EXPERIMENT STATIOISr EEPOET. 543 



TtrORK DONE ON THE COIiLEOE FARM. 



The small orchards on the College Farm are all somewhat infested 

 with 8a.n Jose scale, and no radical measures were ever taken because, 

 being under experimental culture, no applications were tolerated that 

 might affect either a tree or its crop. An early inspection ])y Mr. 

 Dickerson showed the peach and cherry plots in no immediate need 

 of treatment ; plum pretty generally infested ; a scattering infestation 

 in the apples and local infestation among the pears. 



It was determined, under the circumstances, to use for most of the 

 trees the lime, sulphur an.d caustic soda mixture — thirty-three pounds 

 lime, seventeen pounds sulphur and four and one-half pounds caustic 

 soda in fifty gallons of water, prepared without boiling. A fifty- 

 gallon iSTiagara Gas Sprayer was used and the work was done April 

 6th, 7th and 10th, rain and other adverse conditions preventing con- 

 tinuous work. Hot water was used in getting the mixture in all 

 cases, but cold water to dilute it to spraying strength. The combi- 

 nations were made by or under the direction of Mr. J. A. Grossbeck ; 

 the spraying was done with Mr. E. L. Dickerson at the gas tank. The 

 application was thorough and the wind was made use of on each day, 

 directly and quartering. When it became necessary to spray against 

 it, nozzles set at an angle were used, so that the men could keep out 

 of the blowing mist. 



An examination made June 22d, when the first brood of scales was 

 in full swing, showed fairly good results. No trees appeared to have 

 been completely cleaned, but nowhere was there more than a scatter- 

 ing of the larvffi apparent. Plums were yet the worst of the series, 

 although comparatively clean. 



A second examination, made July 21st, to compare more critically 

 with the effect produced by the simple mixture of lime and sulphur, 

 showed no worse condition of affairs and only confirmed previous 

 conclusions. Indeed, the best method of comparing results is to say 

 that on the peach trees, which it had not been deemed necessary to 

 spray, more active larvae was seen than on the treated trees. 



Late in the season it developed that an error was made in neglecting 

 the peach trees. Some of them became so badly infested as to en- 

 danger them, and furnished the prettiest object lesson of the danger 

 of neglecting what seems a slight infestation; the sprayed trees are 

 all in far better condition. 



