1900] ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 27 



the multiplication of the scale that could be found. The soap had killed the scale in the 

 first place, of course, but the tree was just now in the same condition as when it was first 

 applied, and the scales were multiplying on the part which had been washed with the 

 soap. Below the untreated portion and for probably a foot and a half down over the 

 part which was washed with soap, the larvse were coming down in great numbers and 

 there were actually mature females giving birth to young. This shews that washing with 

 soap will not deter the scale insects from settling there and starting new colonies. In 

 the middle of September I took my knife and scraped off the scales from a space one 

 inch by two, clearing the bark entirely, and in two days this space was again entirely 

 covered so that no bark could be seen. In the middle of October the same experiment 

 was tiied and the only difference was that it took twice as long for the space to be occu- 

 pied again by the scales. 



Kerosene also has been somewhat unsatisfactory. Trees have been killed and the 

 scale does not seem to have been cleaned up. Crude petroleum has I think on the 

 whole given the greatest satisfaction. Where it was applied on apple trees I have seen 

 no bad results. I applied crude petroleum in one orchard to about 40 apple trees and 

 100 plum trees without in any way injuring a single tree. This was done about the 

 middle of May. The trees were entirely freed from the scale and all that had been 

 alive during the winter previous were cleared off. Oase-bearers and many other insects 

 were also destroyed. The material used was a mixture of 25 to 30 per cent crude 

 petroleum with water, and applied as a spray. I am of the opinion that a mixture of 

 half the quantity of soap recommended and half of crude oil in a combination pump 

 would be preferable to either used alone.. The crade petroleum will kill the scale insects 

 but if applied in considerable quantities is apt to iojare the peach and other tender 

 trees. Great care should be exercised in applying it as advised. The soap alone is not 

 a strong enough application, it does not kill enough of the scales. I do not think ib 

 would be safe to recommend crude petroleum for general use. People did not use whale 

 oil soap in accordance with instructions given and the chances are they would not follow 

 instructions when ueing crude oil, and thus trees would be killed. Judging from the 

 experience of the past year I think some of the reported cases of injury by crude petrol- 

 eum may be due to the way in which the substance has been applied. It must be borne 

 in mind that no portion of the tree should be covered more than once by the spray or 

 the oil will accumulate from each spraying until there is sufficient to injure the tree. 

 I notice frequently when people are spraying that they begin on the trunk then spray 

 the branches and when finishing bring the nozzle down again on to the trunk thus giving 

 that part of the tree a double dose of the oil. This carelessness I think is the cause of much 

 of the injury reported. The way that we spray is as follows: The pump is placed on an 

 ordinary stone boat, one man sprays in one direction and one in another, and each tree 

 is sprayed from four standpoints, or in other words as it is approached and as it is left 

 behind in passing down the rows on each side of it. There is one part of the tree which 

 is frequently overlooked when spraying, that is the upper side of the limbs on the 

 opposite side of the tree to that which is being treated. This can only be reached by 

 pushing the nozzle into the head of the tree and spraying over to the opposite side. (Mr. 

 Fisher here passed around the meeting, specimens of infested wood, which had been cut 

 from trees which had not been treated at all, and others from those treated with 2 lbs. 

 of whalfe oil soap to the gallon or which had been spi-ayed with a 30 per cent mixture of 

 crude petroleum. It was noticed that all these had some living scales on them.) In 

 summing up the matter of remedial treatment I think the best results will follow if work 

 is done in the month of April both with whale oil soap and petroleum applications. A 

 perfect remedy should remain fresh for a long time, it must penetrate easily and must of 

 course destroy the scales without injuring the tree. Soaps made entirely with potash are 

 the best — soda makes a hard soap which solidifies on the trees. I have never seen an 

 apple tree which was in any way injured with crude pstroleum applied of the strength I 

 have mentioned. The whale oil soap from Catawba Island has done the best work and 

 it was only in the case where this Ohio soap had been used that the infestation did not 

 increase. In the case of the other soaps tried the infestation has increased beyond what 

 it was last spring. Many people did not know of the presence of the San Jos^ Scale in 

 their orchards until they found it on the fruit. Almost the whole of the Niagara district 

 is now infested with the scale and it is also very prevalent in the Guilds section where 



