INDIANA HORTICITLTURAL SOCIETY. 419 



boring gardens. Where only a few trees are to be protected, or where the 

 trees are young, Professor Smith says he linows of nothing that is more 

 satisfactory. It is easily applied and lasts the entire season. A little 

 judgment must be employed in getting the mixture to a proper thickness; 

 but if one coating does not seem sufficient, it is easy to apply a second. 

 The trunlis should be wet when the application is made, because the 

 cement sticlis better. Milk is better than water for mixing because it 

 gives a more flexible covering. It does not crack or split off as easily as 

 when water is used. On small trees the application costs very little. 

 On larger trees it is much more expensive than newspaper coverings and 

 not so effective.— Western Fruit Grower. 



SPRAYING FOR THE SAN JOSE SCALE LOUSE. 



Various mixtures have been proposed for this insect and a number 

 have been found to be more or less effective. It is hardly possible, how- 

 ever, to apply any remedy with such thoroughness as to reach every scale, 

 and because its natural enemies are few and its rate of reproduction very 

 rapid, complete eradication is practically impossible, but by treatment each 

 season it is entirely practicable to hold in check. The choice of a com- 

 pound with whicn to make treatment is not to be determined alone by its 

 efficiency, but by its availability and practicability as well. Resin washes, 

 composed of resin, potash and fish oil, have been found to be efficient, but 

 are troublesome to prepare in a small way. The same is true of a white 

 wash made of lime, sulphur and salt. Whale oil soap, when used 

 as strong as two pounds to a gallon of water and applied with thor- 

 oughness, is a good remedy. Its cost precludes its use in many 

 cases and the difficulty of finding suitable weather conditions for the 

 application of it make results with it quite variable. While not with- 

 out objections, crude petroleum has been found, in most cases, to meet 

 the requirements better than any other remedy yet tried at the Ohio Ex- 

 periment Station. The thin, light grade is safer and less troublesome to 

 use than the thick, heavy grade, although when diluted with water the 

 latter is less objectionable than if used clear. Refined oil is more harmful 

 than crude. 



Good results have been secured in spraying scale infested trees with 

 25 per cent, of crude petroleum and water, also with higher percentages of 

 oil. Trees have been injured and even killed with 25 per cent, of oil. 

 On the other hand, many thousands of trees, in all parts of the country, 

 have been sprayed with clear crude petroleum and with various percent- 

 ages, without injury. The manner of spraying has much to do with the 

 effect upon the tree. When the material is applied in such quantities as 

 to run down the limbs and bodies of the trees injury is almost sure to oc- 

 cur, even if the oil is diluted with water. Sometimes the operator, trust- 

 ing to dilution to prevent damage, sprays excessively, or until the mixture 



