ICERYA PURCHASI. 81 



Cooke for destruction of this scale-insect in California* 

 is a wash of whale-oil, or soft-soap, sulphur, and 

 tobacco, in the proportion of one pound of the soap 

 to a third of a pound of sulphur, the sulphur to be 

 boiled in water for ten or fifteen minutes, and the soap 

 then added, and to each gallon of this mixture one 

 gallon of tobacco water to be added of the strength noted 

 below, t The mixture to be applied at a temperature of 

 130 Fahr. 



In the above mixture no mention is made regarding 

 method of dissolving the sulphur, and the following 

 recipe for a soft-soap wash with the sulphur in solution 

 might prove serviceable: In order to make sulphur 

 combine with whatever liquid may be used, the sulphur 

 should be boiled with an alkali, and the recipe has been 

 recommended : One pound of flour of sulphur and two 

 pounds of fresh lime boiled together in four gallons of 

 water : or, to save the trouble of boiling, sulphuret of 

 lime may be purchased and used thus : of this sulphuret 

 take four ounces, soft-soap two ounces, to each gallon 

 of hot water ; the soap and sulphuret to be well mixed 

 before the addition of the water, which is to be gradually 

 poured on, the mixture being stirred during the time, 

 when a uniform fluid will be obtained without sediment, 

 which may be used when cool enough to bear the hand, 

 and has been found to destroy insect pests effectually 

 and quickly. This may be used as a syringing," or a dip 

 for infested shoots, or well rubbed with a brush into 

 infested bark. The mixture, like other soft-soap washes, 

 may be thrown when requisite to a height of several 

 yards by large garden-engines, such as are used in 

 Hop-fields in England. If it is needed higher, and 

 water and apparatus are attainable, trees of even 

 considerable height may be " washed" by the help of a 



* See 'Injurious Insects of the Orchard,' &c., by Matthew Cooke (late 

 Chief Executive Horticultural Officer of California i, pp. 165167, wi;h 

 account of " Cottony Cushion Scale," and references to recipes for 

 applications to destroy the scale, in same work. 



t Boil 30 pounds of tobacco leaves in 30 gallons of water. 



G 



