48 
when the tree was in leaf he could not avoid burning the foliage. As 
a result of his experiments, Professor Symons concludes that it is 
impracticable to control the San Jose scale with this torch. 
To these observations by experts I may add a note of a trial of 
the torch made by a practical gardener on some infested trees be- 
longing to J. W. Stanton, of Richview, in this state. By oversight, 
these trees were sprayed with whale-oil soap before they had been 
critically examined as to the final effects of the blast on the San 
Jose scale ; but Mr. Stanton writes me that from what he could see 
of the effects of the treatment at the time, he is of the opinion that 
it would not be successful on tree fruits. One of my horticultural 
inspectors, Mr. R. W. Braucher, happened, however, to examine 
one of these trees after the treatment with the torch and before the 
application of the whale-oil soap, and found that the bark was 
scorched in some places, and that in others the scales were still 
alive. 
From the foregoing experiments, it is clear that the gasoline 
torch has at best only a very limited application in the treatment of 
trees infested by the San Jose scale. It might be occasionally used 
to advantage, as suggested by Professor Pettit, to burn off the outer 
part of an unusually thick crust of scales on the trunk and largest 
branches of a tree, preliminary to a treatment with the lime-and- 
sulphur wash. As this insecticide does not penetrate readily to any 
great depth, it is sometimes necessary to repeat a spraying after a 
time if the tree is too thickly incrusted. This second spraying might 
perhaps be omitted if the torch were first used on the crust of scales. 
It would be the merest folly, however, to think of using it as a sub- 
stitute for an insecticide spray in the treatment of the San Jose scale, 
or for any general treatment of orchard trees for any purpose what- 
ever. 
This torch was also tried on certain other orchard scales at Ur- 
bana during the fall of 1902, but for reasons to be given presently 
these tests are reported separately farther on. 
The Harlequin Cabbage-bug. — The introduction of the use 
of the gasoline torch against the harlequin cabbage-bug in the 
South seems to be due to Mr. S. A. McHenry, recently superintend- 
ent of one of the substations of the Texas AgriculUnal Experiment 
Station. Indeed, Professor Sanderson, when official Entomologist of 
that state, wrote me that, so far as he knew, Mr. McHenry was the 
first man to make practical use of the blast torch against insects of 
any kind. He is said to have used it successfully for several years, 
as have others in his section of the state, but of late he has made 
