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THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 



Silvers, Nina, Stella and Reba, have shown 

 healthy, vigorous growth on my place, but 

 have not fruited yet. 



With all our improvements there is yet 

 room for the perfect strawberry. When we 

 reach a combination of productiveness and 

 regularity of the Clyde, the vigor of the 

 Sharpless, the size and quality of the Wm. 

 Belt, the firmness of the Wilson or James 

 Vick, and the wiry constitution of the Cres- 

 cent, we may perhaps consider ourselves 



near enough to the top of the ladder. 

 Whether Providence has made the requisite 

 arrangements for such a result in a world of 

 imperfections may well be doubted, but cer- 

 tainly the process of reaching up for the 

 best possible is delightful, and we must con- 

 gratulate ourselves upon the improved va- 

 rieties now to hand of " the best fruit God 

 ever made on earth." 



T. C. Robinson. 

 Owen Sound, Feb. 1901. 



TREATING THE SAN JOSE SCALE. 



Mr. G. E. Fisher, Burlington, the chief 

 inspector, has addressed a carefully prepared 

 circular to the fruit growers of Ontario, 

 regarding the treatment of this scale, and 

 we extract a few lines. Our readers may se- 

 cure the whole circular on application to him. 



The grower will find the best proofs of its iden- 

 tity in its being plentiful and widely distributed 

 over the tree, in its being present in all stages of 

 development at all times of the year and its very 

 distinct nipple and ring. If left to itself the San 

 Jose Scale will increase ver^' rap dly indeed, but it 

 may be controlled by remedies. 



Whale oil soap applied ih lbs. to the imperial 

 gallon of water just before the buds open will check 

 the scale severely, and has a splendid effect upon 

 the trees in destroying fungus and stimulating 

 growth, but if used before the frosts are over w 11 

 kill the blossom buds of tender varietit s. Soap 

 offers so little resistance to re-attack and so many 

 of the scales were left alive that before the end of 

 the season the original condition of infestation was 

 fully restored. There was very little spreading, 

 however, where the soap was used at full strength 

 and in sufficient quantity. Every part of the tree 

 must ba saturated. I have ceverseen a tree which 

 had been injured by soap. 



Crude petroleum is strong medicine, and must 

 not be used in excess of what is necessary to pene- 

 trate encrustation. Every part of the tree must be 

 reached, but no part sprayed a second time, nor 

 must the spray be directed too long against the tree. 

 Special attention should be given to the inside of 

 the branches, the twigs and the deep cracks in the 

 bark. Many trees have been killed by excessive 

 applications and it is safer to use crude oil diluted 

 to 25 per cent with water, which mu-t be applied 

 with an emulsion pump. The London Spray 

 Motor combination is the only reliable pump I 

 know for applying mechanical mixtures No scale 

 can live on an oil treated bark, and the oil not only 



kills nearly all of the scales but protects the tree 

 from reinfestation. Too much crude oil will kill 

 trees and very little is necessary to kill the scal-e. 

 If applied to peach trees the treatment should be 

 very light, even and complete. Crude oil should 

 be used thoroughly but sparingly just before the 

 leaves appear, and costs about one-sixth the cost 

 of soap. I have not seen apple, pear or hardy pltmi 

 trees, which had been injured by crude petroleum. 



Whale oil soap and crude petroleum may be 

 combined in any proportion to suit tender trees. 



Kerosene is uot satisfactory except as a simamer 

 treatment in the proportion of 10 per cent with 

 water for killing the young scales, and whale oil 

 soap, one-halt pound to the gallon, may be used for 

 the same purpose. Neither of these summer sprays 

 will penetrate the coverscale beyond the white 

 stage, and to be effective must ht repeated every 

 ten days. 



The remedial work done last year was not alto- 

 gether successful, owing partly we think to the 

 material used not being of first quality and partly 

 to improper use of it. If there is one thing which 

 above all others is worth doing well it is treating 

 trees affected with the San Jose Scale. 



The Minister of Agriculture for Ontario, recog- 

 nizing that this work is still in the experimental 

 stage, that it is urgent and that great difficulty in 

 procuring suitable spraying material would be 

 experienced, will again supply whale-oil soap and 

 crude petroleum to those whose orchards are 

 affected or exposed to infestation with the San Jose 

 Scale, on the same terms as last year, that is one 

 half of its cost laid down cash on deliver^'. The 

 soap will be made from strictly high grade material 

 and will probably cost a trifle more than that used 

 last year. Having recently completed a tour of 

 the oil fields and made many tests, I can now locate 

 the most suitable rude petroleum for this purpose 

 the Province aff'ords. 



The following are given in the same circular. 



INSTRUCTIONS FOR SPRAYING. 



I. Trees must be thoroughly pruned, and all 

 rough bark and lichen removed. 



