The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1912-01-19

certain accessories besides the mar
that are also necessary in order to
do good work,-25 feet of 7-ply h Sc
a bamboo pole, 10 to IL feet II
length, a crook on the end of this
pole. and on this a nozzle that will.
throw a coarse spray five or six feet
before it breaks into a mist. With
this outfit and a platform or tower
SO that the man handling the nozzle
can get above the trees and spray
down into the calyx cups, spray side
wise into those that stand out on the
side, spray up into those that turr
down below, taking care to see thai
every single blossom on the tree re-
ceives its share of the poison, truly
efficient spraying can be done.
The number of times to spray and
the poison to S are questions that
must be settled by local conditions
Lead arsenate at present prices, five
pounds to 100 gallons, is probably
as good a poison as al be used. Par.
is Green, one-third of a pound to a
barrel, has, however, given just as
good results, where there was not toe
much rain or dampness at spraying
time. The number of sprayings de-
ponds on the number of worms the
previous year. If uncertain in re-
gard to this factor, spray twice, once
just as DOR as the blossoms fall
from the trees, and again in ten days
or two weeks. Band every tree with
good heavy burlap bands and If there
appears more than two to three per
cent of worms in the first brood,
then spray again two or three times
for the second brood. If the orchard
closes the season with only two or
three per cent wormy or even five
per cent, it will be fairly safe to cut
the early sprayings down to one and
then watch for the movement of the
worms as before to see if later sprays
should be given.
Don't leave this car with the idea
that l have said that one spraying
will control the codling moth. | know
dozens of orchards that have not been
sprayed more than once a year for
four Or five years, but before that
time everyone of those orchards was
sprayed from three to five times and
was banded, in order to get the
worms down to a number where it
would be safe to stop with one spray
ing. Any method of spraying which
reduces the number of worms in the
orchard each year below that which
occurred there the previous year is
successful. Any method of spraying
which allows the worms to increase
in an orchard or which only holds
them stationary when they are de-
stroying from 10 to 20 per cent Of
the apples, is a failure as far as
western conditions are concerned, be-
cause that 10 or 20 per cent that is
destroyed will be the largest, finest
and most highly colored fruit on the
tree, while the little, inferior, uncol-
ored, nubbins that grow down under
meath will be the ones that will be
free from worms.
In a good many sections in this
state considerable trouble was exper-
fenced this past season with the
worms and many an orchardist that
felt that he had solved the problem
with spraying before this season is
alarmed at the number of worms in
his crop this year and is looking
around for a reason for the increase.
Most of them, however, are looking
in the wrong direction for the cause.
Some think the pump was no good,
others are sure the poison was no
good, but l have discovered no one
as yet that has yer suggested that
the man was deteriorating, and yet
the fact remains, that a very large
percentage of our growers have be-
come over-confident in the past two
or three. years.
The codling moth runs in cycles
Of destructiveness-as do all other
insects. Some years it will be worse
good deal worse-than others.
Eight or nine years ago. the average
Of the orchards of the state was two
TO three worms to an apple. Two or
three years ago, as the result of
combination of almost universal
spraying and certain unfavorable eli
matte conditions, that number was re-
luced to the minimum. At the same
lime, the number of sprayings was
also reduced, the bands were left off,
codling moth began to increase
n numbers, and an exceptionally ia
1orable season for their m%ultiplica-
ion resulted in a heavy damage last
'ear. And yet, last year there were
lozens of orchards in the state of
Utah that went through the season
With a single spraying and one would
lave to search sometime for a wormy
Ipple in the orchards. l think, how
'ver, that this lesson will have a good
fleet in the end-better put on an
spray and work on the bands
vhen they do not appear to be doing
much good than to repeat the exper-
ence of the past season. There is
% profit in wormy apples and there
) no satisfaction in them either.
Pruning is just as essential as
praying and another two or three
ents a bushel spent on the care of
he tree will yield big returns. One
f the chief reasons why we are able
0 raise high priced apples is because
t our long days of summer sunshine
nd yet If we allow the wood growth
f our trees to become SO thick as
D shade a crop of apples, W. might
S we'll plant u trees in Ohio and
9 done with it. The open headed tree
nth plenty of sunlight, plenty of