45 



Experience with Kerosene Emulsion. 



The heavy cost of the whale-oil soap solution, the annoyance 

 and delay caused by its clog-g-ing- in the delivery hose in very cold 

 weather, and the practical certainty that a large proportion, if not 

 all, of the fruit buds of peach-trees sprayed with it would be killed 

 except in the comparatively small number of cases where our treat- 

 ment could be applied in spring-, led to the substitution for it dur- 

 ing- the winter of 1899 and 1900 of an emulsion of kerosene diluted 

 with water and varying in actual practice to contain from 20 to 25 

 per cent, of kerosene. 



Beginning at Sparta and Richview in January, 1900, its use 

 was continued through February and March at Carterville and 

 Albion, and at Monticello until April 19, by which time the season 

 was too far advanced to permit further use of this winter spray 

 without injury to the unfolding leaves. 5,315 trees were sprayed 

 with it in these places and at this time. November 8 of this same 

 jear insecticide work was begun at Quincy, where a 25 per cent, 

 kerosene emulsion was used on one large and three small orchards 

 November 14 to December 19, and a 20 per cent, emulsion on an- 

 other at New Boston, in Mercer county, December 29-31. At 

 Barry, in Pike county, an apple orchard of 500 trees was sprayed 

 with it, partly as an experiment, January 7-14, 1901. The mix- 

 ture used there was in three different strengths, containing 20 per 

 cent , 25 per cent , and 40 per cent, of kerosene respectively. 



The orchard insecticide work of the fall of 1901 began Novem- 

 ber 25, and at first a 25 per cent, emulsion of kerosene was used for 

 everything. December 9, however, instructions were issued to spray 

 all peach- and plum-trees with the so-called California wash of 

 lime, sulphur, and salt, and to use the kerosene emulsion for 

 other trees only on sunny days, substituting whale-oil soap for it 

 whenever the weather was dark. Finally, on February 5, 1902, 

 my chief inspector, Mr. Green, was directed to stop the use of ker- 

 . osene altogether, and to dispose of his stock on hand. This order 

 was made in consequence of a report by Mr. Braucher, then en- 

 gaged in inspecting orchards which had been treated by us in the 

 fall and winter of the preceding year, to the effect that apple-trees 

 had apparently been injured in November of that year in the New 

 Boston orchard mentioned above by a 20 per cent, emulsion applied 

 by Mr. Green. 



Kerosene Emtilsion at Richviezv. — The operations at Richview 

 in 1900 fairly represent the cost and the results. One thousand 

 five hundred and thirty-five trees were treated at this place at an 

 expense of $17.65 for oil, $37.65 for labor at ten cents an hour, and 



