110 

 A NEW WASH FOR SCALE INSECTS. 



Sc le Insects seem to be on the increase in some parts of the Island, 

 and whale oil and kerosene emulsion are reported as not altogether ef- 

 ficacious It may be well, therefore, to try the lime-sulphur-salt wash, 

 that has proved successful in the United States, particularly in the 

 destruction of the San Jose scale. 

 The formula is as follow : — 



Lime (unslacked) 30 lbs. 



Flour of Sulphur 20 lbs. 



Common Salt 15 lbs. 



Water 60 gallons 



The mixture may be made according to the following plan*: Place 

 about one-fourth of the water in an iron kettle and bring to a boil. 

 When the boiling point is reached, add the unslaked lime, and during 

 the consequent violent boiling add the sulphur (which should pre- 

 viously have been mixed with water) and keep well stirred A few 

 minutes later add the salt and continue the boiling for two hours. 

 Water may have to be added from time to time to make up for evapo- 

 ration — sufficient water should \ e kept in the kettle to prevent "burn- 

 ing," but more than this is not desirable. At the end of the two 

 hours add water to make 60 gallons and strain through a fine mesh 

 iron strainer. Apply while still hot. 



In Connecticut, the method of making the wash is as foUowsf : — 

 The materials are weighed out, the lime slaked, the sulphur and salt 

 added with enough water to c )ver, and the whole boiled in a kettle for 

 an hour or two. The water was then added, and the mixture applied 

 while fresh. 



In Illinois, Prof. Forbes' method is : — 



" Provide 30 pounds of the best unslaked lime, 30 pounds of com- 

 mercial powdered sulphur, and 30 pounds of salt, and water sufficient 

 to make 100 gallons Heat about five gallons of water in an iron 

 kettle, and while this is heating, weigh out the lime and sift the sul- 

 phur, keeping the two separate. When the water is ready to boil, 

 put in the lime, and as soon as this begins to slake, pour in the sul- 

 phur, one man stirring the mass during the operation. 



" A violent boiling immediately takes place, and water, preferably 

 hot — should be kept at hand to pour on the boiling mass to prevent 

 its running over the kettle. When the lime has finished slaking, the 

 violent boiling ceases and then the mass should be thick and stiff. 

 Keep it steadily boiling for an hour, or until the lime and sulphur 

 have thoroughly entered iuto combination. The mixture will get thin- 

 ner as it boils down, and change from a deep orange through several 

 shades of yellow, ending with a deep amber colour Now add the 30 

 pounds of salt and boil 15 or 20 minutes longer, steadily stirring. 

 Then fill the kettle with hot water, stir thoroughly, strain half the con- 

 tents into a barrel and fill this up with hot water, and spray upon the 

 trees immediately. The remainder of the mixture in the kettle should 



*Gr9orgia State Board of Entomology, Bulletin No. 8, 1903. 

 f Connecticut Experiment Station Keport 1902. 



