The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1920-09-02
FARM NOTES BY
THE COUNTY AGENT

FARM NOTES BY
THE COUNTY AGENT
There is a woeful lack Of attention
TO the home fruit garden by our farm
ers. On very few farms do we find
much thought given to the fruit trees
more than TO set them out. And not
on a single farm do we find good
fruit garden with a we'll selected
variety of trees properly fertilized,
cultivated, pruned and sprayed so
that it will be a pleasure and profit
to its owner.
In looking for a cause for our lack
of interest in this feature of farming,
we find that either the owner has
planted out the trees with the expec-
tation of fruit without any further
effort from him. as was possible years
ago, or was not familiar enough with
the insect pests and diseases that
have come in comparatively recent
years to know how TO combat them.
Some farmers state they have spray
ed and done all that they knew TO
keep their trees healthy and produc-
tive, but in spite of their efforts the
trees were soon destroyed. Investi-
cation has shown that the trouble
was not recognized in time, nor the
right remedy applied. One can not
hope TO be successful now with fruit
unless he is able to recognize the
mots troublesome of our insect pests
and diseases and knows the best
remedies for them. A little equip
ment in the way of small sprayer,
spray materials and a determination
to use these at the proper time. is in
Indispensable to successful fruit grow
ing under present conditions. To say
that it can not be done is foolish.
Don't we grow citrus fruits success
fully on commercial scale? Doesn't
Georgia produce peaches of perfect
quality by the thousands of carloads =?
The very same trouble that we have
in our home gardens has to be fought
by these commercial growers. If the
Georgia peach growers can keep down
diseases, worms, scale and a number
of other troubles by spraying five
times year, cutting out the borers
twice a year and pruning. is there
lany reason why we can not do the
same? Without question there is not;
and it has been done in Florida. II
is simply matter of being prepared
with knowledge and equipment and
!, going at it properly.
Nothing will add more to the
pleasure and healthfuIness of the
farm family than a succession Of
home grown fruits. No place is toe
!. small to have fruit garden. One.
. quarter of an acre of land will pro.
vide ample room for enough trees tC
: supply the average family with fruit
along throughout the year. In thi.
Z space can be planted seven orangt
: trees (including two Parson Brown
two pineapple, two Valencia and ont
stangerine), two grapefruit trees (al
| early and late Variety, one kumquat
two pear trees, two figs, one persim
mon, two plums. six peaches (early
} medium and late varieties), two soup
pernong grapes, two bunch grape
and some strawberries. This list will
not require the outlay of much mon
ey, and if properly cared for vii
J furnish fruit for ten years and longer
To make it do so is largely matte
of timely attention.
#f&%
. The most favorable time TO
! spraying whitefiy on citrus is in tn
) fall of the year, sometime in October
J If thoroughly done then the tree
: will be clean all winter Besides. tn
. oil in the spray will loosen up tn
black mold so that it will be NOR
. easily washed off the fruit. Then, toe
. there will not be a large spring crol
) of the whitefiy next year TO do mucl
: damage before the fungus gets start
. led next summer. Now is the time t
: order the spray materials in order t
. have them on hand when needed. an
to get the spraying machine ready.
. The annual meeting of the count
= agents of Florida will be at Gaines
: lville from Sept. 9Th to 18th. Once
sIyear all the agents are called tt
. gether for a conference to discus
. the work of the past year and to COZ
0 slider the needs of the state for al
. other year. These meetings are va
liable in that they furnish a NEAR
for every county agent to .becon
, posted on what is being done and III
NJ dertaken in eevry county in the sta
o and on what may be of benefit TO h
clown county.
a We have notice from headquarte
. TO go to Gainesville and will ther
3 fore be absent from the county all
slnext week. Should any one fail
slget a reply from US during this tim
. it viii be due to our absence
VIM. A. Seasons,