JOURNAL 



OF 



ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY 



OFFICIAL ORGAN AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGISTS 



Vol. 10 OCTOBER, 1917 No. 5 



MISCIBLE OIL VERSUS FISH OIL SOAP SPRAYS FOR THE 

 CONTROL OF FLORIDA ALEYRODIDS^ 



By E. A. Back and S. S. Grossman, Bureau of Entomology 



Since the Division of Tropical and Subtropical Insect Investiga- 

 tions began its study of the Aleyrodid pests of Citrus in Florida in 

 1906, spraying experiments have been carried on more or less con- 

 tinuously, although for the first three years they were made secondary 

 to problems associated with the biology of the pests (1) and their con- 

 trol by natural agencies (2) and fumigation (3, 4). Yet, in spite of the 

 disconnected character of the work, a relatively large amount of data 

 were secured either by, or under the direction of, Dr. A. W. Morrill, 

 who was, until August, 1909, in field charge at Orlando. The work 

 during this period definitely determined the relative value of the vari- 

 ous home-made and the proprietary spray materials then on the market 

 and gave data which proved beyond question the superiority of certain 

 miscible oil sprays and standard brands of fish oil soap (5). The 

 miscible oils tested, however, were rather expensive and, being of a pro- 

 prietary nature, could not be recommended unreservedly. The devel- 

 opment, therefore, during the past few years, by Mr. W. W. Yothers 

 of the Bureau, of home-made miscible oil sprays, that are cheap, de- 

 pendable and easily made, has been of great practical value to the 

 citrus industry, and the enthusiasm with which his various formulae 

 and his spraying schedule for the control of Aleyrodid, rust mite and 

 scale insect pests have been accepted by the leading citrus growers of 

 Florida is evidenced by the rising vote of thanks given Mr. Yothers 

 by the members of the Florida Horticultural Society at their 1915 

 meeting held at Tampa. 



1 Published with the permission of the Secretary of Agriculture. 



