369 



4. Kerosene and soap emulsion inwe endangers the life of the plant. 

 Diluted with one part of water it is not thorouglily effective, and this, 

 with the trouble and expense of its preparation, renders its use inad- 

 visable. Diluted with one part of water, or in greater dilution, it does 

 not seem to affect fruiting or the health of the tree. 



."). Resin wash, to be effective, must be used at a strength involving 

 an expeiuliture for materials which, with the trouble and difficulty of its 

 preparation, makes it of little practical value. Its effect on the health 

 of the trees is not prejudicial, but in the stronger washes it prevents 

 blooming the following season. 



(3 Soap washes, particularly of whale-oil soap, have yielded the most 

 satisfactory results; and at the rate of 2 pounds to the gallon, under 

 the conditions of thorough drenching of the entire plant, with five or 

 six days of subsequent fair weather, will destroy all the scales, whether 

 applied in fall or in spring. The results with soap in less strength 

 indicate that under the most favorable conditions the same result may 

 be reached with mixtures containing only a pound and a half, or more, 

 of soap. The action of tlie soap at the rate of 1 pound or more to the 

 gallon, applied in the fall, is generally to prevent blooming and fruit- 

 ing the following s[)ring, but the vigor and healthfulness of the tree are 

 greatly increased. Applied in spring at the time of blooming, it does 

 not injure the plant nor affect the setting of the fruit to any material 

 extent in the case of the peach, and not at all in the case of the ap])le. 



7. The experiments as a whole indicate the vastly superior merit of 

 the soap wash and its fall application. The greater vigor of the plant 

 resulting from the fall treatment more than offsets the possible failing 

 of bloom. Owing to the impossibility of controlling weather condi- 

 tions and the practical difficulty of wetting every part of the plant, one 

 spraying can not often be relied on to accomplish the death of all of the 

 scales, but two conscientious drenchings may be expected to accom- 

 plish this result. These inay be (1) at the time of, or shortly after, the 

 fiilling of the foliage in autumn, and (2) just before blooming in si)ring. 



RECOKD OF EXPEEmE>"TS. 



Unless otherwise noted, the applications were all made to peach 

 trees. 



TVhale-oil soap. 

 Experiment 2 : 



October 25, 3 pnunds soap to the gallon of water ; November 17, fatal to all scales ; 

 December 16, above result contirmed by subseqiieut examinatiou : May 4, no 

 living scales found on tree, nearly all dead scales washed oft' by action of rain ; 

 tree in exceptionally vigorous condition, and with luxuriant foliage, but with 

 only one or two fruit set. Adjoining trees in full fruit, but very much in- 

 ferior in general appearance and in development of foliage. 

 Experiment 1 : 



October 25, 2 pounds soap to the gallon of water; November 17, fatal to all 

 scales; December 16. same result contirmed by additional examination: May 4, 

 1895, tree in exceptionally vigorous condition, but without fruit. 



