RED SPIDER. 139 



break the webs and wash them down with the contained 

 mites, if possible, or more probably do good by lodging some- 

 thing in them offensive to the mites. 



Sulphur "is the active principle and most efficient agent " 

 in preparations for destroying Eed Spider, and sulphur and 

 soft-soap combined in various ways are amongst the most 

 reliable remedies. 



Amongst the Hop-gardens in Kent " washing the plants 

 with soft-soap and water, or even with pure water, is a remedy 

 for the Eed Spider, and some planters tried a solution of sul- 

 phur, thrown over the plants by the ordinary washing-engines 

 in 1868, which killed these mites." 



Looking at this point of sulphur being generally an 

 ingredient in washes or applications for the destruction of Eed 

 Spider and other Acari, and the circumstance that in its crude 

 state it does not combine with most of the fluids used for this 

 purpose, may account for frequent failures in home-made 

 applications. In order to make it combine with whatever 

 liquid may be used, the sulphur should be boiled with an 

 alkali, and the following recipe has been recommended : one 

 pound of flour of sulphur and two pounds of fresh lime boiled 

 together in four gallons of water ; or, to save the trouble of 

 boiling, the sulphuret of lime may be purchased and used 

 thus : — Of this sulphuret take four ounces ; soft-soap, two 

 ounces to each gallon of hot water ; the soap and sulphuret to 

 be well mixed before the addition of the water, which is to be 

 gradually poured on, the mixture being stirred during the 

 time, when a uniform fluid will be obtained without sediment, 

 which may be used when cool enough to bear the hand, and 

 bas been found to destroy insect-pests effectually and quickly. 

 This may be used as a syringing, or a dip for infested shoots, 

 or well-rubbed with a brush into infested bark. 



" Gishurst compound, Veitch's Chelsea blight composition, 

 Frettingham's liquid compound, are all good. Sulphur in any 

 form seems potent." 



The following recipe for dressing fruit-walls answers well as 

 a preventive of attack : — Having obtained some soot-water, 

 tolerably clarified and as strong a solution as can be procured, 

 this is worked up with clay till the whole is of the consistency 

 of thick paint, and can be applied by a common painter's 

 brush ; to this, flour of sulphur and soft-soap are added in 

 such proportion as may be preferred : one pound of sulphur 

 and two ounces of soft-soap to the gallon has been found to 

 answer. Every part of the wall is then painted with the 

 mixture, care being taken to get it well behind the shoots, and 

 also to paint a broad thick band along the bottom of the wall. 

 This application, made once in the season as a regular yearly 



