The Yale expositor., 1914-04-09


ascertain or to make a general aver
age, because of the various conditions
in the orchards sprayed. An orchard
ist who is supplied with all the
modern machinery and who has d
large number Of trees can naturally
spray his trees at q smaller cost per
tree than the man who is handl-
capped by lack OF equipment in
smaller orchard. An authority on the
subject has stated that the average
cost of spraying tree is ten cents.
When il costs less than ten cents 10
spray an apple orchard the wonder Is
that more are not sprayed, parucu'
larly the wonder grows when 1t Is a
proved fact that the crop is increased
from fifty to three hundred per cent
by intelligent spraying.
Ten cents per tree is probably
very low figure but the average farm
orchard should be sprayed three times
a year the total cost not exceeding 20
cents per tree, and at this cost the
operation will pay big.
A Kansas orchardist says: Il cannot
tell exactly what the spraying cost on
our orchard of 80 acres, but | know
that the first year we sprayed our ten
year old orchard we made three times
as much money as ever before.
Last year we sprayed three times
and did a good job From these
sprayed trees there we're practically
no windfalls and no apples were even
picked or even sold from the ground.
About half Of our fruit from this
orchard sold as 'Fancies,' packed in
boxes. We would spray our orchard
if 1t cost one dollar per tree"
The effectiveness of spraying is the
great thing. If it is we'll done the re-
suits will be certain but If poorly done
they will be uncertain. II will not do
to spray half the buds or three
quarters, or even nine-tenths and
leave any portion unsprayed, If per
feet success is to be attained.
The codling moth, which probably
does more harm to apple orchards
than any other insect, is hard to reach
and the greatest care must be taken
10 apply the spray ~ CAdNNiJ thS 3d.
time 10 put him out of business.
This insect varies somewhat In its
work, and it may be that for two or
three seasons in succession damages
from it will not be large, but this
period Of relief may be succeeded by
one in which the damage caused by
this insect is tremendous.
Now the advantage of spraying is
that in orchards that have been system
atically protected the damage even
in years of the greatest infestation, is
small and often not noticeable, while
in neglected orchards the damage is
very great. This fact emphasizes the
importance of continual and perfect
spraying.
There is no sentiment about the
cooling moth or any other insect that
Injuries fruit trees and they are not
easily frightened and the mere point
ing Of a nozzle at them and the injec-
ton Of a few drops of bordeaux or
any other mixture in their direction
has no effect upon them.
The whole secret Of successful
spraying is to get the poison in the
place where the worms will naturally
go to eat 1t. If that is done the
career Of the worm is ended, but If
the poison is applied to other parts of
the tree and the favorite hiding places
of the worms are not sprayed they
will go on eating their way into the
heart of the apple and the work Of
spraying will be lost
If we examine a young apple when
It Is first forming 1t will be seen that
there is a little hollow called the calyx
cup. This is covered over by the
circle of stamens and this In turn will
be covered over soon after the little
apples form by the FIVE little green
lobes which gradually close and form
the perfect roof over the cup beneath.
The codling moth lays its eggs on
the leaves surrounding the clusters of
little apples. The worms do not hatch
out until several weeks after the little
apple forms, but as soon as they
are out they hustle for hiding place
and they find this in the blossom end
of the apple.
They crawl down between the little
lobes through the stamens to the very
bottom of the calyX cup and there Sc
cure from molestation they proceed
TO eat their way into the tender seeds.
Now It follows that If the sprayer
has done a good job and injected the
poison down to the bottom of the cup.
Mr.. c. Moth will meet his death with
his first meal; but If the poison has
not reached the inside of the little cup
the worm will go on destroying the
apple.
II the sprayer waits until the little
lobes close over the calyx cup nat
urally the poison cannot get inside