The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1907-12-05
THE RUNDOWN ORCHARD
Methods to Be Pursued In Bringing 1t
Into Good Shape.


. A fruit grower residing near Fern
dale, Whatcom county, Washington
recently informed the Washington
State Experiment station staff tina
his orchard was badly run down, ant
that he desired information which
> would enable him to work systemati
cally and persistently until he had the
orchard in good shape. Considerable
! attention was given to this inquiry,
Professor A. l.. Melander, entomolo.
gist, taking care Of the problems of in
sect pests, and Professor w. s. Thorn
Der, horticultural, advising relative
to the treatment OF the trees. Profess
sor Melander's reply follows:
''To get rid Of the moss and lichens
on your trees, wash the tree trunks
with lye in solution, one pound to ten
gallons OF water. TO kill the red spi-
ders, apply the sulphur-lime wash
when the leaves are off the tree. This
will kill the winter eggs. II the mite
appear in the summer, use kerosene
emulsion, and in this case it will be
better to add one ounce OF sulphur to
each gallon Of spray. For the codling
moth, spray with arsenate of lead, or
/ Paris green while the blossoms are fall
ing. Give second spraying ten to
forty days later, according to the
weather, and spray again four weeks
after the first worms appear under the
bands. Give the fourth spraying four
weeks later. Get after the following
pests with the sulphur-lime wash:
Oyster shell lark louise; peach worm or
twiG borer; green or black aphis; Bills
ter mite; leaf curl; peach mildew.
Find out exactly what each pest is that
you discover, and treat accordingly.
I'm preparing the kerosene emul- !
sion, use two gallons of kerosene;
whale oil soap Cor one quart of soft
soap, one half pound; water, one gall
Ion. Dissolve the soap in water, but
boiling, and add the suds boiling hot 10
the kerosene, away from the fire. The
mixture Is then to be agitated violent
ly, peferably by pumping it back on
Itself with force pump. After four
or five minutes the mixture suddenly
becomes creamy in consistence. If well
made, the cream will stand for a long
time without free oil rising to the sur ,
face. Unless otherwise stated, use one ,
gallon of the emulsion to twelve gal :
Ions of water, in spraying :
"ln preparing the aTsenate of lead !
spray, use one pound of arsenate of lead G
to forty gallons Of water. 1t is unne- r
cessary to use this stronger, and it is q
more reliable than Paris green. 1t is g
useful where there is much
rain, for it sticks we'll and does not q
Bcorch the leaves"
Taking up the problems in horticul- h
ture, Professor Thornber stated: Il
1.-THE removal of all insects and dis Id
eases is of great importance, but do not n
forget that careful tillage of the land +,
hen the removal of parts CT the tops Il
Of the trees, and careful thinning out n,
If the fruit is of just as much import a,
snee. If the orchard has been in sod fe
or years, and the trees are not growing,
he only proper thing to do Will be to
,low up the ground thoroughly and put
he soil in first class tillable condition.
70 do this, l advise you to give the w
and thorough blowing in the fall,
eaying 1t more or less rough to wealth
r during the winter. In the spring, 4.
s soon as the ground has dried out ~
work the soil carefully with VI ~,
ither disk, or spring tooth, any w. ",
Dol, in fact, that will cultivate the ~
round thoroughly. Let the cultiva- W. W.
on be continued throughout the next ta'
40 or three years, till the soil is in 81
n active, virile condition. We
1.-THE pruning of your trees will be p W.
mother important phase. II the trees w w
re large, they will need more or less ~
piping, but do this gradually. Do not ~, ",
move the entire top at once, or you -.
i'll produce crop of water sprouts, T 1is
Id will retard the fruit scions from -, -
10 to five years, So thin out the Nn
nbs, topping back but portions of ale
em, and plan on doing summer as well III
winter pruning. II any large limbs 81 o..
9 to be removed, the cut surfaces 80
ould be painted over with some lead 81
int of almost any color. Do not use a. a.
TX nor coal tar The grating wax on
II peel off during wet seasons, and ga
3 coal tar will injure the cambum, ; ~
young growth, especially in fruit ,as.
es. Pc
Determine what Varieties of fruit a. IS
i have, and their merits. Top-graft M y,
} undesirable varieties in the spring,
l carefully eliminate all varieties T IT,
It are not first class. Western Wash d., ~
ton is well adapted to the growing . n,u
Iruit, and none but the best should - -
grown there. If the trunks of your " oi'i Is,
es are diseased, or decaying badly, y
will not be possible for you to reiu.
- a. - -. ~, p 80 dist
,as ), ' '0' ~ 'AieH near
the
r stau