236 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS 



4-5 EDWARD VII., A. 1905 



vitriol dissolved in hot water, and boil for fifteen minutes longer; fill up to 50 imperial 

 gallons. 



The California wash consists of lime 15 pounds, sulphur 15 pounds, salt 15 

 pounds, water 50 imperial gallons. 



The Lime-Sulphur-Soda wash consists of lime 40 pounds, sulphur 20 pounds, 

 caustic soda 5 pounds. In making, the 40 pounds of lime is placed in a barrel, and 

 only enough water is added to make it boil rapidly. While slaking, 20 pounds ground 

 sulphur, which has been made into a thin paste, is stirred in thoroughly; the five 

 pounds of caustic soda dissolved in hot water is then poured in, with more water as 

 needed, and the whole is kept stirred thoroughly all the time. As soon as all chemical 

 action ceases, as shown by the absence of bubbling in the mixture, add hot water up 

 to 60 gallons, and the w^ash is ready for use. The whole time necessary is twent^y 

 minutes. 



Dr. E. P. Felt, the State Entomologist of New York State, has made a further 

 modification in this formula, by which he substitutes ordinary washing soda for 

 caustic soda and has secured equally good results. 



In all of the above mixtures, it is best to use hot water, and to have the sulphur 

 powdered so as to help the rapid combination of the constituents. 



The lime and sulphur mixtures must only be used as winter washes while the trees 

 are dormant, or the trees will be injured. The best time is late in spring, just before 

 the buds expand. If necessary, they may be followed in summer by applications of 

 whale-oil soap solution, one pound to six gallons of water, or kerosene emulsion in 

 the dilution of one part in nine of water. 



Plum Aphis (Apliis prunifolii, Pitch). — The Plum Aphis was found rather 

 abundantly on plum trees in Prince Edward Island, and Mr. Saxby Blair foiind it 

 also troublesome in the orchards at Nappan, N-S. He writes : ' The pests that have 

 worried nie most are the plum and apple aphides. They are perfect nuisances. I 

 thought I had them all controlled, this year by early spraying, twice with whale-oil 

 soap, one to six, but later on they appeared in myriads on some of the trees. It seems 

 almost impossible to get men to spray their trees thoroughly enough to get at all of 

 the plant;-lice. Any information you can give about Plum Aphis will be useful to our 

 fruit-growers; for this insect is becoming a general pest. Another thing is this: you 

 advise whale-oil soap; now the average farmer in this country cannot get whale-oil 

 soap. I tried to get some in this locality last summer, and they wanted 20 cents a 

 pound for what they called whale-oil soap. If you can give in your report definite 

 information where this soap can be procured, and what the usual price is, it would 

 help. Could you not give instructions by which it could be made by the farmers them- 

 selves ? I must say I find the whalei-oil soap much easier and more convenient to use 

 than bothering with tobacco water. Tobacco stems in most places are very difficult 

 to get; but if whale-oil soap is just as good and can be got easily, that is what the 

 average man will use. I find, too, that it takes much more liquid to do thorough work 

 with tobacco wash than with a strong solution of soap.' 



Remedies. — The standard remedies for plant-lice are soap washes and kerosene 

 emulsion. Strange as it may seem, dark-coloured species of plant-lice certainly re- 

 quire stronger applications than the green kinds. 



Kerosene emulsion in the dilution of one part to six of the stock emulsion has 

 given good results against all kinds of aphides. 



Soaps. — The mo-.t efi'ectire soap wash h made with whale-oil soap, one pound to 

 from four to six gallons ui water. The term whale-oil soap is merely a trade name 

 for a fish oil soap, made with either xjctasu oj soda. The potash soaps, which are the 

 bes*, beca\ise even ctrcng solutions remain liquid when they cool, are soft soaps. The 

 soda soaps are hard. Of the two the potash soaps are considered the best to use on 

 vogetatinn, and they are more ccnvenieni to use. Both kinds should always be dis- 

 solved in hot water. 



