Milford chronicle., 1931-05-15
ORCHARD SPRAY NOTES

Within the past few days copies of
the sixth edition of orchard spray
notes, prepared by DR.. J. F. Adams,
plant pathOlOgist of the University
| of Delaware and the State Board of
Agriculture, have been mailed from
the office of county agent Russell E.
Wilson to those fruit growers in
! Kent county who have been receiv-
ing this spray service for the past
five years.
The continued cool weather since
April % has retarded tree growth
with the result that the blossOming
stage for apples has been extended
much longer than usual, and such
varieties as Early Ripe and Duchess
which showed about so per cent
bloom on April "a, have now about
completed the petal drop stage. The
freeze whic hOccurred on April 81
killed many of the early blooms, es-
pecially those of the Early Ripe va
riety, but most varieties to date do
not show any reduction in the pros
poets for a favorable apple crop in
this section this year.
1t was expected that more of the
apple varieties would be ready for
the petal-fall application during the
week of May 4, but weather condi-
tions have made it necessary to de-
lay this application until week la
ter. Since the delayed dormant
stage there have been several rains,
the last three of which have caused
a heavy discharge of apple scab
spores, and spraying that was COM
pleted between April 26 and May
gave maximum protection, but the
new leaf growth will be exposed to
the primary infection by the dis
charge of scab spores which occur
red on May Z and May 8.
In regard to the cOdling moth sit
uatiOn, observations by DR.. l.. A.
Stearns, entOmOlOgist of the Della
ware experiment station, show that
the pupation was generally delayed
throughout the State, and no emer-
gence has been recorded at any of
the observation points, although one
emerged moth was reported at the
insectary in Camden on May z, and
about Is per cent pupatiOn is re-
ported to date. All fruit growers are
being warned again concerning the
Importance of housing all used bas-
kets and other containers, and the
closing of packing houses during the
emergence period of the spring
brood of moths. Scraping of trees
should be completed Immediately,
and those bands which were applied
last fall should be removed at once
and all larvae cocOOned in and be-
meath them destroyed.
With reference to peaches, DR.. Ad-
ans states that in older paintings
where brown rot has been trouble |
some there is now appearing evil
dence of blossom blight infection
and twig cankers, but this condi-
tion is not general. The shuck spray,
or when One-half of the peach is ex- !
posed by the slipping of the shuck, !
should be started during the week |
of May IL, and for this application .
the growers are advised to use 3
pounds of dry arsenate of lead with
8 pounds of hydrated lime to 100
gallons of spray where scab and
brown rot have not been trouble
some, and the Dry-mix at the rate
Of 25 pounds per 100 gallons of
spray, or self-boiled lime-sulphur
l6-16-100 i'm those peach orchards
where blossoms blight has occur
red.
DR.. Stearns reports that probably
not more than 10 per cent of cur
culiO have emerged to date, and al
so that approximately IS per cent
Of the Oriental peach moth have now
in Kent and Sussex coun-
les and about 10 per cent in New
Castle county.