CARnOLIC WASH FOR TPIE PEACH-TREE BORER. 25 



The following statement in regard to this wash has been made by 

 Mr. M. B. Bateham, of Painesville, ()., in the Country Gciitlevioi for 

 August 24, 1876 (page 535): 



Ten years ago, having thirty acres of young peach orchard, I found 

 as others have done, that fighting the borers by semi-annual examina- 

 tions of each tree, and digging out the worms with pen-knife or wire, 

 was going to be a serious task. I then procured a lot of roofing-paper, 

 of which coal-tar was an ingredient; cut it into strips six inches wide, 

 and fastened these tightly around the base of each tree with a tack. 

 This method was in the main successful, and much less expensive than 

 the hand-killing. But a couple of years after, I received from a firm in 

 New York a small box of " Buchan's Carbolic Soap," which was at that 

 time extensively advertised as a remedy for plant-lice and other kinds 

 of insects that annoy horticulturists, and I w^as requested to experiment 

 with it according to hints and directions furnished. 



I tried this soap on aphis, scale-lice and various other small insects, 

 with good success, and was especially pleased to find it a complete pro- 

 tection against the peach-borer^ which was of the most importance to me. 

 The first season I applied it twice; first about the middle of June, as soon 

 as I began to see any ^geria moths flitting about, and again about 

 a month later, as I had noticed that the insects continued to appear and 

 lay their eggs for a month or longer time. But since the first sea- 

 son I have only used one application of the wash, about the first of 

 July, each season, and not more than from tliree to five per cent of my 

 trees have been affected with borers, and those not perceptibly injured 

 by them. In a locality where peach orchards are plenty and the bor- 

 ers troublesome, I would recommend two applications of the w^ash each 

 summer, and I am confident it will prove completely effective if the mate- 

 rials are good and the work properly done. 



I have never been able to perceive the least injurious effects of this 

 wash, even on young peach-trees, and I presume that its strength might 

 be safely increased if thought desirable. 



For aphis and bark-lice of the various kinds, I have found the car- 

 bolic wash of much service. It should not be used quite as strong 

 when applied to the foliage of young shoots, as recommended for the 

 borers. It is well to test the strength by wetting a few leaves with it, 

 and noticing the next day whether they are seemingly injured by the ap- 

 ])lication.^ If so, dilute it more before using. 



I think, from repeated experiments, that the wMsh is as effective a pre- 

 ventive of the apple borers as the peach. For the old or eastern borer 

 (Saperda), which w^orks near the roots, the mode of application is the 

 same as on peach-trees; but for the western, or flat-headed borer {Chry- 

 sobothris), the whole of the trunk of the tree, especially the south-west 

 side and large limbs, if exposed to the hot sun, or where the bark is at 

 all injui'ed, should be washed. 



Where the " Carbolic Plant Protector " cannot be conveniently ob- 

 tained, a wash may be prepared with the carbolic acid to be purchased 

 of druggists, which, according to Mr. Bateham, is equally effective with 

 the manufactured carbolic soap. 

 4 



