26 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



are on the trunk only, as frequently happens when the wooden wrap- 

 pers are used as a protection against the attack of borers, they can be 

 killed by washing the trunk with the emulsion by means of a white- 

 wash brush. 



Kerosene emulsion is made as follows: Dissolve one-half pound 

 of hard soap in one gallon of boiliog water. Rain or soft water should 

 be used for this purpose, otherwise " break " the water by adding 

 washing soda. Remove the water from the fire and add two gallons 

 of kerosene. Churn this mixture for ten minutes by means of a force 

 pump — pump a solid stream of the mixture back into itself. The 

 liquid will assume a milky appearance, increase about one-third in bulk 

 and become thick and creamy. Be sure to churn for ten minutes, oth- 

 erwise the mixture may appear to be perfectly emulsified, when it is- 

 not, and the kerosene will separate and rise and the material and labor 

 will be lost. This emulsion should keep indefinitely in this concen- 

 trated form. When it is to be used, add nineteen gallons of water to 

 the above, mix thoroughly, and apply as stated. 



It is the root inhabiting form that is diflficult to manage, but it is 

 believed that we can now control this pest cheaply and easily. Un- 

 doubtedly the root form can be killed by saturating the ground with 

 kerosene emulsion, but this is extremely troublesome, difficult, expen- 

 sive, and in most localities impossible to accomplish on account of ex- 

 tensive orchards and the scarcity of water; then again it is practically 

 impossible to reach all the aphids under the large roots around the 

 base of the tree where they are protected. Pure kerosene should 

 never be used for this purpose. 



Some commercial fertilizers tend more or less to kill these aphids 

 and keep them away. Salt and potash mixtures are useful in this 

 respect, and where commercial fertilizers are used one will find nitrate 

 of soda, kainit or muriate of potash of great value. It requires about 

 ten pounds of kainit or five pounds of muriate of potash to a six-year- 

 old tree, and this should be evenly distributed around the tree as far 

 as the main roots extend. Judge W. R. Wilkinson, of Altenburg, Mis- 

 souri, has used concentrated lye with good results so far as the trees 

 themselves are concerned, and if not too expensive, this may prove of 

 value. Wood ashes are also good. 



From what has been determined by actual experiments in the 

 laboratory and in orchards and nurseries, it is certain that carbon 

 bisulphide and especially finely powdered tobacco or tobacco dust, as 

 it is called, are the two great remedies to be used against the root 

 inhabiting form of the wooly-aphis. Unground tobacco stems or coarse 

 tobacco will not answer; it must be finely powdered. 



