful eXperimenters.
Second, proper spraying demands
such close adherence to several in
dispensable points of practice that
even careful men may fail through
oversight of these particulars or,
finally, the adverse report IS made
without a Just estimate Of the result
of the experiment for it will be
granted that a true Judgment of the
degree of success can only be had by
the comparison of trees treated with
trees untreated in the same surround
ings, and this comparison lacking,
the estimate of success or failure is
altogether a matter of opinion, and
not to be admitted as evidence.
As to the first no one qualified to
advise in the matter will claim that
a single seasons trial of spraying
againstethe codling moth can alone
bring perfect success, especially
where the ~neighbOring fruit-grOwers
do not follow the same methods, and
where these have not been practiced
for several years together, or long
enough for the cumulative effects to
become apparent. 1t must also be
remembered that it is only the worms
of the first brood that are killed by
the spraying, however effCctUally
done. while from the individuals
escaping this attack come the moths
that are the parents of the worms
that spoil the apples at maturity.
Moreover. spraying alone, though
successful within its own limits, can
not ensure the fullest product IF per
feet apples without the concurrent
practice Of other methods looking to
the final reduction Of tie numbers of
the pest. The most important OF
these associated methods is the band
ing Of the trees and the destruction
of the attracted worms every ten
from the fall of the first wOrmy
till the fruit is al III the bin.
The second i the Immediate deStruc-
ton of all fallen wOrmy fruit, and
the third Is the destruction of as
many as possible of the worms win
tering over under bark-scaleS. in old
birds nests, in cracks in apple-bins
or barrels, or elsewhere in the fruit .
room. These associated practices
are not to be expected TO show their
full results in the season III which
the work is done, though the imme-
value of the first is considerable
as Il means of reducing the number
Of worms of the second or later
brOodS Of the same season.
1t is also possible that some of the
reported failures I r~eferable to the
use of ~adulterated or lOw-grade
In several States the expert
stations find greatly inferior
samples Of Paris green on the mar
ket and while tests made at the Kan
Sas Experiment Station a few years
ago showed d fairly uniform high
grade in samples analysed, it is quite
possible that those at present in our
market may be found defective, as
has been reported from neighbOring
1t is the purpose of the Kansas
Station to repeat this year its former
careful tests in spraying, if the apple
crop gives opportunity, and we hope
to be able to correct by fresh evil
lence the idea hastily expressed in
some quarters, that spraying against
the cOdling moth is time and money
wasted.