BULLETIN 133 December, 1903 



Ontario Agricultural College and Experimenial Farm 



THE PRESENT CONDITION OF THE SAN JOSE 



SCALE IN ONTARIO. 



By Wm. LdCHHKAP, B.A., M.S., Profkssor of Biology and Geolouy. 



It is now nearly ten years since the San Jose scale made its appearance 

 in the United States east of the Rockies, and it is about seven years since it 

 first appeared in Ontario. It has made progress in that time in spite of all 

 the efforts which have been put forth to keep it under control. In the St. 

 Catharines district there are but tew orchards which have escaped invasion, 

 and many have succumbed to the terrible attack. In the West the scale is 

 very prevalent in South Essex and Kent. Although the scale is so wide- 

 spread in these districts, yet we must remember that if it had not been for 

 the energetic action of the Government in appointing inspectors, and m pass- 

 ing the Fumigation x\ct for the treatment of nursery stock, in my judgment, 

 the scale would have spread to most parts of the Province. 



Never before has the San Jose scale problem seemed so easy of solu- 

 tion as it does to-day. After long experimentation we now know that we have 

 methods which are both effective and easy to apply. The whole solution of 

 the difficulty lies now with the fruit grower himself. There are five more or less 

 effective remedies— first, the lime, sulphur, and salt mixture ; second, crude 

 petroleum; third, crude petroleum and whale-oil soap emulsion; fourth, whale- 

 oil soap solution; fifth, the McBain Carbolic Wash. With regard to the lime, 

 sulphur, and salt mixture, its effectiveness was demonstrated beyond doubt by 

 Mr. G. E. Fisher, and it is being extensively used, in the West particularly, 

 as an effective remedy. The chief points of excellence of this mixture are: 

 First, its cheapness ; second, its effectiveness ; third, its cleansing effect upon 

 the tree from both insect and fungous pests. The fact that it is somewhat 

 ('ifficult to prepare and hard on the men and apparatus, has made this mix- 

 ture unpopular with some of our fruit growers. Where the fruit grower has 

 the proper appliances for making the mixture its operation is not so difficult 

 as it appears. 



The crude petrohnim is well adapted in the West for apple treatment, and 

 in the Chatham district I fail to hear of the death of a single tree. In that 

 district the oil is easy to procure and the fruit growers are well pleased with 

 the results. The objections which have been urged against crude petroleum 

 are: (i) The great variation in strength of the oil; (2) The disagreeableness 

 of application, and (t,) The great liability of its injuring plums and peaches. 



The emulsion of crude petroleum and whale-oil soap, although a very 

 effective remedy, has never taken well with the fruit growers, on account of 

 the difficulty which was found in making the emulsion, and of the disagreeable- 

 ness of the application. 



