COMBINED SPRAYING.

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume XII, Issue 3, 20 March 1916, Page 193

COMBINED SPRAYING.

A CHEMICAL GUIDE CHART FOR FRUITGROWERS.

The introduction of time- and labour-savirg devices is, generally speaking, a sound policy, but it only remains sound as lorg as it can be accomplished without unduly interfering with efficiency. The frail grower has usually more than sufficient work on hand to keep him fully occupied, and is naturally only too anxious to cut out as much labour as he possibly can, and to otherwise lessen the cost of running his orchard. The principal time-saving innovations adopted by the orchardist, particularly during the last few years, may be stated as follows:. Power-spraying outfits; improved implements for cultivating the soil; the disposal of the product of the' orchard in bulk to properly -established trading and packing: firms, thereby avoiding all the labour entailed in grading, packing, and marketing fruit; and the utilization of suitable ready-made spraying-compounds . with a view to controlling two or more diseases of a different class with the labour of one application. By these means, in general, orchard work can be more readily and effectively carried out than it could be at, any time in the past. In regard to spray mixtures, however, a great amount of care has still to be exercised. The ‘ temptation to use a prepared spray mixture rather than go to the trouble of procuring and mixing the separate ingredients in the orchard is such that many are apt to adopt this course regardless of the effect it may have on the disease it is intended to control. Again, in the combining of two or more spraying-compounds a matter with which these notes are mainly concerned—the same temptation to save labour exists. Certain sprayirg-compounds are held to be improved by combination, while . others remain unaffected; on the other hand, a great many of the ingredients and mixtures used, for spraying purposes are very materially affected when unwisely combined. It is therefore undesirable to apply the method of combining spray mixtures for the purpose of controlling diseases of a different class without having some previous knowledge of the result. ' ' . s d 'V>

The average fruitgrower has little or no knowledge of chemistry or of the chemical action likely to take place when the constituents