80 JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY [Vol. 12 



sulphate was introduced we used to have to rely on soaps and kerosene 

 emulsion, and I recall very distinctly that a lot of damage was done to 

 cabbages and fruit trees by kerosene emulsion. Later, when the oil 

 sprays were abandoned in favor of soap, we were then confronted with 

 this fact : that soaps varied tremendously in their important constitu- 

 ents. Our chemists showed that the water content varied from 8 to 

 60 per cent and, on account of the variation in soap, we were forced, 

 in spite of the cost of nicotine sulphate, to recommend it. 



The experiences that have been related in regard to aphids show the 

 great need of thorough-going studies of the life-histories and habits of 

 the various species and business experiments to develop methods of 

 control that are economical and efficient. As regards the strength of 

 the nicotine sulphate, we generally recommend one part to a thousand 

 parts of water, and rarely one to eight hundred. In considering dilu- 

 tion, I would also emphasize the importance of timeliness and thorough- 

 ness of the treatment. 



Mr. W. C. O'Kane: I would like to ask the gentleman, what are 

 you recommending for the spraying of apple foliage where you need 

 to use a stomach poison as an early spray, either the pink spray or the 

 calyx spray, and at the same time have a big infestation of aphids com- 

 ing on? 



Mr. p. J. Parrott: My answer to your question is that if farm- 

 ers were following my instructions they would not find it necessary to 

 use soap in the pink spray. We are working on the proposition that 

 they should make a delayed dormant application. Of course I realize 

 that various workers differ on that point, but we have carried on ex- 

 periments on eight and a half acres in Geneva now for the last five 

 years and we have had no difficulty whatsoever in securing an almost 

 complete killing of the different species of apple lice. 



Mr. W. C. O'Kane: How late were you delaying your apphca- 

 tion for that purpose? 



Mr. p. J. Parrott: Until the leaves of the advanced buds are 

 about one quarter to a half inch. 



Mr. W. H. Goodwin: The single variety of apples? 



Mr. p. J. Parrott: Our work on Station grounds has been 

 entirely with Rome apples, but there is considerable experimental data 

 to show that in blocks of solid varieties, like Greenings or Baldwins, 

 which constitute 60 to 70 per cent of the apples grown in New York, 

 the same results can be obtained; that is, the grower can obtain com- 

 mercial control of the insect. 



Mr. T. J. Headlee: Our experience on the point raised by 

 O'Kane is that it does not make any difference whether the eggs of the 

 apple aphis have hatched or not, because at the green bud stage the 



