562 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



mask to protect the face as all these preparations are very caustic. 

 If a small particle gets in the eye it will cause intense pain. It will 

 eat into the hands if they are too much exposed to its caustic action. 

 If using power with 80 pounds pressure, be sure you have a strong 

 hose. I use best seven-ply. Ilave the couplings securely fastened 

 or they will blow out and you may get a dose in the face much to 

 your discomfort. 



How long will a tree badly infested survive? I have had both 

 apple and peach trees 8 years old perfectly healthy, making new 

 wood growth of over two feet the past season, killed by January 

 1st. I am satisfied two years will be about the limit for young trees, 

 so it behooves us to act promptly, ^pray with lime, sulphur and 

 salt, if you have the scale. If you are not sure, spray anyway and 

 you are safe. As to the remedy spoken of so highly in a late issue 

 of a Philadelphia paper, I say, go slow. I have used the prepara- 

 tion of caustic potash and caustic soda for years with excellent effect 

 on the trunks and larger limbs of my trees. It destroys all fungi 

 and leaves the bark clean, soft and thrifty, but it will destroy buds. 

 I have experimented with it for the scale, at a strength of one pound 

 to six gallons of water but it will not destroy the louse under the 

 scale, and if made strong enough to do so it will destroy buds. 



I have also dissolved one pound suli)hur in one pound caustic 

 potash (90 per cent.) in two quarts of water. By boiling, this makes 

 a beautiful amber colored liquid, throws no sediment and can be 

 diluted to any strength. I have put this in seven gallons of water 

 and sprayed the scale and, though doing better than the caustic 

 soda alone, it is not satisfactory, and will likewise hurt buds. Al- 

 though I will continue experimenting, yet I will rely principally 

 upon the lime, sulphur and salt for peach and other trees not too 

 thickly encrusted. If the scale are too thick I will spray with pure 

 kerosene put on as a very fiiue mist with a kerosene nozzle having a 

 hole the size of a fine cambric needle.* 



Before closing, I desire to express an opinion as to the best method 

 of awakening the fruit grower and the farmer and every one who 

 owns a village lot to their danger; the best method of educating 

 them to successful Iv fight this dread foe. 



In my humble opinion this can be best accomplished through the 

 aid of the Uei)artment of Agriculture and Horticulture. Make it 

 one of the prominent features of the Farmers' Institute. Let the 



•Note.— I have examined the trees sprayed during late November and I find the lime, sul- 

 phur and salt has not killed as many scale as was hoped, and I doubt if late fall or early 

 winter spraying will destroy enough to pay for labor and material. If such is the fact, then 

 the time for effectual spraying is very limited. Should the spring be late, with much rain, 

 we may have but a few days of ideal spraying weather. We see the importance of having the 

 material ready and the best machinery for thorough and rapid work. 



I doubt if the lime, sulphur and salt wash really does kill as many lice while under the scale 

 as Is claimed for it. I believe it acts upon the louse during the first forty-eight hours of its life 

 after birth, by preventing it from attaching itself to the tree, depriving it of nourishment or by 

 the caustic action of the material upon the body of the Insect causing its death. I believe that 

 to more thoroughly subdue this pest we must use some one of the best summer remedies to follow 

 the lime. !«iiliihur and salt after It has Inst Its potency. 



