Norwich bulletin., 1922-04-13
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
The First Spraying


 MT. Editor: This is my second letter about spraying.
 The first spraying really necessary aft CT the leaves begin to appear should come just before the blossom buds oloen This spraying is often omitted but 1t is very helpful towards checking the development of fungi
 Many of my readers have noticed yellow leaves falling from he apple trees even l before the month of June. Later they l have seen numerous brown spots in the | leaves. This particular spraying should l be fungietdal in order, to cheek these fol- 1 iage troubles,
 l The leaves of the tree are the stomach of the tree. Healthy leaves means healthy growth and hence good fruit. A l tree suffering from stomach trouble may not have a grouch but 1t will not produce a good favored apple.
 1 Probably lime sulphur in diluted form might be used for this spraying, but its tendency to burn young foliage makes it l dangerous to use. The old standard | French spray developed to meet the needs of the vineyards in France is the proper one. It is known as BordeaGK mixture and is a mixture of hydrate of lime and copper sulphate. It is easily prepared. but can be bought understand already for use after being dissolved I prefer to make my own and use 1t fresh
 This s5ray is most usefh about the small fruit of a place and about the gar den Applied at the proper times It will go far towards preventing wilt of various garden plants, such as melons. It will prevent the early rotting of the cherries and the mildewing of the grapes. But it must be put on in time.
 After this spraying of the atcple trees there should be no further spraying til the blossoms have come and gone. Un. der no circumstances should spraying bt done while the trees are in bloom. |, There are two strong reasons why nc spraying should be done while the tree! i are in bloom.
 | One reason is that 1t ooes not pay tc
 spray then. This reason alone should
 appeal to most of us. If any one tries tt persuade you to have your apple tree ; s9rayed while they are in bloom. remem r Der this-that person is thinking of hi , own convenience and pocket book ant not of your pocket book. To pay fo !, that spraying is throwing money away
 Another tremendously important reasol . IS that spraying while the trees are Il bloom is destructive of useful insects. Le 5 US treasure our useful insects. Conslde t for a moment that we have all too fey
 useful insects. and that the future wars Q mankind are to be waged against insects I
 apple blossoms for the nectar in then This nectar was placed there to attraG
 the bees. Why? Because the bee in gea - ting a wee drop of nectar becomes dus > ed with pollen and when she visits th n next blossom she brushes her pollen-lade l. body against the stigma of that blosson a Now it is absolutely essential if an app !. is to- form from blossom that polls IT be brought in contact with the stigma = ! tt,a Nat, fhie T, act of fertilization largely through Il s bees.
 ,e It has been noted many times that lar, ID 1 orchards where bees are few have as5ol 1e only on the outer trees. Fesg bees If ar h getting to the inner trees, the blossoms d the trees deep in the orchard are le l. sterile. Large apple-growers are W.
 aware of this fact. know of lar
 growers in New Yersey who pay beekee
 CTS $5 per bsae for bringing bees into the
 large orchards. These auple-growers p'
 out hundreds of dollars annually for t
 use of hives of bees just during | | blooming season. When the bloSsoI
 fall the beekeepers remove their bees. iy In some parts of Massachusetts car af less spraying has killed of nearly all [
 bees. Three years ago the spraying ii- g few trees near my home caused me { rk loss of S2oo worth of bees.
 Knowing then that to spray apr De trees while in bloom helps neither f Id owner of the trees nor any one else the ed should be no incentive to spray at tn
 season.
 es The proper time to spray is just aft sh most of the petals have fallen. At Il
 time the staInens of the blossoms ha ed withered and the petals are out of the "; Tt. Tt is easier now to get the poisonc
 spray into the blossom end where 1t d needed.
 ,le will describe this spraying in my n' oh letter.
 Yours very truly,
 ed ALLEN LATHAM Y. Norwich Town, April 12. 1922.