SPRAYING FOR THE CITRUS MEALY BUG 2S9 



Pressure: Great difficulty was found in keeping a liigh and constant 

 pressure with run-down spray pumps. This work is very particular and the 

 pump must be overhauled at the beginning of the spraying season so that 

 the best possible results may be obtained. The pressure should never be less 

 than 200 pounds. In many cases where it went as low as 100 pounds or even 

 140 pounds the results were not satisfactory. The high pressure not only 

 penetrates the cottony protection better, but it whirls the leaves and enables 

 the sprayer to hit every part of the tree. Much of the poor results obtained 

 were usually traced right back to this cause, which though a small thing, 

 is extremely important in spraying for the mealy bug. 



Application: There is always fault found with the application of sprays. 

 Either the sprayers are careless or, as found in some cases here, did not wish 

 to do the work, so pushed it as rapidly as possible, giving each tree only half 

 the required dosage. By careful work we found that if applied rightly, the 

 Carbolic Acid Emulsion did excellent work, so if you get poor results look up 

 this matter. Few men enjoy spraying and farm hands like to see it finished 

 as soon as possible. Sometimes it was necessary to go over the work twice 

 in order to get beneficial results at all, and in those cases we found that the 

 first dosage given was less than half which the sprayers were instructed to use. 

 Careless spraying is useless. 



Material: The commercial materials used must be carefully examined, 

 for we have found some unfit for anything. 



As a rule the crude carbolic acid was good, but if it is allowed to 

 stand in wooden barrels in the hot sun for any length of time it is liable to 

 evaporate and escape, leaving a concentrated liquid which is disastrous to the 

 spraying apparatus because it collects in the hose and stops up the nozzles, and 

 to the trees because it may drop the leaves. 



With the whale oil soap we found considerable trouble. In all we have 

 handled some three tons and find two distinct grades. One is a light brown 

 and is good, while the other is very dark — nearly black — and is worthless. 

 Out of the last ton some 400 pounds were set aside and will be shipped back 

 to the factory. The trouble with this poor grade seems to lie in that it will 

 not form an emulsion, no matter how much is used. Several tanks were 

 sprayed out before the mixer was aware of the difference, which showed up 

 immediately on the trees. No harm was done to the foliage or to the 

 mealy bugs. Therefore in view of this experience you are advised to avoid 

 dark whale oil soap. It is not good. 



Genera! Results: At times the work proves very encouraging, while 

 again it does not show up well, but I am satisfied that all poor work lies with 

 the above named faults. Spraying citrus trees for anything is difficult, and 

 doubly so when spraying for the mealy bug. The pest is bad and hard to 

 kill. Remember it cannot be killed zvith reckless spraying. Good zcork akixiys 

 sho'cvs lip in the results. Remember this in your spraying work. 



