OCTOBER MEETING, 1908 To the Honorable State Board of Horticulture: The fruit crop of the Fifth District for the season of 1908 is above the average in quantity and of excellent quality. There was a better and more determined fight against the San Jose scale in the localities where they have this pest than ever before, and there has been a more thorough campaign against the codling moth than in previous seasons, but there is yet room for a great deal of improvement on that line. There are a few growers who practice thinning their apples while the fruit is small in such a manner as to reduce the number of apples to the tree and correspondingly increase the size of those remaining. This is the up-to-date method that makes for the production of large-sized fruit and is in vogue in many of the large fruit-producing districts of the world. In this district I regret to say that many growers refuse to adopt the method. Quantity seems to be their aim in fruit raising. In Umatilla County prunes were a good crop and were sold at fancy prices. They were practically all shipped to the Eastern markets fresh. In Union County the crop was large and most of the fruit will be dried. The cherry crop of the district was large in all localities. Cove alone shipped eighteen carloads. There was about 50 per cent of a peach crop and prices were high through the whole season. Pear prices were good, but the yield was not quite so heavy as last year. JUDD GEER, Commissioner for Fifth District. IN MEMORIAM. At a regular semi-annual meeting of the Oregon State Board of Horticulture, held at Portland, Oregon, April 8, 1907, the following resolutions were unanimously adopted: Whereas, George H. Lamberson, then secretary of the Oregon State Board of Horticulture, was removed by death on the 4th day of December, 1906. Be it resolved, That the State Board of Horticulture hereby records its sense of great loss; its appreciation of the valuable services rendered to this Board by Mr. Lamberson during the long period in which he performed faithfully and well the duties of secretary of this Board, and the personal sorrow of each member of this Board in losing a friend and fellow-worker. Resolved, further, That the conveys to the family of the every member of the Board. State Board of Horticulture hereby deceased the heartfelt sympathy of The secretary of the Board is hereby instructed to spread upon the records of this Board the foregoing resolutions, and to send a copy of the resolutions to the family of the deceased. SPRAYS AND SPRAYING Prepared for this Report by Prof. A. B. CORDLEY, Entomologist of the Oregon Experiment Station, pursuant to a resolution adopted by the Oregon State Board of Horticulture, April 13, 1908. Knowledge of a multiplicity of sprays is not essential to success in spraying. Equipped with an understanding of the range of usefulness of three or four standard sprays, with a good spray pump, and with a determination to do thorough work one is as well fortified, as may be, against most orchard pests. Therefore this article will be brief. In practically all of the orchard spraying done in this State but three kinds of spray are used, and probably one of these may soon be largely dispensed with. To treat of more is but to waste time and space and to lead to confusion. Most growers now understand that spraying is primarily to prevent loss from insects and from fungous diseases, and that a spray which is effective against one pest may be totally ineffective against another. Still, for the benefit of the novice, it may be necessary to emphasize the fact that there is no cure-all. Poisons like arsenate of lead or paris green are used to destroy codling moth and other insects which actually swallow plant tissues-usually caterpillars and beetles which feed upon leaves. They have little or no value as fungicides and are not effective against San Jose Scale, plant lice and other sucking insects. Bordeaux mixture is used to prevent attacks of fungous diseases and has but little value as an insecticide. Lime-sulphur is both an insecticide and a fungicide. Its range of usefulness is therefore greatly increased, but it is not a cure-all. As intimated above, the three principal sprays in use in this State are arsenate of lead, Bordeaux mixture and lime-sulphur solutions. ARSENATE OF LEAD. Arsenate of lead is now the chief poison used in spraying for the codling moth, although paris green is cheaper and gives approximately as good results. Many brands of commercial arsenate of lead are now to be had, and so far as our observations go all are reasonably pure. The various brands may, however, be arranged into two definite groups which may be termed the acid arsenates and the neutral or normal arsenates. While the evidence is not conclusive, it appears to be true that the acid arsenates have some tendency to injure foliage and that they cannot so well be used with the lime-sulphur solutions as can the neutral arsenates. While the available evidence upon the above points is not sufficient to justify one in condemning the acid arsenates, growers are advised to use neutral arsenates wherever possible. Most manufacturers advise the use of three pounds of arsenate of lead to fifty gallons of water. The Washington Experiment Station has demonstrated that in the dry climate of Eastern Washington one pound to fifty gallons gives equally good results in controlling codling moth. We have found that two pounds are sufficient in the Willamette Valley. It is quite probable that one pound may be sufficient here, but since this has not been demonstrated we think it best to advise two pounds to fifty gallons for the more humid portions of this State. Some growers prefer to prepare the arsenate of lead as it is used. This is but little if any more troublesome than to mix the prepared arsenates in water and should be somewhat cheaper. It can be readily prepared after the following formula: Arsenate of soda 4 ounces 11 ounces .15 to 20 gallons Dissolve the arsenate of soda in two quarts and the acetate of lead in four quarts of warm water. When dissolved add them to the required amount of water. This formula is especially valuable for spraying very delicate foliage or for use against insects which are killed only by large amounts of poison, since it can be used upon plants in much stronger solutions than the other food poisons without injury to the foliage. If it is desired to use a combined insecticide and fungicide, arsenate of lead may be added to Bordeaux or to lime-sulphur solution in the same proportion as when water is used. BORDEAUX MIXTURE. Bordeaux mixture has been the principal preventive of fungous diseases. It is of some value as an insecticide, has a beneficial effect upon plants independent of its effect upon their insect and fungous parasites and may be used for most purposes in place of water in the preparation of the arsenical sprays. Bordeaux for winter use may be made as follows: Copper sulphate Quick lime Water This is known as the 6-6-50 formula. It should be upon dormant trees. When the trees are in leaf the 4-6-50 formula is used: Copper sulphate Quick lime Water 6 pounds 6 pounds 50 gallons used only following 4 pounds 6 pounds 50 gallons For spraying peach foliage it is best to use the still weaker 3-6-50 formula: Copper sulphate Quick lime 3 pounds 6 pounds 50 gallons To prepare Bordeaux mixture dissolve the copper sulphate in hot or cold water in a wooden or earthen vessel. Slake the lime, using only sufficient water to insure slaking. The lime should not be allowed to become dry while slaking nor should it be submerged in water. After the lime is slaked add water and stir until the "milk of lime" is of the consistency of cream. The best results are obtained by diluting the milk of lime and the copper sulphate solution each to twenty-five gallons and then pouring these two dilute solutions together. The lime solution should always be strained through a seive to exclude particles that might clog the nozzles. A brass wire seive, twenty-mesh, large enough to fit the head of a barrel or the opening in the spray tank, will prove a great convenience. When large quantities of Bordeaux are required, it is most convenient to make stock solutions of lime and of copper sulphate of known strength. A convenient stock solution of copper sulphate is made by dissolving 100 pounds in fifty gallons of water; one of lime, by slaking 100 pounds and diluting with water to fifty gallons. Each gallon of the stock solutions will then contain two pounds of lime or of copper sulphate and the amount to be used in preparing any quantity of Bordeaux acording to the above formulas can be readily computed. If sufficient lime has not been used, or if that used was of inferior quality the Bordeaux may injure the foliage or may cause a "russetting" of the fruit. It is, therefore, always best to determine whether enough lime has been used by testing the mixture. TESTING BORDEAUX. There are three simple tests which may be used. First, hold a clean, bright knife blade in the Bordeaux for at least one minute. If it becomes copper-plated more lime should be used. Second, pour some of the Bordeaux into a shallow dish and holding it up to the light blow gently across its surface. If properly made a thin pellicle will form on the surface of the liquid. Third, dissolve one ounce of ferrocyanide of potassium in five or six ounces of water. Pour some of the Bordeaux into a white dish and add to it a few drops of the ferrocyanide solution. If sufficient lime has been used no change will be noticed. If a brownish-red discoloration takes place, more lime should be added. Unfortunately, even the most carefully prepared Bordeaux will sometimes cause serious "russetting" of the fruit. This russetting seems to be most serious when rainy or at least humid weather |