560 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



ing as au iuciibator for the breeding and spread of the insect. I 

 hesitated as to digging it ont or experimenting. I decided on the 

 latter. The tree was in leaf, and set full of peaches the size of 

 peas. I filled my spraying tank with the lime, sulphur and salt, and 

 went for that tree. By the time I was done there was not a spot 

 on trunk, twig or leaf that was not white. When dry the leaves 

 were so thickly covered that they broke on trying to bend them. 



Results. The foliage was killed, but in a surprisingly short time 

 new foliage came out. The tree grew with unusual vigor. The 

 greatest surprise to me was that instead of dropping the fruit, it 

 continued growing unchecked. Had no June drop. I had to remove 

 three-fourths. It ripened a crop of peaches and all scale were de- 

 stroyed. 



Another experiment on a Missouri Pippin apple tree at the samo 

 time. This tree was in full foliage and set full of apples. Thi.s 

 tree also lost its foliage but quickly came into leaf and the fruit con 

 tinned growing. In the fall it had a heavy crop of the finest, cleanest, 

 most perfect and highest colored apples of any one out of 200 trees 

 of the same kind. Although I do not recommend waiting until this 

 late nor do I claim it would be always safe, yet in emergencies I 

 would not hesitate to use this preparation after buds have expanded. 

 I believe that it is an excellent fungicide and one of the best applica- 

 tions for the trunk and heavy limbs any time in the summer as it 

 invariably leaves the bark smooth, soft and clean and destroying 

 totally all fungi. 



Pure kerosene is one of the surest remedies if tlie environments 

 are all right. A powerful pump, a very fine nozzle, an ideal day, 

 bright and clear, and an ideal man holding the nozzle. With the 

 average man it is not safe, as the remedy frequently kills more than 

 the disease. Whale oil soap is safe but too expensive, two pounds 

 to one gallon of water applied before buds open is all right. 



SUMMER TREATMENT. 



Fre(iuently you find a tree or several that have not been treated 

 ill the spring, on which the scale is increasing so rapidly as to en 

 danger the tree. A twenty per cent, kerosene emulsion thoroughly 

 sprayed will not injure the foliage yet will destroy all scale with 

 which it comes in contact; or one pound of whale oil soap to five gal- 

 lons of water. But the ideal preparation is not yet discovered. 

 What we want is, 1st, cheafmess; 2nd, something (piick and easily 

 prepared remaining in solution so that it will always be of uniform 

 strength and that it will flow and break into a fine mist; 3rd, to 

 kill inside of one hour so work and material will not be lost in case 

 of rain; 4th, to be both a fungicide and insecticide; r)th, when it has 

 performed these two functions it will act as a fertilizer to the tree. 



