REPORT OF THE ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST. 213 



Mr. Martin Burrell, of St. Catharines, a trained observer and a practical fruit grower, 

 who has studied injurious insects for many years, one, therefore, who was well calculated 

 to observe and record any matters of value bearing upon the presence and increase of 

 the San Jose Scale and the general condition of any orchards visited. All of these 

 gentlemen, as well as Mr. M. G. Bruner, of Olinda, Essex Co., Ontario, who has observed 

 carefully since its discovery the occurrence of the San Jos^ Scale in the orchard of Mr. 

 John D. Wigle, at Kingsville, have favoured me with voluminous notes upon this im- 

 portant subject during the summer, and, as their experience and notes, both as tb means 

 by which orchards have become infested and the effect of measures adopted to control 

 the spread of the San Jos^ Scale, are of general interest, I give herewith lengthy extracts 

 from their letters. 



Mr. Van Horn's letters : 



" Chatham, Kent County, Ont., Jan. 12, 1897. — I have, unfortunately, got San 

 Jos^ Scale on a lot of fine young plum trees. I am preparing to dose them with the 

 California mixture mentioned in your report of 1894." 



" Jan. 1 9. — I send you cuttings of Simoni plum and Lombard plum covered with 

 what I think is San Jose Scale. Kindly give me all information at hand." 



"Feb. 11. — Yours of the 9th received with thanks. Two years ago this spring I 

 ordered a lot of plum tiees from Parry's ' Pomona ' Nurseries, New Jersey. Among the 

 lot was one dozen Simoni plum trees — a fine lot of well grown and handsome trees. After 

 putting out, they all grew finely ; all made vigorous growth in spite of a very dry sum- 

 mer. During the summer I received a circular from the nurserymen saying that San 

 Jose Scale had got into their trees, imported from California, and stating that no further 

 .danger need be feared, as they were disinfecting all stock after discovering the pest. 

 I paid no more attention to it, as my trees were doing so well. I did not notice any- 

 thing wrong till this winter, and one day while going through them I noticed four of 

 the Simoni looking sick, the bark looking as if dusted with ashes. As the disease was 

 new to me I sent samples to them, as well as to you. They (Parry's) like yourself, 

 answered that it was the dreaded scale all right, and recommended digging out and burn- 

 ing if badly affected, and if but slightly, to wash with whale-oil soap. I cut off" two 

 trees near the ground, intending to drench the stumps and let the trees sprout again 

 from the roots. Those only slightly afiected, I cut back severely and have sprayed with 

 the salt, sulphur and lime mixture and will go over them again shortly with the same, 

 and then later on will give them a dose of whale-oil soap suds. 



"The trees were ordered direct from the nursery and not by agents, so there may be 

 no more in this part of the country. I have examined a number of my neighbours' 

 orchards, but can find no trace of the scale. T am very anxious to wipe it out, so that 

 it may not spread to my neighbours' orchards, as well as the rest of my own. If I 

 thought it necessary, I would dig up and burn all infested trees, but with your kind 

 assistance by way of advice, I would be delighted to master it otherwise. I am very 

 fond of fruit growing and dislike very much to be beaten by such things as San Jos^ 

 Scale or any other pest and will conquer it if I can." 



" April 8. — I got the trees from Parry's nurseries. I gave my son-in-law, who 

 lives a few miles from me, a nice Simoni tree. I did not see the tree again till last 

 week, when I was helping him trim his trees. On coming to his Simoni, which he was 

 very proud of, as it had grown so much last summer, I said, 'You had better get your 

 spade and dig it up at once,' for it was crusted all over with scale. I took my magni- 

 fying glass and let him see for himself. I did not loose sight of the tree till it )vas in 

 the fire. I could see no signs of the scale on his other trees, and I hope they are not 

 infested." — [J. Van Horn.] 



At the enc^ of the season Mr. Van Horn wrote to me that he believed his orchard 

 was quite clear of the scale. During the month of December, 1897, I visited his 

 orchard and examined the trees very carefully. I found the following state of affairs. 

 Of the two trees which were badly infested, one had been dug up and destroyed 

 entirely, the other was cut off last winter within a few inches from the ground and 

 thoroughly drenched with the "lime, sulphur and salt" mixture and subsequently with the 

 whale-oil soap solution. This t-tump had thrown up during the summer some vigorous 



