210 



KXPERIMEX TA L FA JIMS. 



What is wanted, however, is to know the best remedy, and it is satisfactory to find 

 that, on the whole, the standard remedy for scale insects, Kerosene emulsion, is the best. 

 In summing up his experience of the year, Mr. Howard says as follows: — " Remedial 

 work against this insect is onerous, but our experience has shown that three sprayings 

 at intervals of ten days during the latter part of May and June, will practically 

 destroy the insect, whether the spraying be conducted with very considerably diluted 

 Kerosene emulsion or with a resin wash, while during the winter a single application 

 of either of the three winter washes will greatly reduce the numbers of the insect. 

 Among the winter washes, our experience leads us to give the preference to strong 

 Kerosene emulsion ; next, to the winter Resin wash : and finally, to the lime, salt, and 

 sulphur mixture." 



The Kerosene emulsion is now well known to most Canadian fruit growers ; but 

 it may be well to give its mode of preparation here. 



Kerosene (Coal oil) 2 gallons. 



Common soap or Whale oil soap J pound. 



Water ... 1 gallon. 



Cut up the soap and boil in the water till all is dissolved ; then add it boiling hot 

 to the coal oil ; churn the whole briskly for 5 minutes with a syringe or force pump. 

 When the emulsion is perfect, it will adhere without oiliness to the surface of glass and 

 when cooling it forms a jelly-like mass, which can be kept indefinitely, if stored in a 

 cool place and covered from dust. 



When required for use ; for a summer wash, dilute 1 part of the stock made as 

 above with 9 or 15 parts of water. To make the stock dissolve easily, take first 3 parts 

 of hot water to one of the emulsion and then when all is thoroughly mixed, add the 

 rest of the water to make the 9 or 15 parts required ; for a winter wash, mix with 4h 

 or 9 parts of water. 



THE PEAR-TREE FLEA-LOUSE. 



(Psylla pyricola, Forster, Fig. 15.) 



Attack. — Small clear-winged insects, wedge shaped like minia- 

 ture Cicadce, the head being broad, flat in front, and the body pointed 

 behind ; one tenth of an inch in length, of a reddish brown colour 

 with broad black bands across the abdomen. These insects, at the 

 slightest disturbance, leap from the foliage of infested pear trees and 

 1 fly for a short distance. Occurring with these, will be found on the 

 leaves the curious flattened oval larvse (fig. 16), which, when first 

 hatched, are very small, one-eightieth of an inch in length, of a semi- 

 translucent yellow colour, with red eyes. These grow rapidly, and 

 in about a month pass through five nymph stages, during which 

 the body retains its flattened form and becomes much darker until, 

 in the full grown nymph, the large wing-pads and the greater part of 

 the upper surface are black. The eyes and sometimes the body be- 

 tween the black markings are crimson. The presence of this insect 



upon trees is easily detected by the copious secretion 



of honey dew with which the leaves, limbs and trunks of 



the trees soon become covered and upon which a dirty- 

 looking black fungus, Fumago salicina, develops. After 



a time, the leaves and young fruit fall, the trees assume 



an unhealthy appearance, and in the case of severe attack 



the tree dies. 



Another enemy of fruit trees which has this year 



appeared for the first time in Canada, is the Pear-tree 



Psylla or Flea-louse, specimens of which were sent to me 



by Mr. J. S. Freeman, of Freeman. Ont,, who writes : — 

 " Freeman, Halton Co., Ont., June 7. — I have a 



block of three hundred Dwarf Duchess pear trees mixed 



with apple trees, which are so badly infested with the in- „. 1P , T ' } ,V, 



V- , -r t i . n , Fig. 16.— Is vmph of rear- tree 1 lea- 



sects which 1 am sending you, that, from the appearance Louse enlarged. 



Fig. 15.— The Pear- 

 tree Flea-louse, en 

 larged. 



