WINTER MEETING. 313 



V. While in most cases the scale was introduced from four to 

 seven years ago, one infection was introduced but two years ago. 



VI. The San Jose scale is distributed easily on nursery stock, 

 cuttings, cions, buds, etc.; and naturally spreads from tree to tree and 

 from orchard to orchard by birds and insects. 



VII. In some localities in Missoari not only orchard fruit trees, 

 but shade and ornamental trees, osage orange hedges and some forest 

 trees are now infested as a result of the natural distribution of the 

 insect from the infested orchards. 



VIII. The San Jose scale can best be killed in orchards by the 

 use of whale-oil soap. The tree should first be severely pruned and 

 then thoroughly washed or sprayed on all sides with two pounds of 

 whale-oil soap dissolved in one gallon of hot water. At least two appli- 

 cations are necessary and three are preferable. The first application 

 should be made shortly after the leaves have fallen, the second some 

 time during the winter and the third in the spring before the buds 

 swell. If only two applications can be made, the first and third are to 

 be used — namely, the fall and spring applications. Hydrocyanic acid gas 

 is practically the only other safe remedy, but this is more troublesome 

 and expensive than the whale-oil soap method except for nursery stock. 



IX. Spray pumps to be used for the application of hot whale-oil 

 soap should have metal valve, since the soap destroys leather and rub- 

 ber rapidly. 



X. Do not be deceived and try to kill the San Jose scale during 

 the summer by the use of ordinary insecticides, such as kerosene 

 emulsion, etc. Use whale-oil soap, and use it only during the dormant 

 state of the tree. 



GENERAL DISCUSSION. 



Two years ago the Department of Entomology of the Missouri 

 Agricultural Experiment Station was established, and one of the first 

 investigations undertaken was in reference to the San Jose scale, which 

 up to that time had not been observed within the State limits, but 

 which from its importance justified immediate attention, especially 

 since it was being found in states east of us. 



Since nurseries are the source from which the greatest danger 

 could come, the principal nurseries were visited and inspected, to- 

 gether with some of the larger commercial orchards. The result 

 showed that at least the nurseries of Missouri were probably free from 

 this dreaded insect pest, while one private orchard was found to be in- 

 fested. But since the inspection of private orchards throughout the 

 State would be an expensive and tedious operation, it was thought 

 best to issue a circular of information in regard to the San Jose scale ; 



