San Jose Scale. 271 



spraying again this winter. The remainder of the orchard, tlioiigli having some 

 scale, was not infested sufficiently to make spraying again this year advisable. 



EFFECT OF SOLUTION ON TREES. 



The claim has been made that trees sprayed in early spring with sulphur. 

 lime, and salt solution were slower in starting out blossoms and leaves than were 

 the trees not sprayed. Observations in this orchard seemed to verify this state- 

 ment. The growth on some varieties was. as near as could be determined, from 

 a day or two to a week later than on the unsprayed trees of the same varieties. 

 This was undoubtedly caused by the white trees absorbing less heat than did 

 those unsprayed. In no case did any of the trees show any signs of injury 

 from the solution. That sulphur and lime have considerable value as a fungi- 

 cide has been believed by many experimenters for some time. Some facts noticed 

 in connection with this work have tended to confirm this belief. Peach leaf curl 

 was quite prevalent this season in many orchards, but while leaf curl was to 

 be found on Elberta trees in plots of trees near the sprayed orchard, none could 

 be found on the sprayed trees of Elberta or any other variety. That the solution 

 has a beneficial effect on the fungous growths on the bark of trees is certain : 

 for trees sprayed in this work and in other places show a much cleaner, 

 smoother surface than do trees which have not been sprayed. 



In regard to this subject. Prof. L. R. Taft, Inspector of Orchards and 

 Nurseries for Michigan, says : "There can be no question but what the sulphur, 

 lime, and salt solution is a very efllcient fungicide. It surpasses anything 

 1 know of for cleaning up the trunks of trees, and it has a very marked 

 ^'ffect upon the freedom from scab of both fruit and foliage. Quite a number 

 of orchardists who sprayed a portion of their trees for the scale last year are 

 so well pleased with its effect as a fungicide that they will now spray all of 

 their trees whether infested with scale or not." 



WHEN TO SPRAY. 



Sulphur, lime, and salt solution may be applied at any time when the leaves 

 are off the trees ; that is. from November to April. A very good plan, where 

 there is a possibility of eradicating the pest, is to make one application in the 

 fall and then repeat the following spring to make sure of touching all parts 

 of the tree with the material. A very weak solution of sulphur, lime, and salt 

 has been used on trees in foliage, but there Is little advantage to be gained by at- 

 tempting to do the work in summer, for while some of the scale are more easily 

 killed then, they are much harder to reach with the spray, more solution is 

 required, and the foliage of most trees will l)e burned by a solution strong 

 enough to kill the insects. 



WHAT TO SPRAY. 



Apple, pear, peach, plum, sweet cherry, and mountain ash trees, rose bushes. 

 grape vines, currant and gooseberry bushes, lilac bushes, and several other orna- 

 mental trees, shrubs, and vines are liable to Infestation from this pest. All of 

 these may be treated at any time when dormant. 



Trees that have been infested with the scale until they have become in- 

 crusted or have begun to die at the top had best be cut and burned. All trees 

 should be severely pruned out and cut back before spraying, as much labor and 

 material is saved by so doing, and much more thorough work can be done. If 

 the trees are large, all loose bark should be scraped from the tree with a hoe. 

 as this bark is of no use to the tree and may protect the scale from the spraying 

 .solution. In spraying an orchard do not stop with the trees that are known 

 to be infested. If one tree in the orchard has scale, the others are almost sure 

 to have scale also, although much care is often necessary to find them. It is 

 better to spray a few trees which do not have scale than to take the chances of 

 leaving trees that are infested. 



