South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-10-30
FARMERS HEAR
ORCHARD TALK
Prof. SouerS of Purdue DEM
OnStrateS Care of Apple
Trees at Relish Farm.

tention department Of Purdue uni
versitv demonstrated the care Of apple
trees before a representative crowd OF
St Joseph county farmers Friday IN
the orchard Of Charles Relish near
IakeviIle. The attendance at the
meeting was not as large as it would
have been II the farmers Of the county
were not so busy with the delayed
work Of the season. but the interest
displayed by those present was sufh-
Gent 10 make the meeting highly sue
cessful.
A promising feature Of the day was
the number OF boys who took careful
notes on the work as explained and
demonstrated by Prof SOuers. The
upper grade boys Of the Lakeville
school were given the opportunity TO
spend the day in the orchard rather
than in the class room.
Prof SOuers confined his morning
lecture and demonstration to the work
Of pruning apple trees. and in the
afternoon he explained and demon
strated the work of spraying. He an
swered many questions during the
course OF the day. The questions indi-
Gated that all those present had no
desire to criticize. but had attended
the meeting for the sole purpose OF
learning how 20 place the farm
orchard on a paying basis.
Demonstrates Pruning.
The Relish orchard is one which, as
in the case Of the majority Of farm
orchards in the county, has received
little attention. In the morning lee
ture PORT. Souers explained the advan-
tages 20 be gained from careful trim
ming Of the trees The main points
brought out both in the lecture and
the demonstration were that apple
trees should be kept low and with
open crowns.
strator worked only such main
branches were taken out were not
necessary in allowing the free flow
OF sap. Care also was taken TO admit
sunlight TO the lower branches sufti-
cient TO aid in the growth of fruit on
those branches, while at the same time
not admitting so much sunlight as
to cause winter flowing OF sap. 1t was
also demonstrated how care must be
taken in distinguishing between
water sprouts and fruit spurs In
a general way the result OF the cut
ting out Of small branches and twigs
was TO show that the sap flow must
be diverted to the fruit spurs, while
at the same time care must be taken
not to cut out so many of the water
sprouts as TO surcharge the remainder
Of the tree with sap thus causing In
creased growth Of water sprouts in
succeeding seasons. In other words,
il was shown that in trimming the
apple tree the direction and the
amount Of sap flow must be kept in
mind and an equilibrium be maintain
ed. Also hanging fruit spurs should
especially preserved as they are
mere prolific than are the upright
In his afternoon lecture on spray
ing Prof. SOuers declared that orch
ards in this vicinity are very much in
need Of remedies to combat apple
diseases. The San Jose scale, he said,
was present throughout the county, as
also throughout the entire state of
Indiana lie called attention 10 the
fact that in pioneer days good apples
could be raised without the assistance
OF sprays for the reason that insects
and diseases had a large supply of
forest trees on which 10 work and for
the reason also that pests had not yet
been imported from foreign countries.
Should Spray In Fail.
As explained by the speaker, dor
mant' or winter spraying should be
done particularly for the purpose of
combating the San Jose scale The
spray used is diluted lime-sluphur
testing five to seven degrees on the
Baume scale. This spray is so strong
as TO be injurious TO the leaves IL used
in the summer. 1t should be applied
in the early fall, after the leaves have
fallen. and in such quantities as to
thoroughly drench the tree. The re-
suit Of such spraying is not only TO
destroy the San Jose scale but TO rid
the tree OF many other minor insects.
The first summer spraying should
he done In the spring as soon as the
buds show pink. At this time the
sulphur-lme should also be used but
diluted 20 test one degree instead of
five degrees as in the dormant" solu-
ton. This summer strength is used
in combating the apple sCab. To this
spray should also be added lead arscn-
ste. IN the strength of two pounds of
the paste or one pound of dry 10 so
gallons OF water. 10 kill the apple
curculiO a beetle which bores into the
apple and provides an entrance for
rot
The second summer spraying. which
Prof. Souers explained. is very i'm
portant in controlling the apple worm.
should be applied when all the petals
OF the apple blossom have fallen and
the calyX cup IS wide open. The
speaker laid emphasis on the fact that
delay In applying this spray lime
sulphur and lead arsenate. proves
serious for the reason that the poison
must be gotten into the calyx cup be-
fore IL closes. which is within four or
five days from the time of opening.
IL Is in this cup that the cooling moth
lays her eggs and it is only by means
"a tAlt AteiQ III senate lndL the worms.
which match from these eggs. arc
killed. This spray should be applied
under pressure OF not less than 125
pounds
When To Use BOrdeau Mixture.
Two weeks after the petals OF the
blossoms have fallen a third summer
spray composed OF Bordeau mixture
and lead arsenate. should be applied
This spray Is used in the control of
thu pure apple hlotch. sooty blotch.
bitter and black rot and other kindred
diseases. Two weeks after this time
a second application OF the same spray
should be made for the same purpose
and also for the purpose 81 destroying
a possible second brood OF the cooling
moth
This work OF caring for the apple
trees was explained in detail by Prof