Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-06-20
DIE FROM PURE NEGLECT
Professor Written Tells Plain
Truths AboutFruit Treesand
Waste Of Orchards
BY PROFESSOR j. G. WRITTEN,
MISSOURI COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE.

MISSOURI COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE.
Fruit trees must not only grow in
summer, but must live over winter and
endure the inclement season. They
should be kept in the best condition in
order to successfully do this.
The man who begins seriously to
study his trees will soon begin to real
ize more fully that they are living,
shapable things and that they easily
show him by their appearance whether
they are profiting or being injured by
anything which is being done to them.
Right now is a good time to begin
that study. One should be able to tell
the age of the tree or of any of its
branches. He should determine how
much Of it has been produced each
year.
BY beginning at the outer tip of a
limb he can determine how much of 1t
grew last summer. or in any previous
season by the rings or circular scars
around the twig which mark the spot
where growth began in the spring.
Reflect that growth began in spring
from terminal bud. AS growth began
from the center of this bud it's winter
scales fell off, leaving semi-circular
bud scale scars quite close together
around the twig.
These are the rings that mark the
dividing line between each years
growth. The amount of length growth
of each year may be associated with
what was done to the tree or by the
character Of the season which influ-
enced that growth.
A knowledge of the fruit buds and
the wood buds is important.
The former are those large, we'll
rounded buds which in spring will
produce blossoms and fruit. The lat
ter are the smaller, flatter and more
pointed buds which produce wood
growth and leaves. Fruit buds which
will produce flowers and fruit this
spring were formed the previous sum-
mer.
BY their character and abundance
one may in winter judge the prospect
Of the fruit crop the coming season.
From the blossom scars and fruit
scars left on the branches one may be
able to tell on what years the trees
have borne fruit in the past.
II the trees have blossomed and fruit
failed to set only the small blossom
scars will be visible as a cluster of
little pits where the flowers fell from
the twig. If fruit set the larger fruit
scar will indicate the fact.
The character of this fruit scar will
indicate in general way whether the
fruit was well developed or whether it
fell prematurely.
In fact the characters on the twigs
tell pretty accurately what the trees
have been doing in past years. From
them the skillful grower may read the
life history Of the tree.
The best growers are now coming to
recognize the fact that spraying has
become a necessary factor to success.
Spraying should be looked upon as
something more than merely means
Of saving or better perfecting the i'm
mediate crop of fruit.
1t promotes the general health and
vigor of the trees and may determine
the character Of a subsequent crop and
also promote the longevity of the or
chard.
Fungous diseases and insects not
only injure the fruit crop, but they
may seriously injure the trees by de-
stroying the leaves or by causing them
to drop too early in the autumn.
Most of the most serious diseases
and insects may be controlled by
spraying. Bordeaux mixture should be
applied for the fungous diseases anG
to this paris green or some other
arsenical poison should be added fol
insects.
The spraying should be done at the
right time. For apple scab the first
spraying should be made shortly before
the flowers open, just after they fal
and twice subsequently at intervals
of ten days or two weeks.
The poison may be put in the frs
two sprayings after the blossomins
period to kill codling moth and cankel
worm.
For bitter rot two later spraying!
should be made shortly before the timt
when the rot usually appears in tn,
nefghbortood.
The spraying should be done thor
oughly. All parts of the tree SHOULD
be well covered with fine spray.
The power sprayers are more eff
cient, as the work can be dones IA
more rapidly and the spray can b.
broken up into a fine mist and gotte,
effectually to all parts of the tree Fo
I all large orchards power sprayers ar
to be recommended.
In addition to spraying proper prun
ing and general good care are essen
tial. The man who sprays is likely t.
pruae, as 1T enables him to spray NOR
81 efficiently and with less labor and les
waste of time.
All diseased or injured fruit SHOULD
be kept out of the orchard A few
infected apples left on the trees o
Under them may infect the orchard tn
next year.
Those who are beginning sprayin
should send to their state experiment
stations for free bulletins giving de
tailed directions for mixing and ap
plying the sprays.
HOLD ON THERE, MY BOY!