606 Report of Entomologists of the 



as it came in contact with the twigs and the formation of hair-like 

 crystals in the spraying nozzle interfered with its application. The 

 soap solution hardened when it struck the twigs and did not spread 

 well. 



A light rain fell December 25th. This was followed by a heavy 

 wet snow and rain December 27th. In a hurried examination of the 

 trees made December 29th traces of all the washes were found on 

 them. On January 15, 1895, sample twigs from trees sprayed with 

 each of the above named washes were examined, a few live scale in- 

 sects were found imder margins of buds and at tips of twigs from trees 

 which had been sprayed with the lime-siilphur-salt wash. Plenty 

 of live specimens were found on twigs from trees treated with fish 

 oil soap. No live specimens were found on twigs from trees treated 

 with the two strengths of kerosene emulsion, with the winter resin 

 wash, or with the crude potash wash. Part of the failure of the 

 lime-sulphur-salt wash must be attributed to the difficulty of appli- 

 cation. The same is true of the soap wash. The latter was prob- 

 ably removed by the rain before it softened enough to act upon the 

 scale of the insect. 



Between the 15th of February and the 15th of March, Messrs, 

 Keene & Foulk sprayed about 30,000 three and four year old apple 

 and pear trees with kerosene emulsion, diluted with three parts 

 water. Two applications were made at intervals of about two 

 weeks. They also sprayed twice about 15,000 one year old apple 

 trees, and resprayed with kerosene emulsion (1 to 3) all of the pear 

 trees sprayed December 21. 



From the 1st to the 15th of April, several days were spent in 

 careful inspection of stock in Parsons & Sons' nursery of Flushing, 

 who up to that date had not treated any of their stock. During 

 this inspection it was found that 90 per cent., if not more, of the 

 " Pernicious Scales " not protected by buds or the rough bark were 

 dead. On such plants as flowering quince {Pyrus japonica)^ 

 where the branches rested on the ground, or where dirt had been 

 plowed to the trees the previous fall, plenty of live specimens were 

 found. Possibly 50 per cent, of the dead specimens should be 

 deducted for old scales under which the adult insects had died after 

 depositing the last brood of the season. 



The above conditions show that no approximate estimate of the 

 per cent, of pernicious-scale insects killed by the washes tested in 

 the nursery of Keene & Foulk could be made. 



