Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1913-06-17
Orchard Spraying Experiments

The Maine Agricultural Experimen
Station has just issued Bulletin 21i
which gives the detailed results of TIT
spraying experiments carried on at High
moor Farm during the summer OF 1912
This publication is the third OF serieI
of reports of progress In the studies be-
ing made at the farm upon the relative
efficiency of various forms OF fuogicidt
and insecticides, and their effects upon
the foliage and fruit of the apple. Dats
are also being secured az to the bes
methods and most effective times for ap
plying the sprays. :,
The experiments OF last season includ
ed over 200 Ben Davis trees, yielding on
the average nearly 8 barrels OF fruit per
tree. These experiments were along two
definite lines. In the first the efficiency
of certain sprays in the control OF apple
scab WAS tested and in the second the
object was to determine the effectiveness
of different forms of arsenicals in the
control OF insect pests. In both cases
the effects OF the different fungicides
and insecticides upon both foliage and
fruit of the apple were given careful
consideration.
While there was less scab on the
apples from the trees sprayed with Dor.
deaux mixture than there was on those
sprayed at the same time with the usual
dilution of lime-sulphur the russeting OF
the fruit by the former much more than
Offset the advantage gained. Hence, as
in the previous trials, lime-sulphur
proved to be superior to bordeaux mix
,ure in spraying apples like the Ben
Davis which are quite susceptible to
spray injury. Lime.sulphur 20 per cent
stronger than is commonly used was
customary dilution and produced no In,
Jury to the leaves and no material rus.
setting of the fruit.
On all of the plots where the fungi
cides were used 2 pounds of arsenate OF
lead paste was added to each so gallons
of spray. In the same experiment. two
plots were sprayed with arsenate of lead
in water alone. On one 2 pounds and on
the other 4 pounds were used. Appar-
emily where the larger quantity of poi
son was used 1t exerted decided fungi.
cidal effect as the amount of apple scab
on this plot was materially reduced
when compared with that where only 2
pounds were applied.
Perhaps the most striking results OBJ
tanned in the fungicide experiments were
with reference to the proper time to ap'
ply the first summer dilution spray for
scab. Lime-sulphur applied just as the
blossom buds were showing pink was
much more effective iu controlling apple
scab than the same material applied just
after the blossom had fallen. This indi.
Gates that the "pink" spray is a most
important one and should not be omitted
or it's time of application delayed as the
orchardist expects to obtain the best re-
suits from spraying.
In the experiments with arsenicals,
arseuate of lead paste, dry arsenate OF
lead and arsenite OF zinc were compared.
All of these were effective In controlling
insect pests and none Of them produced
any detrimental effects on the foliage
and fruit so far as could be observed.
Dry arsenate of lead was found to be
much more convenient to handle than
the paste form aud for that reason will
be adopted for general use on the farm
this season.
A copy of Bulletin PIP will be sent to
any resident of Maine upon request to
Director Chas. D. Woods, Orono, Maine.
To non. residents Of Maine the price Is 10
cents which must be sent in coin or
other currency. Postage stamps are not
accepted.