Home Vegetable Gardening, F. F. Rockwell [popular novels .txt] 📗

burn the trees and replant, in the same places if

desired, as, the disease does not seem to be carried by the soil.

 

PEAR ENEMIES

 

Pears are sometimes affected with a scab similar to the apple-scab, and

this is combated by the same treatment—three sprayings with Bordeaux.

 

A blight which causes the leaves suddenly to turn black and die and

also kills some small branches and produces sores or wounds on large

branches and trunk, offers another difficulty. Cut out and burn all

affected branches and scrape out all sores. Disinfect all sores with

corrosive sublimate solution—1 to 1000—or with a torch, and paint

over at once.

 

PLUM ENEMIES

 

Plums have many enemies but fortunately they can all be effectively

checked. First is the curculio, to be treated as described above.

 

For leaf-blight—spotting and dropping off of the leaves about

midsummer—spray with Bordeaux within a week or so after the falling of

the blossoms. This treatment will also help to prevent fruit-rot. In

addition to the spraying, however, thin out the fruit so that it does

not hang thickly enough for the plums to come in contact with each

other.

 

In a well kept and well sprayed orchard black-knot is not at all likely

to appear. It is very manifest wherever it starts, causing ugly, black,

distorted knarls, at first on the smaller limbs. Remove and burn

immediately, and keep a sharp watch for more. As this disease is

supposed to be carried by the wind, see to it that no careless neighbor

is supplying you with the germs.

 

As will have been seen from the above, spraying poisons are of two

kinds: those that work by contact, which must be used for most sucking

insects, and germs and fungous diseases; and those that poison

internally, used for leaf-eating insects. Of the former sort, Bordeaux

mixture is the standard, although within the last few years it has been

to a considerable extent replaced by lime-sulphur mixtures, which are

described below. Bordeaux is made in various forms. That usually used

is the 5-5-50, or 5 lbs. copper sulphate, 5 lbs. unslaked lime, 50

gals. water. To save the trouble of making up the mixture each time it

is needed make a stock solution as follows: dissolve the copper

sulphate in water at the rate of 1 lb. to 1 gal. This should be done

the day before, or at least several hours before, the Bordeaux is

wanted for use. Suspend the sulphate crystals in a cloth or old bag

just below the surface of the water. Then slake the lime in a tub or

tight box, adding the water a little at a time, until the whole attains

the consistency of thick milk. When necessary, add water to this

mixture if it is kept too long; never let it dry out. When ready to

spray, pour the stock copper sulphate solution into the tank in the

proportion of 5 gals. to every 50 of spray required. Add water to

amount required. Then add stock lime solution, first diluting about

one-half with water and straining. The amount of lime stock solution to

be used is determined as follows: at the druggist’s get an ounce of

yellow prussiate of potash dissolved in a pint of water, with a quill

in the cork of the bottle so that it may be dropped out. (It is

poison.) When adding the stock lime solution as directed above,

continue until the prussiate testing solution when dropped into the

Bordeaux mixture will no longer turn brown; then add a little more lime

to be on the safe side. All this sounds like a formidable task, but it

is quite simple when you really get at it. Remember that all you need

is a few pounds each of quicklime and copper sulphate, an ounce of

prussiate of potash and a couple of old kegs or large pails, in which

to keep the stock solutions,

 

Lime-sulphur mixtures can be bought, or mixed by the home orchardist.

They have the advantages over Bordeaux that they do not discolor the

foliage or affect the appearance of the fruit. Use according to

directions, usually about 1 part to 30 of water. These may be used at

the same times and for the same purposes as Bordeaux.

 

Lime-sulphur wash is used largely in commercial orcharding, but it is a

nasty mess to prepare and must be used in late fall or winter. For the

home orchard one of the miscible oils now advertised will be found more

satisfactory. While they cost more, there is no time or expense for

preparation, as they mix with cold water and are immediately ready for

use. They are easier to apply, more comfortable to handle, and will not

so quickly rot out pumps and spraying apparatus. Like the sulphur wash,

use only during late fall and winter.

 

Kerosene emulsion is made by dissolving Ivory, soft, whale-oil, or tar

soap in hot water and adding (away from the stove, please!) kerosene

(or crude oil); 1/2 lb. soap, 1 gal. water, 2 gals, kerosene.

Immediately place in a pail and churn or pump until a thick, lathery

cream results. This is the stock solution: for use, dilute with five to

fifteen times as much water, according to purpose applied for—on

dormant fruit trees, 5 to 7 times; on foliage, 10 or even 15.

 

Of the poisons for eating-insects, arsenate of lead is the best for use

in the fruit orchard, because it will not burn the foliage as Paris

green is apt to do, and because it stays on longer. It can be used in

Bordeaux and lime-sulphur mixtures, thus killing two bugs with one

spray. It comes usually in the form of a paste—though there is now a

brand in powder form (which I have not yet tried). This should be

worked up with the fingers (it is not poison to touch) or a small

wooden paddle, until thoroughly mixed, in a small quantity of water and

then strained into the sprayer. Use, of the paste forms, from one-fourth to one lb. in 20 gals, clear water.

 

Paris green is the old standard. With a modern duster it may be blown

on pure without burning, if carefully done. Applied thus it should be

put on during a still morning, before the dew goes. It is safer to use

as a spray, first making a paste with a small quantity of water, and

then adding balance of water. Keep constantly stirred while spraying.

 

If lime is added, weight for weight with the green, the chances of

burning will be greatly reduced. For orchard work, 1 lb. to 100 gals.

water is the usual strength.

 

The accompanying table will enable the home orchardist to find quickly

the trouble with, and remedy for, any of his fruit trees.

 

The quality of fruit will depend very largely upon the care exercised

in picking and storing. Picking, carelessly done, while it may not at

the time show any visible bad results, will result in poor keeping and

rot. If the tissue cells are broken, as many will be by rough handling,

they will be ready to cause rotten spots under the first favorable

conditions, and then the rot will spread. Most of the fruits of the

home garden, which do not have to undergo shipping, will be of better

quality where they ripen fully on the tree. Pears, however, are often

ripened in the dark and after picking, especially the winter sorts.

Apples and pears for winter use should be kept, if possible, in a cold,

dark place, where there is no artificial heat, and where the air will

be moist, but never wet, and where the thermometer will not fall below

thirty-two degrees. Upon exceptionally cold nights the temperature may

be kept up by using an oil stove or letting in heat from the furnace

cellar, if that is adjacent. In such a place, store the fruit loosely,

on ventilated shelves, not more than six or eight inches deep. If they

must be kept in a heated place, pack in tight boxes or barrels, being

careful to put away only perfect fruit, or pack in sand or leaves.

Otherwise they will lose much in quality by shriveling, due to lack of

moisture in the atmosphere. With care they may be had in prime quality

until late in the following spring.

 

FRUIT | PEST | REMEDY | TIMES TO APPLY

| | | AND WHEN

––+––––—+––––––––––-+–––––-

Apple | Apple-scab | Bordeaux 5-5-50, or summer | 3.—b B O—a B

| | lime-sulphur spray | F—f 14 d.

| | |

| Apple-maggot | Pick up and destroy all | (See key below.)

| or | fallen fruits |

| Railroad worm| Dig out or kill with wire; |

| Borer | search for in fall and spring|

| | |

| Codlin moth | Arsenate of lead, 4 in 100; |

| | or Paris Green, 1 in 200. | 2.—a B F-f

| | Burlap bands on truck |20 d.

| | for traps during July |

| | |

| Cankerworm | Same as above |

| | |

| Tent- | Same as above, also wipe out |

| caterpillar | out or burn nests |

| | |

| Blister-mite | Lime-sulphur wash; kerosene | Late fall or

| | emulsion (dilute 5 times) | early spring.

| | or miscible oil (1 in 10 gal.)|

| | |

| Bud-moth | Arsenate of lead or Paris | 2.—When leaves

| | Green | appear—b B O.

––+––––—+––––––––––-+–––––—

Cherry| Leaf blight | Bordeaux 5-5-50 | 4.—b B C—a

| | | calyx closes—f

| | | 15 d—f 15 d.

| | |

| Curculio | Arsenate of lead, 8 in 100. | 1.—a B F.

| | Curculio catcher (see Plum) | 3 times a week

| | |

| Black-knot | Cut out and burn at once |

| | (see Plum) |

| | |

| Fruit-rot | Pick before fully ripe. |

| | spread out in cool airy room |

––+––––—+––––––––––-+–––––—

Peach | Borer | Dig out or kill with wire |

| Yellows | Pull out and burn |

| | tree—replant |

| | |

| Curculio | Do not spray. Catch on sheets |

| | (see Plum) |

| | |

| Brown-rot | Summer lime-sulphur; open |

| | pruning; pick rotten fruit | 3.—When fruit

| | | is half

| | | grown—f 10

| | | d—f 10 d.

| | |

| Leaf-curl | Bordeaux 5-5-50; lime-sulphur | 1—b buds swell,

| | wash | fall or early

| | | spring.

––+––––—+––––––––––-+–––––—

Pear | Blight | Cut out diseased branches; |

| | clean out sores; disinfect |

| | with corrosive sublimate 1 |

| | in 1000; paint over |

| | |

| Scab | Bordeaux 5-5-50, or summer | 2.—b B O—a B

| | sulphur (see Apple) | O—f 14 d.

| | |

| Blister-mite | |

––+––––—+––––––––––-+–––––—

Plum | Leaf-blight | Bordeaux or summer sulphur | 1.—After fruits

| | | set.

| Fruit-rot | Same; also thin fruits so as |

| Black-knot | not to touch (see Cherry) |

| Curculio | also have neighboring trees |

| | cleaned up |

| | Jar down on sheets stretched |

| | beneath trees and destroy | a B F—cool

| | | mornings-3

| | | times a week.

––+––––—+––––––––––-+–––––—

Any | San Jos� | Lime-sulphur wash, kerosene | Late fall or

| scale | emulsion, 5 times diluted; | early spring.

| | miscible oil, 1 in 10 gals |

| | |

| Oyster-shell | Kerosene emulsion | May or June,

| scale | | when young

| | | whitish lice

| | | appear.