The ranch. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1902-1914, 1912-01-01

and Northern l0anO Cne raVdBeS Oh
the cooling moth we're so light that
there would not be over five per cent
of wormy fruit if no effort we're made
to check it's work. / once heard
Prof. Woodworth of California say
that there are some parts of that
great state where the cooling moth
did practically no damage at all on
account of cold wind blowing in from
the ocean by night. AS | have several
times stated there are places in the
Puget Sound country where on &C
count of the cool nights there is
scarcely enough damage done by the
codling moth to pay for spraying
But in the warm valleys of the inter
mountain states this insect does SO
much damage that without fighting it
we could not pay expenses at apple
growing. Now it ought to appear
evident to any one that the man who
lives in one of these favored localities
and has succeeded in controlling this
pest is not competent to give advice
to those who live where it appears in
i It's most destructive form. This fact
will to some extent account for the
conflicting reports with respect to the
success or failure of controlling this
pest. Perhaps | might add this state
ment before leaving this phase of this
subject, namely, where the codling
moth is the worst is where we can
raise the highest grade of extra fancy
apples.
Recently l made a statement in
these columns that with us spraying
alone is not sufficient in controlling
the codling moth, that we must kill
all the worms we can find in their
winter quarters and then band our
trees and kill all the first brood of
worms we can in order that we may
lessen the number of worms on the
second brood when the greatest dam
age is done. Quite a number of my
readers have written me relative to
my suggestions, some with approval,
some dissenting and some with sug-
gestions. Now wish to thank all
these for writing. 1t never hurts my
my views. [ am not infallible and
take kindly criticism in good spirit
for by discussion we can evolve the
greatest degree of truth on any sub
ject. l wish l had space to publish
all these letters but that is out of the
question.
One friend writes that he does not
practice spraying at the time of the
falling of the bloom because there are
no moths flying at that time; he
thinks we must wait till the moths
appear and then spray; that the
greatest good is accomplished if we
wait till the second brood becomes
numerous. [ can not agree with his
position. We know that, contrary to
a prevalent opinion, there are no
moths at blooming time. But the
reason we spray then is to fill the
caliX cup which can not be done after
the cup is closed up. Our most care
full observers agree with Prof. Card
when he says that fully 80 per cent
of the first brood enter the apples at
the blossom end. If the poison is
held there ready for the worms the
most of them will be killed and that
will greatly diminish the second
brood. | fully indorse this view.
Another friend writes that he has
had many years of experience in rails
ing apples and commends my position
very strongly. He thinks that ''more
good work can be done from the time
the apples are gathered in the fall up
to the time the apple has formed in
the spring by the ways you have sug-
90 &c