ALBERT R. MANN
LIBRARY

NEW YorK STATE COLLEGES
OF
AGRICULTURE AND HoME ECoNomIcs

 

AT

CORNELL UNIVERSITY

 

 

 

 

 
Cornell University Library
SB 363.W3

Renovation of an old apple orchard.

iT ;
RENOVATION OF AN OLD APPLE ORCHARD.

A ae EE

BY

f
pate:
pe
RAYMOND §S, WASHBURN.

197

HEHEHE

JUNE 1912.

Cre,

»
SB

364
3 /

327898
OUTLINE.

I. INTRODUCTION.
II, CULTIVATION.
III. PRUNING.
a. REMOVING EXCESS OF TREES.
b. SHAPING AND THINNING THE INDIVIDUAL TRIE,
¢. IMPROVING THE SANITARY CONDITION OF THE ORCHARD.
IV. DRAINAGE.
Vv. FERTILIZATION .
&. RESULTS FROM USE OF FERTILIZERS.
bh. KINDS OF FERTILIZERS.
©. INDICATIONS OF NEED OF FERTILIZER,
VI. SPRAYING,
&. INSECTS AND FUNGOUS DISEASES.
b. OUTLINE FOR SPRAYING THE APPLE ORCHARD.
VII. COST OF RENOVATION.
VIIT. PROFITS FROM RENOVATION,

IX, SUMMARY.
RENOVATION OF AN OLD APPLE ORCHARD.

Be BERLIN

Introduction.

Throughout New York State there are many neglected
orchards ranginy in size from a few trees to several acres,
These trees were planted in the early days mainly as a
home source of supply and little thought end attention
was given them as a commercial enterprise. They grew
and produced an abundance of fruit and, since they were
not a source of income, were naturally neglected. A.
majority of them were set too thick and formed tall high-
headed trees which were hard te prune and spray. Later
when the multitude of insect and fungous diseases became
prevelent and scientists knew little of their contrel,
the orchard owner beceme discoureged and allowed his once
productive trees to deteriorate still further.

Now conditions have chenged and there is a large
end growing demand for choice fruit. To meet this demand
thousands of ecres of orchards have been planted but it

will be some years before these young orchards will come

inte bearing.

The question is whether it will be profitable to re-
new these old orchards and make them a source of income
while the new trees are growing and developing. The ans-

wer is that it will, es has been demonstrated in many ne-

glected orchards cf this state.
Cultivation.

There ere many methods of apple orchard culture and
individual growers, as well as scientific pomologists,
have not yet decided on a universal stendard of whet the
best orchard culture should be. Perhaps it would be well
to briefly compare the different methods,

(1) The Continuous Clean Culture Method. By this ne-
thod the lend is plowed in the spring and cultivation con-
tinued throughout the growing season until late autumn
when cultivation ceases and the soil is allowed to lie
undisturbed and uncovered until the next spring when the
process is repeated. This method is generally if not el-
weys found to be unsuccessful because of the severe wash-
ing and loss of soil due to rains.

(2) The Cover-Crop Method. This method consists in
plowing and disking the ground as early in the spring as
the soil will permit. Cultivetion is continued until the
niddle of July, when some cever crop is sow and allowed
to remein for the remainder of the season.

(3) The Sod Culture Method. This method consists
in allewing the grass to grow end form 4 sod over the en-
tire surface of the orchard, except a circular area of
ground under each individual tree which is dug up and kept
mellow during the growing season. The grass is mowed and

allowed to remain where it falls.
-5-

(4) The Sod Mulch Method. By this method the grase
is allowed to grow and form a sod over the entire surface
of the orchard. Instead of speding end cultivatirg cir-
cular areas atout each tree, these spaces ere mulched with
straw. The grass is also mowed et intervals and used to
méintein the mulch about the trees. This method is well
adapted to orchards on steep slopes where cultivation
would result in severe loss through washing of the soil.

These last three methods of orchard culture were prac-=
ticed at the Ohic Experiment Station with the result that
the trees made a greeter annuel growth in the cover=crop
plot than in the sod-culture plot, but not eas great as in
the sod=-mulch plot.

On the sodemuich plot there were produced 172 apples
weighing 55,5 lbs; on the cover-crep plot, 70 epples,
weighing 21 lbs; end on the sod-culture plot, 29 apples
weighirg 7 lbs. Thus showing a decided advantage in
favor of the sod-mulch,

In two experiments conducted by the Geneva Experiment
Stetion, as to whether the apple does better under tillage or
in soc, the results were somewhat different from thoce
found at the Ohie Station. This experiment was begun in
1903 in the orchard of Mr, W. D. Auchter, near Rochester,
New York, The orchard consisted of nine end one-helf acres
of Baldwin trees, set 40 feet epart each way. On onewhelf

of this orcherd, or 118 trees, the sod=mulch treatment
was tried. On the remainder, or 121 trees, the tillage
and annuel cover-crop method was practiced, The trees in
the two experiments received the same care and treatment
as to spraying, pruning and all orcherd operations except
soil treatment.

Results of the two methods employed. The average yield
on the sod=plet for five years was 72.9 barrels per acre,
while that of the tilled plot was 109.2 barrels, or a dif-
ference of 36.3 bbls. in faver of the tilled plot. It is
also interesting to note that the tilled trees yearly in-
creased their bearing capacity; and that on the other. hand
the sed-mulch trees gradually decreased in yield of fruit.

During the entire experiment the fruit on the sod=
mulch plot matured one to three weeks earlier than on the
tilled plot.

The keeping quality of the tilled apples was much sup-
erier to that of the sod-mulched apples, those from the
tilled plot keeping 4 weeks longer then from the sod=plot,.

The fruit from the sodemulch plot was more highly
colored, However, in eating quality, the tilled apples
were superior to the sod-mulched product. The tissues of
fruit from the tilled plot was turgid and crisp while in
the epples from the sod-mulch plet there was a tendency to
dryness and meatiness.

Trees in sod showed abnormalities in foliage, branches
end roets. The foliage on the tilled trees was a dark,

rich green color while on sod it was a yellow color. The
leaves on the tilled trees were nuch larger, came out ear-
lier and remeined on the trees later than on sodded trees.
The roots of sodded trees came to the surface of the ground;
in tilled trees there were more roots and they grew deeper.

The average cost per acre, not including harvesting,
was $17.92 for the sod; end $24.47 for tillage giving a
difference of $6.55 in favor of the sod.

In summing up the resulta of this experiment, Professer
Hedrick of the Geneva Station says thet

Tillage is better than sod for the apple since there
is a larger moisture supply in the tilled plot and there=
fore e greater food supply. There is more humus in the
tilled plot and it is warmer end better serated. Also
there are more beneficial micro-organisms in tilled than
in other soils.

From these results it would seem that tillage and cover-
crops were best for the average orchard and especially so
in case of old, neglected trees, since with neglected trees it
is important thet they should make a large and rapid growth

of new wood.
Pruning.

In a majority ef neglected orchards the trees are
too closely planted. The early growers failed to see the
importance of plenty of room in which the trees could
grow and develop, send as a result we of to-day see the
effect of their failure te recognize this very important
principle. When the greater pert of the orchards in New
York State were planted, about 40 years ago, there was a
universal tendency to plant too closely. On 43 per cent
of the aree planted before 1880, the trees are 30 x 30 feet
or less; 82 per cent sre 35 x 35 feet or less. Only 18
per cent are over 35 x 35 feet. The larger growing vari-
eties like Baldwin, Rhode Island, and Northern Spy will
eventuelly require 40 feet between trees. With the small-
er growing varieties, like Transparent, Oldenburg, Wealthy
and McIntosh, 30 feet may be sufficient. If then the
trees in these old orchards are too closely planted, the
first and perhaps the most important factor in renovation
is to remove the excess of trees.

The first step then is to determine if the trees ere
properly spaced. If they are too closely planted, the ef-
fect shows up in the healthfulness and productivenees of
the tree. According to deta taken from Cornell bulletin
226, the greater the number of trees per ecre, the less

the yield.
The average yield for four yeers of orchards where
the trees were not over 30 x 30 feet epart was 186 bushels;
for those between 30 x 30 and 35 x 35 feet, 222 bushels;
for those over 35 x 35 feet, 229 bushels. Some of the
more striking indications of close planting may be seen
in the long armed upright growth with scarcely any foliage
on the lower branches. As the trees gradually grow to-
gether at the top, the sunlight is shut off, the lower
limbs begin to bear inferior, poorly colered fruit and
finelly die.

Now if it is true that only the upper branches bear
good fruit, it can be readily seen that there ie a great
loss in bearing surface on these closely planted trees, on-
ly the top area bearing fruit, while in well-rounded, pro-
perly pruned trees, planted at the correct distance, the
bearing surface would be at least three times as great.

If the treee are found to be teo closely planted,
and some must be removed, it ics well to follow some re=
gular plan, so es to retain the conformity of the orchard.
When the trees are planted in squares, ss is generally the
case, in old orchards, every alternate tree in the row may
be removed. This is accomplished by removing every se-
cond row diegonally. If the squares between the trees
were originally 25 x 25 feet, they will, after removing
every alternate tree in the row, then be 35.2 x 35.3 feet.

If originally they were 30 x 30 feet, they will now be
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165

42.4 x 42.4 feet. So by removing one-half of the trees,
it does not follow, as is commonly supposed, that the
trees will be twice as far apart.

Before removing any trees, it is desirable to make
& mep of the orchard and locate upon it by a particular
sign all inferior, weak trees, all vacant spaces by an-
ether sign, and all desirable trees by another. If this
is done, one can determine at e glance whether to re=
move the first diagonal row or the second, starting with
the diagonal row containing the greater number of vacan-
cies and undesirable trees.

In the following diagram, the even rows show 20 poor
trees and ZI vacant spaca@, while the odd rows show 12 poor
trees and 3 vacant spaces. In this case, it is advisable
to remove the even diagonal rows, since they include 27
poor trees and vacant spaces out of a total of 42, The
question often arises as to whether the trees adjacent to
the vacancies should be removed. It is generally ed-
visable to remove such trees, since each one so situated

is likely to crowd one side of thpee other trees.
Shaping and Thinning the Individual Trees.

Old neglected trees are almost invariebly unsymetri-
cal and too high, making it almost impossible to spray pro-
perly and more expensive to gather fruit on these high
branches. To be an intelligent pruner, one should know
something of plant physiolegy, end the habit of growth
of the apple tree. He should know the effects produced
by pruning et different seasons of the year, how to make
a cut thet will heal most readily, and the influence of
pruning on the fruit-besring habit of the tree. Pruning
during the dormant season incites wood growth, while
pruning during the growing season promotes fruitfulness.
The first thing to be done is to remove all dead and dy=-
ing wood, then the pruner can see exactly what he has to
work with. A tree that is over 30 feet in height may be
shortened to 15 or 20 feet and one between 25 and 30 feet
eften may be cut back to about 15 or 18 feet. In heading
back the upright branches, the cut is usually made just
above a side branch that points outward. This tends to
make the tree more spreeding in habit.

The severity of heading in will depend largely upon
the vigor of the tree. Nothing will start e tree inte
renewed vigor like severe pruning during the dormant sea-
son, The cutting-back, therefore, should be more severe
with weakened trees. When a tree is severely headed back
@ rank growth in the form of water=-sprouts spring out from

the buds lower down on the trunk, and from these water-
wie

sprouts an entirely new head may be formed. It is den-
gerous, however, to heed back the entire tree the same
season since the tree's source of carbohydrate food, su-
gare, sterches, etc., is obtained through the action of
sunlight on these substences which are stored in the leaves
and therefore if the entire leaf surface is removed et one
cutting the tree would probably die. For this reason, it
is best to distribute the work of renewal over two or three
seasons, removing only a portion of the top each year,

The character of the cut has a marked influence on
the healing process. All feod material capable of healing a
wound is taking a dewnward course through the inner bark
and to heal well a wound should be in a position to inter-
cept this downward flow of sap from the foliage higher up.
When a limb is to be removed, it should be cut close to
the body of the tree and parallel with it. If this is done,
the tree will be eble to heal quite large wounds before
decay sets in. All wounds over ie inches in diameter should
be painted with a good lead paint, to which has been added
a little lemp black, so that the spots will be less conspi-

CucUs.
Improvement of the Sanitary Condition of the Orchard.

Much can be done to prevent the spread of fungous
diseases by thoreughly cleaning up and burning old rubbish
and dead limbs. It is also advisable to scrap dow the

bark with a scraper or dull hoe, removing all moss, reugh
~14—

bark and lichens, thereby destroying insects and fungi.
All cavities or hollows in body or branches gradually en-
larging through decay should be carefully cleaned out,

sprayed inside with Berdean mixture and filled with Port-

land cement,
~1 56

Drainage.

Good drainage, netural or artificial, is fundamental
to the best welfare of the wecher as The need of drainage
may not be apparent while the trees are young, but as they
get older aul the roots penetite tata poorly drained and
poorly aerated soil, the trees are damaged and in many
cases killed.

In Walworth township, Wayne Co., 54 orchards, aggre-
gating 232 acres are reported as in need of drainage. The
average yleld of these 54 orchards in 1902 was 203 bushels,
42 bushels below the average of the other orchards in the
township.

Drainage is important for the following reasons:

(1) Drainage removes the excess of water, thus
improving the physical condition of the soil, making it
less compact and impervious, and improving its tilth which
is important fer proper and intensive cultivation.

(2) Drainage reduces winter injury, to the roots.
The freezing of large amounts of water in the roots cause
them to winter kill.

(3) Drainage promotes proper air circulation
in the soil which is necessary to the proper growth of »ve-
neficial soil organisms and hinders the growth of many un-
desirable organisms, This growth of soil bacteria is
very important since they are vitally related to the sup~
ply of plant food in the soil. It is through their action

that the organic matter in the soil is decomposed.
“16s

(4) Drainage increases the amount of available
moisture in the soil and allows the roots to distribute
themselves over a greater area. When the soil is in good
tilth, the total capillary capacity is increased, The
soil is then in a condition to more easily absorb the
rainfall and to retain a larger proportion of it than is
the case in undrained soil. Also drainage lowers the
water table which is important since the roots won't pene-
trate below the drainage table.

The depth to which the water level should be lowered
seldom exceeds 4 feet. The distance between drains de-
pends on the ease with which water will flow through the
soil toward the drain. Generally speaking, drains should
be placed between every second row on heavy soils and on

medium soils about every 300 feet.
Sm

Fertilization.

According to the last census, $2,000,000 is being
expended for orchard fertilization each year. Fruit farms
expended 30 ¢ par acre for fertilizers as compared with
4 @ on hay and grain farms, and 2 f per acre on stock
farms,

It is the opinion of many scientists that in many
cases the application of commercial fertilizers are made
with negative results. It is difficult to determine the
fertilizer needs of the apple, due to non-uniformity in
soil and varieties over the large areas required, contin-
uous cropping without chance for rotation and irregular
bearing habit,

In 1894 experiment started on the Woburn Experiment=
al Fruit in England showed at the close of the 14th season,
that there had been almost total absence of effect frou
manure on clay soil. On poorer, sandy soil, menurs gave
a beneficial effect. The absence of effect on the clay
soil was explained by the fact that trees draw their nou-
rishment from a large area and from a considerable depth,
and for that reason are very little affected by surface
dressings of manure.

Another experiment made at the Geneva Experinent Sta-
tion by Prefessor Hedrick, and reported in 1907, showed

similar results. This experiment gave the results of
twelve years of annual applications of potash and phos-

phate, in the form of wood ashes. During the last seven
=i Ge=

years acid phosphate was added at the rate of 169 pounds
K20 and 129 pounds P05 per acre. The results of this
experiment as a whole were considered negative, since tne
annual increase in combined yield of all varieties on the
treated plots barely paid the cost of the fertilizers and
their application,

These experiments do not prove that pertilization i.
always made with negative results, but simply show that
the fruit grower should test for himself what plant food

his soil needs.

Nitrogen fertilizers.
Sodium nitrate (Na Nog).

This salt is the principal source of inorganic
nitrogen in commercial fertilizers. The chemically pure
salt, nitrate of soda, containse 16.47 per cent of nitrogen
and the commercial article, called "Chile Seltpeter” con-
tains fron 15.5 to 16 per cent. Nitrogen in the nitrate
form is easily taken up by the plant and for this reason
acts quickly in inducing growth.

Ammonium sulphate (N H3)o 8 Q,4-

Sulphate of ammonia is a chemical salt which,
when pure, contains 21.2 per cent of nitrogen, In com-
mercial forms, however, it usually contains about 20 per
cent of nitrogen. Sulphate of ammonia is obtained from

the dry distillation of animal bone in the manufacture

of bone-black, and also from the distillation of coal in
Ge

the manufacture of coke, Dried blood for fertilizing pur-
poses is chiefly obtained from the large slaughtering establish-
ments, Red blood contains from 13 to 14 per cent of nitrogen
and is an excellent fertilizer since it decays very rapidly
in the soil and is quickly available,

Fish Scrap. The waste parts, as heads, skin and bones.
It contains from 7 to 8 per cent of nitrogen and from 6
to 8 per cent of phosphoric acid. It ranks with the high
grade fertilizers,

Wool and hair waste. These materials are dissolved
with acid in such a manner as to render them available and

are quite rich in nitrogen.

Phosphate Fertilizers,
Bone phosphate in the form of raw bone contains about
22 per cent phosphoric acid and 4 per cent of nitrogen,
It is a good source of phosphoric acid since it is in its
original state and has not lost any of its original con-
stituents through burninz. Bone=-black or animal-charcoal
contains from 32 to 36 per cent of phosphoric acid, while
bone ask contains from 27 to 37 per dent of phosphoric acid,
South Carolina Phosphate. This rock contains 26 to
28 per cent of phosphoric acid. It sometimes contains small
percentages of compounds of iron and aluminum which interfere
with the manufacture of the product and are undesirable,
Phosphate Slag. This is a by-product in the manufac-
ture of steel from pigeiron rich in phosphorus. The ground

slag is applied directly to the soil without treatment with
Kainit, This salt is the crude product of the mine
and the potash contained in it is practically all in the
form of a sulphate. It contains about 12.5 per cent of
actual potash and 33 per cent of ordinary salt, and small-
er percentages of magnesium chloride and magnesium sulphate.

Sylvinit, It is similar in composition to Kainit.
The potash in Sylvinit, however, exists both in the form
of a sulphate and of a chlerid. It contains on an aver-
age about 16 per cent of actual potash,

Muriate of Potash. This is a manufactured product
and contains about 50 per cent of actual potash, equiva-
lent to 80 per cent muriate. The chief impurities are
common salt end insoluable matter,

High-grade Sulphete of Potash. The salt is usual-
ly sold on a purity basis of 98 per cent, or an equivalent
of 53 per cent actual potash. It is usually considered

superior to the muriate although more expensive,

Lime.
There are three forms: limestone, quicklime and
slaked lime, each differing from the other in composition.
Quicklime absorbs moisture and slakes when exposed
to the atmosphere. Lime thus slaked is called “aireslaked
lime", and is usually less completely changed te a hy-
drate than when water is added.

Marble lime is made from pure limestone, and the burned

limestone thus obtained is practically pure oxide of lime.
Burned limestone from the magnesium limestone contains
from 50 to 60 per cent of calcium oxide, and 30 per cent
or over of magnesium oxide,

The growth of the tree will generally indicate the
need of fertilizers, When the tree looks scrawny and
stunted and either no growth or but a few inches of annual
growth are being made, fertilizers are needed. Nitrogen
appears to a greater extent in the leaves and encourages
strong wood growth which is desirable in old trees not
growing vigorously. Potash is the basis of the fruit acids
and is also a color factor. Phosphoric acid insures pro-
per ripening of both fruit and tree. Lime strengthens the
limbs, hastens the ripening of the fruit and has a tendency
to give a steady growth to the tree.

Barnyard manure applied at the rate of 10 loads per
acre supplies the necessary nitrogen, phosphoric acid, and
potash, and will also add humus and improve the physical
condition of the soil,

When manure is not available, and the trees are not
making the proper growth, the following fertilizers per acre
are recomnended by the Geneva Station:

75 lbs. nitrate of soda
400 lbs. bone meal

150 lbs. subphate of potash
1500 lbs. fresh=burned lime
“220

Spraying.

An old orchard which has been neglected for many years
is a source of infection, a breedins place for all the dis-
eases to which the apple is heir. The environment has been
such thet the trees have been weakened and made susceptible
to disease, Some of the things which aid disease in the
orchard are; poor drainage, heavy, wet soil, poor cultiva-
tion and weeds which protect many diseases and pests during
the winter, The owner of one of these orchards has a two-
fold task on his hands. He must drive out the disease pro-
ducing insécts and fungi and after they are out he must keep
them out by spraying.

In order to successfully combat a disease one should
know something of its nature; how and when it attacks the
tree. This is essential in order that the spraying may be
done at exactly the correct time and the correct kind of
poison used for the trouble. One disease requires one kind
of spray and another disease requires another. There is
no good in spraying with the wrong remedy. Some of the more
important insect and fungous diseases I will describe to-
gether with control methods for the same.

Apple Scab. The apple scab, caused by Venturia inae-
qualis, is one of the most destructive fungous diseases of
the apple and is found every where the apple is cultivated
and the weather conditions are favorable,

On the leaves scab may be found as irregular rounded
spots, somewhat swollan and with an indefinite margin, be-

coming brown as they grow older. The spots may be as large
ots

as three-eights of an inch in diameter and later may dje
and leave the leaf ragged in appearance, On the apples the
spots are very small at first and circular, They soon be-
come brown in color, and as they grow mey run together in
patches.

The fungous also grows in the blossoms and twigs, but
causes less damage to these and is often overlooked by the
grower.

The damage from apple scab is caused in two ways. The
apples are injured so as to be unfit for market, which often
cuts down the price received per fruit one-fourth or a half,
The most serious damage, however, is to the tree, in the in-
jury to the leaves. The leaf surface is often so reduced
that the tree has not enough vitality to ripen a crop of
fruit, and the fruit is undersized and poor , besides being
scabby. Alse the tree cannot properly ripen its next seas-
on's fruit buds.

Scab grows best in cool, moist weather, and does not
ordinarily spread at all in warm, dry weether. The scab
spots are covered with very small syores which are blow
about by the wind and spread the disease. The spores grow
and germinate whenever they find water enaugh to wet them
and if they happen to be on an apple or apple leaf they
soon grow down inte it and start a new scab spot. The
fungous lives over winter chiefly on the fallen leaves,
and along about March produces another kind of spores, win-

ter spores, which are smaller end more easily blown about.
by the wind. These spores flying about in the orchard
when the first leaves come out start the disease again for
the next summer.
Control:
1. First scab spraying just before blossoms open.
Lime-Sulphur 1-40.
2. Second scab spraying just as petals fall.
Lime-Sulphur 140.
3. Third scab spraying three weeks after petals
fall. Lime-Supphur 1-40.
4. Fourth scab spraying nine to ten weeks after
petals fall (about latter part of July or first of August).

Lime-Sulphur 1-40.

New York Apple-Tree Canker. This disease is caused by
Sphaeropsis Malorum, and is found on the apple, pear, quince,
hawthorn, plum, mulberry and elder. Epidemies occur more
or less each year. The disease seems to be more severe on
the Esopus Wagener and Greening.

On the trunk and limbs the fungous causes the bark to
become much roughened as well as thickened, and in many in-
stances a portion of the wood is laid bare. The areu of bare
wood is often small as compared to the extent of swollen
bark; limbs are frequently seen that for six feet or more
of their length are covered with rough bark.

The fungous is most often found on the larger limbs
of mature trees, Old neglected trees, low in vitality,

suffer more than young, thrifty ones. Sphaeropsis infects
trees in the spring, becoming evident as areas of discolored
bark which spread until mid-summer and then produce pycnidia.
In some cases the disease completely girdles the limb cut-
ting off the flow of sap, which causes the leaves to shrivel
up and die. The spores lodge in wounded places on the sur-
face of the bark. A germ tube is sent out which under fav-
orable conditions grows and produces a branched mycelium

on which pycnidia are formed in about one month, and more
produced as the mycelium grows and brenches. These ppenidia
contain thousands of spores imbedded in a gelatinous mass inside
the pycnidium, and as water enters they sweel end the spores
are shot out, blown about by the wind, and those that fall
and germinate in a wound produce the cankers. The mycelium
seem to be unable to penetrate to the cambium through living
bark, which would suggest a means of control; namely, to
avoid wounding the bark.

All wounds should be coated with thick paint or graft-
ing wax. Cankered limbs should be cut out wherever practi-
cable, and as a further precaution, thorough spraying with
lime sulphur applying 6 to 8 gallons per tree as follows:

1. When the petals begin to separate and the first
tinge of pink begins to show.

2, When about twoethirds of the petals have fallen.

3. As soon as all the blossoms have fallen.

4, Ten days or two weeks after No. 3.

These two fungous diseases are by no means the only

ones which affect the apple, but perhaps they are the most

important of any of them.
bm

insect Diseases of the Apple.

Codling Moth. The Codling-moth costs the fruit grower
an annual tax of $3,000,000 in New York alone, and it is es-
timated that it would cost $8,000,000 to spray the apple
trees in the United States for the Codling-moth at 4 fa
tree. The Codling-moth is the parent of the apple worm
and is the cause of nearly all wormy apples. ‘The apple
worms pass the winter as full-grown larvae an rough, silken
cocoons under the loose bark of the trees. In the spring
they change to pupae and the eggs are laid on the fruit and
leaves, The larvae begin hatching about 3 weeks after the
blossoms fall, and continue hatching throughout May. On
emerging from the eges they do a little feeding, and at this
time before they enter the young apple, will be killed if
the trees have been properly sprayed. They live in the ap-
ple about 4 weeks and leave it through a hole in the side;
they crawl to some crevice in the bark or elsewhere, spin
a cocoon and change to pupae and come out as adults that
year or remain until the next spring.

Control: Two applications of Paris green, 1 lb. to
109 gallone of water; or arsenate of lead, 25 lbs. to 50
gallons of water. One application within one week after
blossoms fall, end a second application about a week or
ten days later.

San Jose Scale. The Sen Jose Scale is a tiny insect

see

first found in San Jose, California, from which it bears

its name. The insect multiplies in such vast numbers on
271 =

the bark as to form a scaly crust, which can be rubbed off
with the finger, It attacks nearly all varieties of fruit
trees and is perhaps the only insect that is not controlled
to any extent by clean culture and thorough tillage. The
female insects deposit their young as early hatched larvae,
which resemble tiny, yellow mites except that they have legs
and atennae of true insects. They wander about for a few
hours and then insert their sucking mouth parts into the
bark and soon secrete over their backs a scaly covering,
There are at least four generations each season, and it has
been calculated that one pair of San Jose scale insects
could give rise to over three billion descendants in a sine
gle season, if all lived out their lives without accident.

Control: This pest can be controlled on orchard trees
by thoroughly spraying with lime-sulphur wash, diluted to
te degrees Beaume, either in the fall, efter the leaves
are mostly off the trees, or in the spring from the time
when the buds begin to swell until the flowers commence
opening.

Round-headed Apple Tree Borer. The Ap;le tree borer
is a dangerous insect enemy of the apple since it attacks
perfectly healthy trees and its work is so concealed as to
escape notice until the trees are past relief.

The borers are tne larval stage of a long-horned beetle
with two white stripes extending from the head the whole
length of the body. The females lay their eggs during the

warm season in small slits which they make in the bark. The

borers whieh hatch from these eggs tunnel in the inner bark
=28=

and sapwood, making large tunnels filled with borer dust.
Their presence can generally be detected by the dust which
falls out of the tunnels when these are not entirely closed.
Badly infected trees put out only sparse and small leaves
in the spring and sometimes die completely later on.

Control: As a preventive, the orchard should be kept
free from weeds and rubbish so as not to provide a hiding
place for the beetles. Cut away the bark over the tunnels
until the worm can be reached with a wire. When all have
been removed, paint the wounds with white lead paint, diluted with
raw linseen oil at the rate of 100 lbs. of paint to 3 to 4
gallons of oil. During the warm spring and summer keep
the bestles frou laying eggs in the bark by protecting the
troes with brow wrapping paper.

The above insect and fungous pests are only a few of
the many which attack the apple. For that reason I will
give a general outline for spraying the orchard which will
cover the needs of the grower in most cases. From this out-
line it will be seen that fungicides and insecticides may
often be used together, controlling both e fungous and in-
sect pest at one end the same time.

General Plan for Spraying the Apple Orchard, taken
from Cornell Bulletin 283;

I. Dormant season before lesf buds open but just as
they are swelling:

a. Lime-sulfur as a contact spray for

San Jose scale 32 to 33° Beaume 1-8
Blister mite 32 to 33; Beaume l-l1l.
b. Add arsenate of lead, 2 pounds to 50 gallons,
to the lime sulfur as a poison for
Bud=-moth
Cigar-case-bearer
II, After leaf buds open but before blossoms open, i.e.
when just beginning to show some pink. Watch weather and
get spray on before rein, not after:
a. lLime-sulfur solution, 32° Beaume 1-40, or
Bordeaux, 3=4-50, for apple scab (the fungus).
b. Arsenate of lead, 2-3 pounds to 50 gallons,
added to lime-sulfur or Bordeaux as a poison for
Bud=-moth
Cipar case-bearer
Canker=worm
(This application should never be omitted during cold, rainy

ek Be

seasons.)

Ill. After petals have fallen beginning when about two-

thirds have fallen. Have spray on before rain comes, This

is important.
: a, Lime-sulfur, 32° Beaune 1-40, or Bordeaux
3-4-50, for

Apple scab
Leaf spot

ob. Arsenate of lead, 2-3 lbs. to 50 gallons, used
with lime-sulfur or Bordeaux for
Codling-moth

Canker-worm
Bud=moth

This is the most important of all the applications.
~30-

IV. Ten days to two weeks later. Before rain period:
a. Lime-sulfur, 32° Beaume 1-40, or Bordeaux,

3-4-50, for

Apple scab
Leaf spot

b. Arsenate of lead, 2-3 lbs. to 50 gallons, used
with lime-sulfur or Bordeaux for

Codling=moth
Canker-werm

V. Eight to nine weeks after blossoms fall:
Same as IV for late scab infection and late attacks of cod-=
ling moth, In most seasons this application is not neces=
sary.

If aphis appears, spray before leaves curl with whale-
oil soap, 1 1b. to 6 gallons, or kerosene emulsion diluted

with six parts water, or use one of the tobacco extracts.
-3]-

Cost of Renovation.

 

The usual cost of the first year's work will be from
$30 to $57 per acre according to the condition of the or-
chard,

This table shows the minimum and maximum cost per acre
compiled from records obtained from several farms in New

York State.

Hstimated Cost of First Yeer's Work in Renovating
an Old Orchard.

m8 ee a a a 8 Ca A De ee a eS ea Ne ae ee 8 Oe we eet et Os es

Ce me hk me On ee ee ae 8 2 a ee 8 eat ee 18 Ot ne at OS OO et ee ae ee we oe

Plowing 82.00 3.00
Manure, 10 to 20 loads, at $1. or
its equivalent in commercial

fertilizer 10.00 20.00
Hauling manure, sverage at 50f a
load 5.00 10.00
‘Pruning and hauling brush 5.00 19,90
Disking or harrowing twice 1.00 1.50
Disking or harrowing third or
fourth time -50 1.00
Cultivation, 2 to 4 times 200 1.90
Spraying once;
Meterial 2,09 4.90
Labor $00 oo bw OO

 

Total $27 .00 $52.00
a3Zea

Profits from Renovated Orchards.

The following results are returns from an apple ore
chard of eleven acres in Orleans Co., N. Y., Which was
taken over in 1896. The gross returns from this orchard

are;

1896 $250.00
1897. 12.00
1898 800.00
1899 200.00
1900 1200.00
1901 300.00
1902 2000.00
1903 1400.00
1904 2722.59

Another farmer in Monroe County, N. Y., obtained the
following results. The orchard consisted of 4 acres of
Baldwins over 50 years old, which had had no care whatever
for at least 20 years. This orchard was sold to a good
orchardist, who began the work of renovation at once.
Seventy-five loads of stable manure were applied and plowed
under and the most thorough cultivation was practiced.

The first year not more than $25 worth of fruit was
sold, but the second year, in response to more scientific
management, $1,100 worth of fruit was sold. Pruning had
cost about $50, plowing and cultivation $75, spraying,
$60 and fertilization $100, a total of $285, leaving a

net profit for the first two years of operating of 9840
or $210 per acre.

Another 6.1 acre orchard in western New York gave the

following results:
-~33—

The orchard contained 243 mature trees, about one-

half of which were 36 years of age and the remainder over

50 years old.

The average yield during the eight years

was 67 barrels per acre, which sold for an average price

of §2,.33 per barrel,

$1.16 per barrel.

The average cost of production was

Income, expense, and net profits on a 6.1 acre apple
orchard in western New York.

Oe es 0 at 0 re Oe ae OO SD eS SS OF Or AO SD OR OD OE OS OD GD OD OS ee Oe SD EE EE me we OE SO oD Ow ED a ee ow En an ee

 

 

$ Income : Expense : Net profit
Year  pennanennneennnnne fea nwen nana ssesnn {mene n-ne n en nnn ee

: Total :Per acre : Total :per acre: Total :Per acre
1902 $913.87 $149.81 $519.39 $85.15 §294.48 $64.68
1903 969.89 159.00 482.56 79.11 487.33 79.89
1904 559.40 91.70 360.39 59,08 199.02 32.62
1905 792.25 129.87 324.31 53.16 447.94 76.71
1906 818.76 1384.22 401.80 65.87 416.96 68.35
1907 861.45 141.22 364.40 59.74 497.05 81.48
1908 1362.97 223.44 583.55 95.67 779.42 127.97
1909 1896.79 310.95 591.93 97.03 1304.86 213.92
1910 1008.44 165.32 399.77 _ 65.54 608.67 99.78
Q-year
average 1020.42 167.28 447.57 173.38 572.85 93.93
aba.

Summary.

1. Qld trees can be renovated and made to produce a
good income while the young trees are growing.

2. Clean culture and cover crop is the best system
of cultivation. Cultivate until the middle of July and then
sow a cover crop.

3. Drainage either natural or artificial necessary.

4. Prune thoroughly, remove excess of trees and prune
individual trees annually.

5. Study the orchards fertilizer needs and if indica-
tions point toward a need of more plant food, supply it.
Manure is the best fertilizer.

6. Spray for both insect and fungous diseases,

7, Renovation costs from $30 to $57 per acre.

8. The profits warrant the cost of renovation and will

increase annually.
 

 

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