552 THE GARDENER. [Dec. 



PEAR SCALE. 



All old gardens, and particularly the one in question, are often infested 

 with insects of various sorts. The Pear scale has reigned predominant 

 here on the wall- trees apparently for a considerable number of years. 

 It made one sorry to look at what once had been one of the features 

 of these gardens — the beautiful trained trees — going limb by limb with 

 a complete investiture of scale, which, like John Brown's ghost, still 

 kept marching on. To put a stop to their triumphant march, I had 

 before me a large field to experiment upon ; and knowing from pre- 

 vious practice what would kill both insects and trees, I endeavoured 

 to steer clear of that rock, at the same time I knew that a desperate 

 case required a desperate cure. 



Before trying any of the new insecticides, I made a very strong 

 brewing of soft soap and salt, applied it to the trees as hot as possible, 

 and with much force, from the garden-engine, until it lathered against 

 the walls; and for some time the walls acted as a very good barometer, 

 prognosticating the change of weather. I believe this application of 

 brine killed many of the more tender insects which generally harbour 

 about old garden-walls, for during summer the trees were unusually 

 free from the leaf-maggot. As the brine fell to the ground, I have no 

 doubt but many of the insects were killed which secrete themselves 

 under the surface of the soil along the bottom of the walls ; at all 

 events, after a time I could plainly see that the dressing had no effect 

 upon the Pear scale. But not to be beat with so many insecticides in 

 the market, I returned to the charge, trying half a tree with one sort 

 and the other half with another sort ; but, good or useful as I know 

 those insecticides to be upon tender insects, I failed to perceive that 

 they had any killing effect on the Pear scale, so close do they adhere 

 to the branches. 



Being again foiled in my object of eradicating the scale, and know- 

 ing the deadly effect of oils upon vegetation as a wholesale killer, 

 I was loath to try them ; but paraffin-oil I never had tried. Train- 

 oil I have used for Peaches and Vines when in a dormant state — say, 

 a pint of train-oil (not a Scotch pint) to 5 gallons of soft water, with 

 a good handful of sulphur, adding a little soft soap, stirring all well 

 together, makes a quick and safe dressing for ordinary purposes. The 

 object for using soft water is simjDly this, that train-oil will not mix with 

 hard water. This dressing can be applied to the trees with the syringe 

 or the garden-engine, keeping it well stirred during its application to 

 hold the sulphur in susj)ension. This dressing I have used without 

 any deleterious effect to the trees, further than making them feel a 

 little greasy, but this wore off in time with the general syringing, and 



