1094: EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



Diplosis jryrivora, Cephus coinpreftsus, Lecanium rini, and a number of species of gall 

 mites. Experiments with mixtures containing soft soap showed that a -1 per cent 

 solution was sufficient to kill the young lecanium. For destroying plant lice the 

 author used a mixture containing soft soap, hard soap, and coal tar; also Nicotianin 

 and mixtures containing soft soap and insect powder, and soft soap and quassia. A 

 dilute tobacco decoction was also tested. All of these remedies proved very efficient 

 in destroying the insects on the various fruit trees. In combating cabbage butterflies 

 the author dusted flowers of sulphur, lime, and pulverized naphthaline on infested 

 plants. Fluid sprays were used containing quassia, benzine, petroleum, tobacco 

 extract, and a number of proprietary remedies. The dry insecticides had little effect, 

 while quassia, benzine, and petroleum gave excellent results. 



San Jose scale investigations, IV, V. H. Lowe and P. J. Parrott {Neiv York 

 State St a. Bui. 22S, pp. 380-44'^, pl^- 7). — The experiments reported in this bulletin 

 were carried on in several localities in the State. No count of scales was made, since 

 this method was considered inadequate as a check upon results. In laboratory 

 experiments with infested apples, however, the scales were counted. As a rule the 

 trees were sprayed once and then such portions as had been missed were later cov- 

 ered with the spraj'. A number of nozzles were used, the Seneca and Vermorel 

 proving most satisfactory. An orchard of peach and plum trees on Long Island was 

 sprayed ]\Iarch 25-29, the amount of mixture used averaging about 1§ gal. i^er tree. 

 The weather following the apj)licati()n was rather wet. The buds of the peach trees 

 were delayed al)out a week in opening, but at the time of the final examination these 

 trees were in better condition than the control trees. A slight injury appeared in 

 the fruit buds of the plum trees, but this was not permanent. The scales were nearly 

 all destroyed. The wet weather had little effect on the spray, the mixture remaining 

 upon the tree until May. 



Another orchard of plum and peach trees in Columbia County was treated March 

 31- April 1, with the same general results. There were severe rains for 80 days after 

 the application, but the killing effects of the wash were apparently not diminished. 

 An orchard of pear trees in Columl)ia County was sprayed April 1 and 2, the weather 

 conditions being the same as those just mentioned. The results were likewise satis- 

 factory, the scales Ijeing nearly all destroyed and the wash remaining on the tree for 

 about 2 months. Similar results were obtained from the treatment of another pear 

 orchard in Columbia County with but 1 application and no respraying. An apple 

 orchard in Ontario County was sprayed April 23-26, when many of the buds had 

 already opened. Rainy weather followed for a jjeriod of 30 days. The foliage 

 appeared to be considerably injured, but the trees recovered from the burning. The 

 average yield of apples in this orchard had been 80 bu., while after treatment the 

 yield was 275 bu. The same satisfactory results were obtained from the treatment 

 of apple trees in the station orchard. An orchard of pear and peach trees in Niagara 

 County was treated April 7-16. Frequent heavy showers occurred during April and 

 May. The leaf buds were somewhat burned, but no permanent injury was caused. 

 The spray remained on the trees 2 months and the results were highly satisfactory. 

 In these experiments 710 trees were treated, with uniformly good results in the 

 destruction of the scales without sei'ious injury to the trees and with evidence that 

 rainy weather does not diminish the effectiveness of the wash. 



In the laboratory experiments the principal object was to determine whether the 

 insecticidal property of the wash is due to the soluble ingredients or precipitates in 

 the wash. The mixture was sprayed on a glass plate, and after being allowed to dry 

 was subjected to a water spray from an atomizer. The solution thus obtained was 

 applied to infested apples. A large percentage of the insects were killed by this 

 solution. Solutions obtained within 72 hours after the application of the wash to the 

 plate were more efficient than those obtained later. An experiment to determine 

 the length of time during which the wash retains its insecticidal properties showed 



