Siininicr Meeting. 17 



Soup," the closing lines of which, if applied to apple trees, would read 



thus : 



"If they chance to fail, say that Nature did it, 

 If they chance to bear, give the care the credit." 



DISCUSSION — ORCHARDS. 



Mr. Goodman. — I would ask Mr, Todd what proportions of carbolic 

 acid, water, lime, sulphur and soap he used in the wash he speaks of. 



Mr. Todd. — We make the wash in three gallon buckets usually, but 

 when going over the large orchards, we make it by the barrel. We make 

 it by the bucket for the young trees. We put in each three gallons, one 

 and a half table spoons of carbolic acid. We use hard or soft soap made of 

 concentrated lye. We use a lump about 5x4 and put it in a vessel of 

 warm water; enough to dilute the soap, and when diluted we put in as 

 much sulphur as will mix well. I suppose at least a quart in a three 

 gallon bucket. We put in this preparation, mix thoroughly and then put in 

 the lime and water until we have a thick white wash, but not thick enough 

 to scale ofif. You can tell by this what proportion to use. I prefer 

 using the unslacked lime, as it keeps up the warmth until thoroughly 

 mixed. After it is thoroughly mixed, I have nO' trouble. It does not take 

 a large quantity when going over the young trees and it is not expensive. 

 When I go over the large orchards,. I make it in barrels. This wash 

 will stay on through an ordinarily wet winter. We put it on after gather- 

 ing the apples last fall. If it gets off, I go over it again next month. 

 I have gone over them twice a year. 



Mr. Gilkeson. — Is there any danger of the fresh lime burning the 

 bark ? 



T. H. Todd.— iXo. 



A. H. Gilkeson. — Should it be mixed a day or two before putting on ? 



Mr. Todd. — No ; mix it fresh so that it will be warm. You under- 

 stand sulphur is hard to mix, but it will mix with the soft soap and sul- 

 phur before going in with the lime water. We have, with the soap after 

 diluting, nearly a gallon of sulphur and soft soap, then fill up with lime 

 and water in the three gallon bucket. Yon will have no trouble with 

 burning and there will be no borers if applied well. Rabbits will not 

 touch the trees. I have a fine place for rabbits and I went away last 

 winter, leaving word to wrap the trees. I was a little afraid to trust 

 the wash, as I was to be away. The hands left a good many of the trees 

 unwrapped where they needed it the most, but they had been washed and 

 I was surprised to find that none of the trees were touched by rabbits. 



H— 2 



