100 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



Eegarding the use of this, I know some large growers who, instead of 

 using the ashes, will take the ordinary potash that you can buy, and dis- 

 solve that, putting in just the milk of the lime, adding the carbolic acid 

 and Paris green, and apply with a spray pump. It can be done in a quar- 

 ter of the time taken to wash the trees. If there is a little depression it 

 will run down and destroy the borers. It will give you a smooth bark, 

 and with a smooth bark we are less liable to have the borers. 



For curculio, to be very sure, I would practice jarring and go over the 

 trees often enough to be sure, but I would even then first make use of the 

 spraying; I would go about it as I recommended in the first place — just 

 as soon as the blossoms are fallen, I would spray with Bordeaux mix- 

 ture and Paris green, repeating the application once or twice every ten 

 days, making it weaker toward the last. 



If you have a large amount of fruit set, the few curculio that would 

 survive would not be numerous enough to do any great harm. Yoii 

 would have more than enough fruit left; if you only have a few blos- 

 soms, they might take all you had, from the fact that these insects are of 

 a family that is hard to kill. It takes some little time before they are 

 killed, and in that time they may lay eggs, and probably would, and they 

 'might lay enough to take all the blossoms you had. It is possible that 

 some of this poison, if jjroperly applied, will get in where the egg is, and 

 if that is done, it will be pretty sure to destroy the young worm. 



Judge Ramsdell: Prof. Taft was given a solution for coating the trees 

 for the borers. I have found an effectual remedy for small peach trees. 

 I wrap them with a glassy paper, such as is used for packing butter; it 

 protects them perfectly for it is so glassy that the cut worm cannot climb 

 it. I have used that now for two years, on small trees; it is very effec- 

 tive, and can be done faster than the hilling. 



Q: Can Prof. Taft tell us what kind of a spraying nozzle to use, what 

 make? 



Prof. Taft: There is no particular make that I would recommend, but 

 nearly all spraying firms have the Vermorel nozzles, and where you can 

 use the long pole, so that you can get within four feet of where you want 

 to apply it, and putting two together, you will get along about twice as 

 fast. 



Next to that for the large trees, I would recommend the McGowen 

 nozzle. Either is good. The McGowen will throw farther than the Ver- 

 morel, and there is a good stream too. Any dealer has them, or can get 

 them for you. 



Many of the others that throw fine sprays are all right, but get a nozzle 

 that will not clog. The Vermorel is cleaned by pushing through a little 

 pin. The McGowen cleans itself; a spring gives way. 



Q : What is the best method of preparing the lime so that it won't clog 

 the nozzle? 



Prof. Taft : I slake the lime as I would for mortar and can keep it that 

 way any length of time. As I have generally prepared it, I would take 

 the amount of lime I wished to use, sav enough for a barrel of water — 

 perhaps four pounds, and a fractional amount of my copper sulphate, 

 and having made my dilution, I put them together and then test that; 

 there is a very simple test that can be applied — the ordinary ferrocyanide 

 of potassium; you can buy it at the drug store and place it in a bottle of 



