Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1922-02-23
CITRUS SPRAY
Time IS HERE,
SAYSCO. AGENT
Proper Spraying is Subject to
Which More Attention
Should be Devoted
(By COUNTY AGRICULTURAL AGENT
LOUIS III. ALMEYER)

The proper spraying of citrus trees
Is n subject to which we should devote
more attention. We cannot expect to
raise good fruit unless we are willing
to give il the care that is required to
produce good fruit.
This next fall and winter will be a
rather critical period in the citrus in
dustry in the Valley. There are quite
q large number of orchards which did
not bear any fruit this past year, but
which will bear heavily this coming sea-
son. With the prospects for a large
crop, the market will be harder TO find,
and in order 10 get good price for our
fruit we will have to produce a good
quality and neat appearing fruit. We
will have to branch out more TO find
market for all of our fruit. and in doing
so we will either make a large number
Of friends or enemies, depending upon
the quality of fruit which we send OCT
We must have good pack. But a good
pack will not sell the fruit # we do ltt
have good fruit to begin with. If We
go out with a good pack and ship only
first-class stuff. we will have a much
easier time TO market our crop in 1928.
Thus we see that when we think of
spraying our orchards we are looking
into the future and are applying good
business judgment to a proposition that
will return US money a hundred fold.
The scale. mites and other insects are
now seriously threatening our citrus
fruit crop. and in order TO protect our
selves we must spray our orchards inn
mediately.
Proper Spray Material.
Perhaps one of the greatest things TO
consider when planning to spray an or
chard is TO have the proper strength and
kind Of spray material and TO have a
spraying outfit which will put the ma
terial on the trees In the proper condi-
tion.
ALL of US realize that the most effect
i've work in spraying is done when the
material is put on the trees in fine
mist. To have this. we must have suf-
ficient air pressure to break the mater
isi up into small PARTICLES. pressure
of from 225 TO $50 pounds should be
maintained, IL il is possible. To main
tain this will require the use of pow
er spraying outfit. Four or five farm
ers can group and buy a power outfit
at a very little more cost than what a
hand outfit would cost each person.
Then much more efficient work can be
done. II Is but a matter Of wear or
two until everyone with an orchard of
any size will have 10 buy power spray
ing outfit; so why not do il now and
get the benefit of il early in the game?
Buy Best Sprayer Possible
But il the orchardst finds that il is
impossible for him to get power spray
ing outfit with his limited capital. he
should get the best spraying outfit that
he can with his capital. II possible, he
should get enc with two leads Of hose.
No spray pump should be purchased
which does not have an agitator attach
ed and of sufficient size TO keep the
spray material thoroughly mixed.
In applying the spray material to the
tree, the operator should begin at the
bottom and the center of the tree. Then
he should work and spray outwards and
up. In spraying the tree. I is best TO
divide the tree into four or five sections
and complete each section before NOV
ing to spray the other sections. The un-
der side of the leaves is the place TO
which we should devote the most atten-
ton, as that is the place most over
looked. The upper side Of the leaves
is generally thoroughly sprayed when
you are spraying the under side OF the
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