and overhanging the tree; the tent then being 

 dropped, the tree was entirely enclosed in an 

 air-tight bag, into which the steam and other 

 ingredients were forced, and left to act upon 

 the tree and insects as long as was thought nec- 

 essary. 



Horticultural Commissioner D. C. Vestal and 

 myself carefully noted the experiments made 

 and placed the results upon record. These ex 

 periments are also numbered for convenience in 

 describing. 



No. 1. Sept. 8, 1881. An apple tree infested 

 with scale insect, wooiy aphis and other pests, 

 was covered by the tent, under which was hung 

 upon the tree cloths saturated with bi-sulphide 

 carbon, one-half pound. It was thus left for 

 three- fourths of an hour, and then the tent was 

 removed. Result, apparently of no effect. The 

 woolly aphis was not injured, but found crawl- 

 ing about. The red spider was found crawling 

 about; also a small caterpillar was observed 

 unharmed. The scale insects were not affected 

 in any ^ay, so far as could be observed. Sept. 

 12, 1881 Examination made on this date 

 showed that no effect had been made by the ap- 

 plication upon any of the insects mentioned as 

 infesting this tree. Mr. J. H. Wheeler, the 

 maker or the bi sulphide carbon, thought that 

 the agent had not been properly brought into 

 contact with the insects, and for that reason 

 failed to destroy them. 



No. 2. A pear tree was treated with steam 

 forced under the tent covering the tree. The 

 temperature was raised to 165, and maintained 

 for 10 minutes. Observations immediately af- 

 terwards showed that the foliage of the tree 

 and the young wood of the tree waa destroyed. 

 Everything was cooked thoroughly. Septem- 

 ber l2th The tree and the scale were both 

 killed. 



No. 3. An apple tree was treated in the 

 same manner, with steam at 140, 

 for three minutes, and afterwards with 

 sulphur fumes (caused by putting two 

 handsful of sulphur upon live coals) for five 

 minutes. The result showed that the tree 

 did not appear quite so much injured at this 

 time as the preceding tree at first showed, 

 but as seen on September 12 bh the effect was 

 the same. The scale was killed, and also the 

 entire tree, except the oldest part of the trunk. 



No, 4. Apple tree steamed for five minutes 

 at 140; dri^d for five minutes, and then fumed 

 with sulphur for five minutes, llssult the same 

 as the preceding. 



No. 5. Apple tree moderately covered with 

 scale and woolly aphis. Steam applied with 

 which had previously been mixed three gallons 

 of kerosene, pumped into the boiler of a thresh- 

 ing engine. This application was made at 110 

 and maintained for four minutes. September 

 12th No effect was perceptible upon the tree, 

 except that the foliage was somewhat injured. 

 The scale insect was not killed or even injured. 

 The woolly aphis was found alive and uninjured. 



No. 6. Steam and coal oil applied tour min- 

 utes at 140. September 12 Tree pretty nearly 

 killed. Only the oldest wood alive all new 

 wood and buds killed. 



No. 7. Steam and coal oil for six minutes at 

 130; No. 8, same for six minutes at 150; No. 

 9, same for 12 minutes at 120 to 130. This 

 tree was steamed four minutes, and then, after 



an interval of six minutes, was steamed two 

 minutes more. September 12th The result 

 upon these trees was the same. The trees were 

 all destroyed excepting the trunk and oldest 

 wood. 



From these experiments it will be seen that 

 steam cannot be applied in such manner and at 

 a temperature sufficiently high to destroy the 

 insects without, at the same time, destroying 

 the tree. 



During the season of 1881 strong efforts were 

 made to introduce the use of 



Various Patented Mixtures, 



Which were claimed to have great merit in 

 destroying the scale insect. One of these was 

 to be used by simply spreading it on the trunk 

 of the tree, which application it was stated 

 would, through the poisoning of the sap, kill 

 the insects. This, as well as others of a like 

 nature, were given careful consideration and 

 tested, and resulted in entire failure. 



Another method, which was persistently 

 forced upon the public, was that of boring into 

 the trunk of the tree to the centre, and filling 

 the auger hole with the so-called care. A care- 

 ful investigation of many trees so treated was 

 made by Mr. Mathew Cooke, Mr. D. C. Vestal 

 and myself, for the purpose of determining the 

 actual effects, if any, of this treatment. Oct. 

 17, '81, we visited the orchard of one person, 

 who had allowed his name to be used in recom- 

 mending this exterminator, and first Cammed 

 two pear trees bored and the holes filled with 

 the preparation. These trees were found to be 

 covered with live scale insects in all stages of 

 development, and showing no signs of injury. 

 The young female insects were found crawling 

 about the trees in great numbers. The wood, 

 the seasons growth, was covered with scale. 

 An apple tree, the trunk and large limbs of 

 which had been washed the previous winter 

 with strong lye, showed that the scale which 

 completely covered it when the lye was ap- 

 plied were entirely destroyed where the wash 

 had reached, but on the smaller wood which 

 had not been washed with the lye the scale was 

 found alive. This tree had also been bored and 

 treated with the application referred to, and 

 which had no effect whatever. On the trunk 

 of this tree, where the lye had been applied, 

 the green layer of bark was found replacing the 

 old, which had nearly been destroyed by the 

 scale. At another place we examined a pear 

 tree which had been bored and treated with 

 this preparation. This tree was in no manner 

 whatever affected by this so-called remedy, but 

 was completely covered with scale insects in 

 every stage. We found the young females 

 crawling about, and on this tree was found the 

 male scale in the first pupa stage of develop- 

 ment for the third winged brood, and also on 

 this tree was discovered the perfect winged 

 male of the third brood. In no case has the 

 slightest good resulted from these secret and 

 patented preparations. We have treated this 

 subject thus fully because, to our knowledge, 

 prominent and careful horticulturists have been 

 induced to purchase these things at an exhor- 

 bitant charge. 



The treatment of trees by 



Crude Petroleum 

 And its different products has been thoroughly 



