No. 7. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 657 



havinf;, is that wash that is the most readily prepared and applied, 

 and is least injurious to spraying machinery, teams and workman, 

 and most effective in destroying insects and at the same time being 

 most beneficial to the tree. Upon this we are a unit — and I believe 

 we have to-day in the soluble oils just such a remedy, and there is 

 abundant testimony from others showing them to be of the same 

 opinion. Therefore I cannot understand why our Experiment Sta- 

 tions and fruit growers too, will persist in recommending that nas- 

 tiest, mean, contemptible and most disagreeable wash when some- 

 thing better and pleasanter, and, really, taken as a whole, more 

 economical, can be used. 



In many places I find that laborers refuse, absolutely, to work 

 in the L. S. S. wash. There was a time when a laborer who refused 

 to do as his emplo^-er directed was dismissed, but this is not the 

 case to-day, the laborer is independent and when he refuses to work 

 in the Lime Sulphur wash because of its disagreeable features, we 

 will be compelled to use something else. 



Very extravagant claims are made for the Lime Sulphur wash. 

 Prof. Taft, of Michigan, says he can control apple scab with this 

 wash. I cannot believe Prof. Taft meant this, because this disease 

 will attack your fruit at a time when you would not dare treat 

 them with the L. S. wash. 



A few weeks ago I addressed a meeting of fruit growers at Kala- 

 mazoo, Michigan, and after the address a strenuous advocate of the 

 Lime Sulphur wash stated that he had been very successful with 

 this w^ash and would continue to use it. He said that about three 

 days after applying it he would go ali over his orchard and touch 

 up such places as had been missed, and a week later he would go 

 over it again. That grower told the whole story, but how could 

 anyone having 100 to 1,000 acres in his orchard, go over them two 

 or three times. 



It is also passing strange to me that all those who are advocating 

 the use of the soluble oils should be charged with insincerity, or 

 that only those were advocating the use of the oils who were directly 

 benefited by their sale. Should this be true, then with equal cer- 

 tainty could all entomologists and officials be charged with having 

 an interest either directly or indirectly in the sale of lime and sul- 

 phur, and cooking apparatus. In conclusion, I am firmly of the 

 opinion, and make the unqualified prediction, that if this San Jos6 

 scale pest will ever be generally kept under control in the United 

 States by artificial means, it will have to be with some remedy hav- 

 ing an oil base, and the higher the oil figure, and the freer from 

 deleterious oils the better. A natural enemy in the form of a 

 parasite that will attack and destroy the scale, is still our longing 

 hope. 



Adjourned. 



Evening Session, 7:30 P, M. 



THE PRESIDENT.— The chair announces the following Legis- 

 lative Committee: Hon. William T. Creasv, chairman; D. M. Werts, 

 H. A. Surface, E. B. Engle. 



Chairman General Fruit Committee, C. J. Tyson. 



