Vashon Island news-record. [volume] (Vashon, Wash.) 1919-1954, 1923-03-16
PRUNING AND SPRAYING
OF FRUIT TREES IN SPRING

ing demonstrations in King coun
| ty has just been completed by M
ID. Armstrong, horticultural spec
ialist from the extension service
State College of Washington. The
meetings were held in the orchards
and several trees of different
classes of fruit were pruned. Mr.
Armstrong gave specific instruc,
tions on various methods to fol.
low. The following is a resume
of his talk on both pruning and
spraying:
King county orchards have
several insect and fungus enemies
which are cheating many farmers
out of their best fruits. Among the
most serious Of these are moss and
lichens, oyster shell scale, scab and
codling moth. These can all be
controlled by a few simple, easy
measures which any farmer can
use with a little care and atten-
ton. The first thing necessary is
to prune out the excess wood in
! the trees. A well pruned tree pro
|duces finer fruit and is more east
ly protected with spray. A little
Judgment in taking out interfering
limbs, dead and diseased wood and
a thinning out and cutting back Of
some Of the rest to let in the light
and invigorate the remainder is
| all that is necessary. This work
opens the way for the next step
which is spraying.
A thorough application of lime
sulphur spray at the rate of one
gallon to nine of water will kill the
most of the scale and rid the trees
| of the moss. Three other sprays
will usually control the scab and
take care of the codling moth and
apple worm where it is present.
The first spray scab is called the
| pink spray and must be applied
after the pink begins to show in
| the buds and before the blossoms
break. This spray is lime sulphur
one gallon to 80 of water. IL the
green fruit worm is present add
one pound of arsenate of lead to
80 gallons of spray. This coating
of lime sulphur on the young
leaves and buds kills any scah
spores or fungus trying to grow
on the tree. However, the leaves
and young fruits soon grow and by
the time the blossom petals begin
to fall another coating will be
needed. This calyax spray is lime
sulphur, one gallon to 40 of water.
For the codiing moth and one
pound of arsenate of lead to 50
gallons of spray. If the aphis or
oyster shell scale is present, add
one-half pint of "black leaf 40''
to so gallons of spray. For the
codling moth this spray needs to
be especially thorough to fill all
of the calyX cups of the apples.
The next spray and usually the
last scab spray will be from is
to 20 days after and is lime sui
thur, i 10 80 gallons. plus the one
pound of arsenate of lead for the
codling moth. Ordinarily these
sprays when carefully applied
should make clean fruit. How
ever, if the season is slow and
cold, another lime sulphur spray
the same as the third win be need
ed for the scab about three weeks
later. These sprays will control
the apple mildew when present.
"'The tent caterpillar, green
fruit worm, aphis and apple an
thracnosc can be controlled also
by spraying. Many farm communi-
ties are successfully combating
their orchard pests by forming
spraying organization which
raises money to buy a good spray
er and arranges for someone to
take charge of all the work and to
spray each home orchard a. the
fright time. The agricultural ex-
tension service can furnish in
these pests and their control
Write or phone your county agent.
"The production of clean,
sound, bright fruit for the home
use is incentive enough for this eff
fort However, a surplus can oft
en- be marketed which much more
than pays for the added labors.
The orchard is part of your farm
and should be made to produce
good fruits, and to do its share to-
ward improving the farm living.
"Spray thoroughly at the right
time, and enjoy the best of your
fruits. -
1I - L. L. r..