JO Dec. 1909 ] Orchard Xo/cs. "J^j 



consideration at all. The greater anxiety sliould be to keep the pest awav at all 

 hazards, no matter how often the spray pump is taken out. 



With ordinary care no grijwer should fear burnt fijliage by using anv of the- 

 brands of arsenate of lead now placed on the market. Continuous trials of 

 various brands of colonially manufactured arsenates of lead aie now being 

 made at the Burnley Gardens, but very little difference in comparative results 

 is expected, as recent analyses undertaken by the Departments of Agricul- 

 ture of South Australia and Victoria show an equable j)roportion of arsenic 

 oxide for killing pur[)Oses ; furblier, the percentage of free arsenic, or water 

 soluble arsenic — the burning pro})ei-ty — is low in all samnles. 



Tlie results of the Victorian analyses are gi\en on page 753, whilst the 

 South .Australian areas follow : — 



A Bill has been prepared for I'nited States Congress, providing that arsenate- 

 of lead shall be deemed to be adulterated if it contains more than 50 per 

 cent, of water ; if it contains total arsenic equivalent to less than 12^ per 

 cent, of arsenic oxide; or if it contains soluble arsenic equivalent to more than 

 0.75 per cent, of arsenic oxide. According to this standard, it is shown that 

 some samples, as appear in the accompanying analyses, may be regarded as 

 adulterated ; but, at present, it may bo considered that those samples which 

 show a fair percentage of arsenic oxide, and a low percentage of water soluble 

 arsenic, are the safest and best to use. The Government of South Austi-alia 

 is introducing legislation to deal with this question. A Bill has been drafted 

 providing that manufacturers of insecticides shall deliver with the invoice 

 an exact account and percentage of all constituents and ingredients of an}' 

 insecticide sold. 



Additional precautions to keep the codlin moth pest in check should be 

 rigidly ob.served. All fruit infested with the larvje, whether on the ground 

 or on the tree, should be immediately collected, and burned or boiled, pre- 

 ferably the latter. If the trees are bandaged, the bandages should be 

 examined, and existing larv;e destroyed weekly. All secondhand cases 

 should be thoroughly steamed or dipped in boiling water, immediately they 

 are brought into the orchar<]. 



The pear and cherry slug should still be combated. So far as this insect 

 affects the pear, growers who spray regularly for codlin moth with arsenate 

 of lead need fear no trouble. It may again be emphasized that every effort 

 should be taken to prevent the slug making any inroads upon the foliage of 

 cherry trees. Hawthorn hedges are a source of hai-bour for this pest, and 

 these should be kept cut within bounds, so that they may be easily sprayed 

 if they become seriously infested. Japanese plums, and the purple foliaged 

 Pnmus pisardl (sometimes known as the Japanese cherry plum) should also 

 be watched for visitations of the slug. Vines should now be sprayed with 

 arsenate of lead, or with Paris green, for the destruction of the vine moth 

 caterpillars. The usual early summer pest, the thrip, made its appearance 

 with the hot spell early in November. The insects came in large numbers,, 

 but were too late to do anv damage to fruit tree blossoms. 



