38 SECOND REPORT OF THE STATE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



when diluted, thirty gallons of wash. \Repori of the Entomologist : in 

 Report of the Commissioner of Agriculture for 1883, p. 152.] 



The cost of the above wash, with kerosene oil at 12 cents the gallon, 

 and yellow soap at 6 cents the pound, would be less than one cent per 

 gallon. 



The Shearer soap emulsion. — In a recent report, Miss Ormerod, Con- 

 sulting Entomologist of the Royal Agricultural Society of England, 

 presents the following recipe " for a simple and effective method of 

 making a mineral oil solution," which was devised by Mr. Alex. Shearer, 

 " a clever chemist as well as an able and intelligent gardener," and which, 

 after experimenting with the emulsions as prepared in this country and 

 elsewhere, she pronounces the best that she had met with. It has now 

 been tried for several years, and found both safe and serviceable. 



To eight parts of soft water add one part of black (soft) soap, and 

 boil briskly for a few minutes until the soap is thoroughly dissolved. 

 While boiling add paraffin [kerosene] or any other similar oil, and boil 

 for a minute or two longer when the whole will be thoroughly amalga- 

 mated, and, if bottled and securely corked while warm, it will remain so 

 and be fit for use at any time when required. For field use, the imme- 

 diate application would save all need of storing. The strength of the 

 solution depends on the amount of mineral oil in it, and it can be easily 

 reduced to the proper power by mixing it with soft water as it is wanted 

 for use. 



The following notes are also given of the method found the most con- 

 venient for mixing the application. 



Eight parts of water and one part of soft soap thoroughly amalgamated 

 forms the lye which takes mineral oil, and thoroughly mixes with what- 

 ever proportion of the oil be added. As heat aids much in quickly pro- 

 ducing thorough amalgamation of the ingredients, boil the soap and 

 water together, and when ready, turn it into ordinary wine bottles (cost- 

 ing little or nothing) which have been placed in boiling water. About 

 half fill the bottles, turn two gills of the oil in each bottle, then fill up 

 with the boiling lye, cork at once, and store away for use. 



When required for use, a bottle of the mixture is poured into a four- 

 gallon watering pot which is filled up with soft water, and is ready for 

 use, at a strength of one wine-glass of oil (half a gill) to one gallon of 

 water [one part of oil to 64 of water — about if per cent of oil]. 



Half a gill of oil to a gallon of water is strong enough to kill Aphides 

 and such soft insects ; one gill for " thrips " [the small leaf-hoppers of 

 the grapevine probably], and a gill and a half for scale-insects. 



By bottling the mixture as above, no mistake need be made in using 

 it of the proper strength. 



