15 



sprayed trees falls on the <^rass beneath, antl that tiiere is little dan- 

 ger to animals feeding upon this grass. By far the most satisfac- 

 tory method of using the mixtures is to spray the trees with them 

 by using any good force pump. A small pump can be bought for 

 from two to six dollars. This will spray a few trees thoroughly 

 if not too large, but for an orcliard or any extensive operations a 

 barrow furnished with cask and pump, or still larger a cask on a 

 wagon or truck drawn by horses, will be needed. Several large 

 pump manutactories make a great variety of pumps for spray- 

 ing trees. If, fruit trees are to be sprayed this should not 

 be' done unjil after the dowers have fallen, or there will be 

 danger of destroying all the bees in the immediate neighbor- 

 hood. There is more difficulty in getting large trees and especi- 

 ally fruit trees, such as plum trees, well sprayed so that enough of 

 the poison adheres to the leaves or fruits to be ot use. Whenever 

 this difficulty appears, it may be, at least in part, obviated by mix- 

 ing about a pound of common wheat flour with every twelve or 

 fifteen gallons of the liquid. 



KEROSENE EMULSION. 



Next to the above in value probably the various kerosene emul- 

 sions should be placed. The object of all of these mixtures is to 

 secure a thorough commingling of the oil with the other liquids so 

 that no free oil shall be found. Very few plants can stand a dose 

 of clear kerosene, although some are not injured by a very moder- 

 ate amount. I have never sprayed a plant with clear oil and do 

 not expect to do so, but I have used oil drawn from the barrel in 

 one or two desperate cases of mealy-bug, using a soft brush and 

 applying the oil in this way. It must always be a case of kill or 

 cure when such a remedy is used, but it was cure and no appreciable 

 injury in the cases above mentioned. I have also used a mixture 

 of kerosene and carbolic acid, adding many times their bulk of 

 water with good results. l)ut I have no doubt that the kerosene 

 emulsions would have been better, although the mixture used in- 

 volved much less trouble. Variousrccipes of making the emulsion 

 of kerosene have been tried and all are good. Prof. Riley's recipe 

 is a inixture of oil and milk of any desired proportions, although 

 that recommended is one gallon of milk, sour is better than sweet, 

 though either will do, and two gallons of kerosene. These must be 

 thoroughly mixed. Verv much of the success of the mixture de- 

 pends upon this. It needs to be well shaken or churned until a 



