FRUIT TREE SPRAYS

Press, Volume LXIX, Issue 20956, 9 September 1933, Page 11

FRUIT TREE SPRAYS

HOW TO MIX AND USE THEM ADDRESS BY DR. G. H, CUNNINGHAM An outline of the various fruit tree sprays, and the requirements for their greatest efficiency, was given to members of the Canterbury Fruit Growers' Association by Dr. G. H. Cunningham, mycologist at the Government Plant Research Station, Palmerston North, in the chamber of commerce last evening. Twenty-five members attended, and Mr E. Freeman occupied the chair. The object of the Horticultural Department's present spraying investigation was to enable the orchardist to distinguish among the various sprays, and to be able to tell which were most suited to his needs, said Dr. CunIningham. It had been intended to fix I a standard, but this had been found I to be impossible, and as an alternative manufacturers were to be required to state on the package the nature of the contents of the mixture. A scale of dilution had been compiled by the department, and the application of this scale would enable the orchardist to compound mixtures of the greatest efficiency. There were only six types of spray on the market, sulphur, lime sulphur, ] Bordeaux mixture, arsenates, nicotine, and oils, Dr. Cunningham continued, and he went on to deal briefly withj the requirements for each of these. Sulphur. The worth of sulphur depended on the size of the particles of which it was composed, the smaller the particles the more effective the spray. Colloidal sulphur was the best for use for this spray, this mixture having eradicated mildew in Hawke's Bay. By investigation, the efficiency of sulphur sprays had been improved greatly, and the cost also had been reduced. Bordeaux. Bordeaux mixture was perhaps the most efficient fungicide known, though it was not effective against mildew. This mixture was not easy to prepare, but experience had shown that hydrated lime Bordeaux was just as good as quick lime Bordeaux, the former generally being the purer mixture. An easy method of preparation—and one of certain results—was to dissolve powdered bluestone into a tank three-quarters full of water, hydrated lime being mixed into this POULTRY AND EGGS The Red Couab Eg- and Poultry Company repoits increased yarding*. Culling operations have increased somewhat during 4he last fortnight, with the result that large quantities are now being handled. Of the birds coming forward boilers predominate, but the increase in supply has had little I or no effect on the demand, which continues to be very keen. Good quality chicken, scarce at the present time, sold exceptionally well. A large quantity of the chicken offering at the present time is inclined to be hard, this being the end of the season, and a good deal of these bird* are being purchased as boilers. Turkeys continue to sell well at prices well in advance of last year's figures. The average prices a pair realised for poultry during the week were:—Roasting chicken, light up to ss, medium up to 6s 6d, heavy up to 9s; duckling, light up to 5s 6d, heavy up to 7a-6d; ducks, up to 6s 6d; hens, light up to 6s, heavy up to 8s; vcarling hens, up to 6s 6d; pullets, up to 7s; gosling, up to 7s; turkeys, up to 2<s.

MISCELLANEOUS SALE Tha Railway Auction Tarts report firm enquiry for- {rood lines of table and seed potatoes. While general enquiry for hay is poor, there has been a keen demand for good lines of chaff at lata prices. Principal bblos realised included: Seed potatoes 5b to 9s a sack, table 6s to Bs, wheat 10a 6d to 14b. meal 4s to 7s, oats 8s to 10s gfl, oat pollard 4s a sack, cultivator £2 5«, endless chain SOs, one pair of winkers 12a, Studebaker car £8 10s, Wolseley car £23 10s, A.J.S. motor-bicycle £l2 10s, butcher's cart £6, single-furrow plough £3 12s 6d, set four-leaf harrows and bar £6, set twol&af harrows £3 ss, lawnmower 17s 6d, lawnmower 10s, tyre and tuba £1 15s, set show cases 12s 6d, bicycle £2 12s 6d, bellows 7s 6d, pair bicycle whaels 7s 6d, scales £3, wire strainer 7s 6d, cream can ss, bicycle £2 10s, meat safe 12s, camera 18s, lawnmower 12s 6d, two coils hose 15s, cream can 255, camp stove £3, partition 15s, lawnmower 12s 6d, paint 15s, hauiper £l, separator £3 10s, dressmaker's model 6s, 3ft bed and wire £1 15s, three chairs £1 2s 6d, 3ft kapoc mattress £1 2s 6d, pillow Ss 3d, duchesse £1 17s Cd, nine yards floor covering £1 6s 3d, two tub chairs £4 15s, Scotch chest £2 10s, two music stands 7s, two chairs 15 s, office desk £3 10s, aingts wood bed and wire £1 17s 6d, 3ft kspoo mattress £1 2s Cd, two single wood beds £2 15s. duchesse £1 Ss 6d, chesterfield suite £l3 10s, two chairs 19s, niae yards linoleum £2 ss, mattress £1 12s 6d, pedestal cupboard 10s Cd, wardrobe £3, case couch 15e, eight chairs £1 10s, wool mattress £1 7s 6d, table 6s, single kapoc mattress £1 2s 6d, duchesse £1 10s, mirror 7s fid, four yards floor covering 15s Bd, kerb 4s 6d, duchesse £2 18s 6d, two kapoc pillows 7» 6d, grey chesterfield suite £lO 10s, 4ft Cin kapoc mattress £1 12s 6d, four yards floor covering 15a Bd. two scagrass chairs £1 6s, single wood bed and wire £1 15s, dressmaker's model 5s 6d, two kitchen chairs 15s, tea waggon 27s 6d, pedestal 14s 6d. five yards floor covering 19s 7d, scsgrass chairs £1 10s, reversible carpet £3 10s, 4-piece bedroom suite £l4 10s, fireside chair £2 ss.

with the agitator while the task was being filled. There was nevw ■cy need to use Bordeaux strmjser tta 3-4-50.- although if black spot im* prevalent the mixture could toe tocreased to 5-4-50. in camparlsaa to the old rate of 10-10-ift. It w new recommended as a foußda&n agmor. and could be applied at green tijp for apples and at bud movemtal Dor stone fruits. Home-made Bordsaax mixtures were the most efSoea* aad the cheapest the grower could get Foe Insects, The first point to be CQB»dwel witk arsenic sprays was pentaoßd© csotaKL and experiment had shown t&at Mb of powder was a safe amount for Mi gallons of water. The arsenic pentantide content should not be snore ttan 33 nor less than 30. Water aoMMßttr - also had to be considered, safe encmata being up to 002 par cw*. ; for apples and 00.4 for stone fruit. Bar- : tide size was important, for this IP* 1 - '. emed the spray's ability to rentals «■& the tree and the likelihood of tte insect to absorb it Nicotine, a plant extract flrooa. tobacco, acted as a gaseous poises, tte essential feature being that it sJaoaLd be volatile—evaporate off as a jptoe. This evaporation was also a dis&dvmEtage, however, for the mixtere qtridtitr lost its efficiency if left open. Is aieetine sulphate tnis disadvantage mtc overcome. If applied with water mkatine sulphate this disadvantage wts tive, soap or some alkaline aofeitksa being needed to restore its TotatiWar. The only unit of measurement rej&oawi for this mixture was the nkotiat eeatent, which was usually 4® pes* cert. Use off Oils. Oils were admittedly the most difficult sprays to discuss, as a number of factors were involved ia their jonarurement. Oils must be separated Into summer and winter types-"*!*© winter oil was applied in the dormant menson to destroy insect eggs, the ©si simply smothering the eggs l>ar Pt»* venting them from getting asyscß. 9» be effective, winter oils moat gjfcm as heavy a film as possible. gfr»?wmT' oils were used to destroy litfbag insects—not eggs. The oil bloGtsftfl Hm breathing pores of the insect, tfcas asphyxiating it The pluggtajf of tte pores needed to be rapid, and m it was necessary for it to be ean- tewing enough to hit the insect sal tmmy enough to close the pores.. 2eJeeet would be caused to the trees by «aeiymg the oils out of season. ww " v Dealing with combination sprays tte speaker said that lime sulpJaur infmff 'colloidal sulphur was safe, and Hue most efficient mixture for mildew and : black spot lime sulphur plus oil m§ Bordeaux plus oil were poalur throughout the Dominioo. bat Wm department did not favour these as it considered that they had many dinadvantages with no special advsrdasss to compensate.