No. 6. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 257 



SUGGESTIONS FOR rRACTICE. 



From the information given in the preceding pages, the fruit 

 grower should be able to determine upon his plan of campaign 

 against the pernicious scale; but a few suggestions based upon prac- 

 tical experience may not be amiss. 



If the grower does the work himself, he can get along with crude 

 oil only. If he must depend more or less upon hired help, whale oil 

 soap should be on hand for the summer applications unless he prefers 

 lime. At least once a month — better once every two weeks — every 

 tree in the orchard should be looked at closely enough to note any 

 serious increase in the scales. Whenever larvae are noted in such 

 numbers as to render injury probable, the tree should be marked for 

 immediate attention and this attention should be given — not merely 

 intended. Whale oil soap, lime or crude oil may be used as indicated 

 uL'der the head of summer treatments. The inspection in late Sep- 

 tember or early October should be especially close, to lessen the num- 

 ber of scales that are to be reached by winter treatment. I do not 

 suggest treatment whenever larvae re seen on a tree, unless summer 

 v.ork is to be altogether relied upon; only when the insects occur 

 in dangerous swarms. Spraying should not be done when the fruit 

 is neariug maturity, especially in peach; but should be done, if need- 

 ed, soon afterward, to prevent a drain that may interfere with the set- 

 ting of fruit buds. 



AVhen the foliage is all off, or at any time in December, a system- 

 atic and careful inspection should be made to determine what trees 

 should be treated. I am by no means in favor of dosing every tree 

 because here and there a scale may be detected. Where scales are 

 well distributed over a tree, treat by all means; but if only a few ex- 

 amples can be found by close search, give the tree another year. 



In all except peach orchards I would unhesitatingly suggest crude 

 petroleum for the winter treatment. Pears may be treated first, 

 any time after the beginning of January, Plums may follow next. 

 Apples had better come in February, and if peaches are also to be 

 treated, let them come last, in March. My personal preference is in 

 favor of the undiluted oil, carefully applied, for the following reasons: 

 The oil alone kills; if only oil is applied, every particle is effective; if 

 oil and water are applied there are three or four ineffective particles 

 and where these strike, no benefit will be derived; any carelessness 

 that results in the irregular action of the emulsion pump produces 



17—6-1002 



