lo Mar.. 1911.] Orchard and Garden \otes. 



Still, the action of red oil has been far from satisfactory, and very 

 great care will need to be exercised in its use. Quite a number of trees 

 have been killed ; some have been killed outrigiit, others have made quite a 

 fair foliage growth on the tips in spring, and even then they have 

 succumbed. Various causes have been assigned ; the oil being suspected 

 of possessing some caustic properties, or of being possessed of the power of 

 penetrating the cells in the bark and injuring the inner bark and growing 

 wood. There is no doubt, whate\"er, that free oil on the surface of the 

 mixture, if sprayed on the trees, will undoubtedly kill them. Hence the 

 necessity for a perfect em^ulsion. 



Then, again, the physical condition of the trees may be another cause of 

 destruction. Constitutionally, some trees are weaker than others, owing 

 to manv and various causes ; also, a tree will surely be weakened by constant 

 and frequent attacks of the pest, year after year. And so. while a strong 

 tree receives no ill effect from a i in 30. or i in 25. emulsion, a 

 weakened tree, constitutionally or otherwise, will probably succumb. 



It seems, however, to be fairlv definite, that if peach trees are to be 

 sprayed with red oil emulsion, it must be done when no sap movement is 

 taking place, and when the tree is perfectly dormant. Thus early spray- 

 ing is advised ; and it is almost certain that, with a perfect emulsion, and 

 with spraying, say in May or early June, little or no damage will accrue. 

 Again, spraying before pruning has previously been advised in these 

 notes. It is well known that to spray pruned trees with red oil emulsion 

 before the cuts are thoroughl\ healed, is to burn the wood and bark at the 

 cuts. More than one instance has been observed where the oil has burned 

 down an unhealed cut, along the limb, for se\eral inches. Various 

 media have been adopted to form a perfect emulsion. Soft soap and 

 caustic soda are the general substances. At the Burnley orchards last 

 winter an excellent emulsion was obtained from resin and caustic soda. 



The writer suggested to one of the oil companies that if the oil were 

 denaturated before lea\ing its ports of shipment, it could enter Australia 

 as a spraying oil only ; and would come in free of duty. The cost to Jhe 

 grower would thereby be cheapened. As an experiment the oil was there- 

 fore denaturated with 2 lbs. of resin per gallon, and an emulsion obtained 

 by stirring in \ oz. of caustic soda. The results were excellent ; not 

 only was a perfect emulsion made, but the aphis was completely eradicated, 

 no sign of it appearing in the spring. Further, a block of apple trees 

 badly affected with \Voolly Aphis that was sprayed with this emulsion 

 was almost entirely freed from the trouble. 



It is anticipated, however, that further developments may be expected 

 in red oil emulsioas, as one manufacturer will in all probability place on 

 the market a red oil jelly or oil soap similar in appearance to vaseline, 

 which will only need to be stirred into the water, when it will be ready for 

 use. This jelly gives a milky emulsion which, when mixed, and allowed 

 to stand for two or three weeks, has no free oil floating on the surface. 



Vegetable Garden. 



••VU vacant plots should be given a liberal surface dressing of stable 

 manure, and then well and ileeply dug. For winter growth, the beds 

 should be elevated somewhat above the ordlnarv suiunier level. That is. 

 the path surface may be on a lower level, the plot .soil Ix-ing well throwi- 

 up and boldly lidged. Thi'^ will give a certain amount of drainage, and 

 will insure warmer and better soil ; the vegetables shouKl succeed more in 

 this cla>> of bed tli.in in .inv othei 



