The schedule finally adopted was therefore the application of Sprays 2, 3, and 5.  Spray 2 is necessary to prevent blossom blight, although it has not always reduced the amount of rot on the fruit.  Spray 5 is the most important in reducing the amount of rot.  In all of the experiments during three years the average amount of rot in the sprayed plots which did not receive Spray 5, was 10.7 per cent.  On the plots which received Spray 5, with or without the other sprays, the average amount of rot was 4.6 per cent., and the average on unsprayed plots was 34.8 per cent.  Excellent results were sometimes obtained by applying only Spray 5, although this did not, of course, have any effect on blossom blight.  In 1913 the amount of brown rot in one plot which received only Spray 5 was 3.3 per cent., while in the unsprayed plots it was 33.9 per cent.  In 1914 the amount of rot was reduced from 38.8 per cent. in unsprayed plots to 6.5 per cent. in the plots to which Spray 5 was applied.  Possibly Spray 3 could be omitted without seriously interfering with results; success in controlling the rot with Spray 5 alone seems to indicate this.  It was hoped to settle the matter during the past summer, but spring frosts spoiled the experiment.

For the present it seems advisable to recommend the application of Sprays 2, 3, and 5.  In the first two, two and a half pounds of arsenate of lead paste, or one and one-fourth pounds of the powder should be added to each fifty gallons of spray mixture in order to kill the curculio.  In the plots sprayed in this way in 1911 ninety-six per cent. of the fruit was perfect, while in the unsprayed plots only 81.6 per cent. was perfect, and in 1913 and 1914 the amount of brown rot was reduced from 34.8 per cent. to 4.6 per cent.  Several growers have reported excellent results from these three applications, and there is no reason why other growers should not duplicate them.

[Illustration:  Brown rot of plums showing the small, grayish brown tufts of spores.  Can be controlled by destroying mummies and thorough spraying.]

The efficiency of various fungicides was tried.  Self-boiled lime-sulphur, 8-8-50; commercial lime-sulphur, 1 to 40; 2-4-50 and 3-4-50 Bordeaux; iron sulphide made up with 1 to 40 commercial lime-sulphur, and iron sulphide made up with 10-10-50 self-boiled lime-sulphur were tried and all gave good results.  Commercial lime-sulphur, 1 to 40, has been used in commercial orchards with excellent results, and it will probably be used more than the other spray mixtures because it is so easy to use.  Possibly weaker solutions of lime-sulphur would do just as well as 1 to 40.  This will be determined, if possible, during the summer of 1916.

Good results were obtained only when a high pressure was maintained in spraying.  There was a clearly observable difference between plots sprayed with low pressure and those sprayed with a pressure of more than 175 pounds.  For large orchards a power sprayer is desirable; for small orchards a barrel sprayer with an air-pressure tank attached is large enough.  Such an outfit can be bought for $35 or $40 and can do good work.