11 Feb., 1918.] Diseases of Fruit Trees. 103 



Spitzeuberg, Statesman, Granny Smith, and Rome Beauty, amongst 

 leading varieties, being specially prone to attack from these insects. 

 Thoroughness in spraying is of the greatest importance, and 

 care should be taken not to allow galls to form, as after these 

 have developed the difficulties of eradication are enormously increased. 

 The spray should be applied first as soon as leaves have fallen, or even 

 earlier, and the second spraying should be given early in August. For 

 these applications use red oil at a strength of one gallon of oil to 25 

 gallons of water.' If aphis be present in summer, the trees may be 

 sj^rayed with tobacco water, made as follows: — Soak 1 lb. of tobacco 

 stems in \h gallons water (first placing tobacco in a bag); if washiup 

 soda is added at rate of \ lb. to every 50 gallons of water, it will 

 greatly assist in the extraction of the nicotine. 



Peach Aphis. — The most effective treatment for these pests is a 

 thorough spraying with red oil in early spring or late winter at strength 

 of 1 in 30. For dealing with these aphides after the trees have become 

 active, make a thorough spraying with tobacco wash — 2 lbs. tobacco to 

 4 gallons water. 



Mussel Scale. — Spray in early winter with red oil — ^1 gallon of oil 

 being used to 20 of water. All loose bark, &c., should be removed from 

 tree. Watch trees closely in spring (usually about November) for 

 young scales hatching, a tobacco spray at this time being very effective. 



San Jose Scale.- — -The same treatment as recommended for mussel 

 scales during dormant period. For summer treatment, use the self- 

 boiled lime-sulphur wash at summer strength, choosing a 

 cool day for that purpose. Sixteen pounds of fresh burnt lime 

 or 13 lbs. of flowers of sulphur, will suffice to make 80 gallons of 

 winter spray or 240 gallons of summer spray. To prepare, place lime in 

 barrel which has previously been rinsed with boiling water to warm it ; 

 mix the sulphur in a convenient vessel with boiling water added dowly, 

 until the sulphur is well mixed into a somewhat stiff paste, then add 

 more boiling water, 4 gallons in all. The lime in the barrel should be 

 slaked simultaneously with four gallons of boiling water, and the 

 suphur mixture added. Stir the lot up well with a wooden spade or 

 flat stick, and then cover up with two or three bags to retain the heat. 

 If everything is done promptly, the mixture should continue to boil for 

 30 minutes. It is best used when freshly made. 



Olive Scale. — During the winter months it is difficult to reach these 

 insects when infesting citrus trees, and the most effective time for deal- 

 ing with this pest is in March, either by fumigation or spraying. At 

 this time of the year these insects are mostly small and immature, and 

 the trees, having at this time ripened their growth, are less liable to 

 sustain damage from either gas or oil applications. Red oil may be 

 applied at a strength of 1 in 40. When this scale occurs on deciduous 

 trees, they can be treated with red oil at winter strength during the 

 winter months. The same treament can be given for the Red scale. 



In dealing with scale insects it should be borne in mind that it is 

 difficult to destroy matured scales and their eggs, but when first hatched 

 the young are exceedingly delicate little creatures, and are at this stage 

 easily killed by almost any weak contact insecticide. But if they are 

 permitted to settle down and start feeding, they immediately commence 

 to form the protecting scale, and as this increases in size so the diffi- 

 culties in reaching the insect beneath becomes greater, and consequently 

 washes of greater strength become necessary. 



