REPORT OF THE STATE ENTOMOLOGIST I904 393 



Field experiments with lime-sulfur washes 



The experiments begun last year in a peach orchard at War- 

 wick, were continued in 1904, owing to the fact that the trees 

 were still rather uniformly infested with a small amount of scale 

 and therefore presented almost ideal conditions for experimental 

 work. The spraying began Ap. 13 but it was not completed till 

 the 1 8th, owing to inclement weather, high winds and other adverse 

 conditions. The 13th was a bright day and in the morning not 

 much wind, but in the afternoon a stiff breeze rose and prevented 

 spraying. The morning of the 14th there was a snow storm, 

 and shortly after 9 o'clock spraying began but was stopped again 

 at II on account of brisk winds. The following days were more 

 or less unfavorable at times and as a consequence portions of the 

 trees had to be resprayed. The preceding table gives most of the 

 formulas employed and in brief the method of preparation together 

 with other observations. 



Wash I composed of 25 pounds of lime and 20 pounds of sulfur 

 to 50 gallons of water, was boiled ^ hour. This wash, if well 

 made, contains very little sediment. The water should be nearly 

 boiling hot when the lime is added, the sulfur should follow the 

 lime immediately, and it is necessary to agitate or stir vigorously 

 and continuously till the lime is all slaked. A dark brick-red 

 color is easily obtained within the allotted time. This wash was 

 applied Ap. 13 to rows 8 and 9, and a second treatment given on 

 the 15th in order to insure thoroughness. 



July 22 no living scale insects were found on the treated rows 

 and on Sep. 23 no living scale was observed on the foliage and 

 very little on the trees. 



Wash 2 is composed of 25 pounds of lime and 20 pounds of sulfur 

 to 50 gallons of water, the lime being added to several pails of 

 nearly boiling water, the sulfur put in at once, and boiling con- 

 tinued actively for i^ hours. The long boiling appeared simply to 

 deepen the brick-red color. This wash was applied April 13 to 

 rows 2 and 3, and on account of the wind these rows were re- 

 sprayed the 15th and thoroughly covered with the solution. 



An examination July 22 resulted in discovering very few living 

 scales. The trees were in a vigorous condition and the presence 

 of the wash was quite evident. A further examination on Sep. 23, 

 indicated that the application had been very successful, as no 

 scale was seen on the foliage and very little on the trees. 



Wash 3 composed of 25 pounds of lime and 12 pounds of sulfur 

 to 50 gallons of water, was prepared in the same manner as wash i 



