CHAPTER XLIII. 

 SPRAYING AND FUMIGATING. 



In controlling the most injurious citrus insects by 

 direct means, resort must be made either to fumigation or 

 spraying. Under certain conditions each method has its 

 advantages. In Florida more attention has been given to 

 spraying than to fumigating, while in California fumigat- 

 ing has received more attention relatively. 



The equipment for fumigating, consisting of tents, 

 wagons, and hoisting apparatus and the cost of operating 

 is much more expensive than the equipment for spraying; 

 for this reason the former method of control is not likely 

 to come into favor with owners of small groves. On the 

 other hand, it may be said that fumigating is more efficient 

 against most insects, as one fumigation will prove as satis- 

 factory as two or three sprayings. As pointed out by 

 Prof. Gossard, the cost of one fumigation and three spray- 

 ings is about equal after leaving out of consideration the 

 cost of the tents and the wear and tear on the apparatus. 

 Wherever the expense of fumigating seems justifiable it 

 should be borne, as the results are likely to prove much 

 more satisfactory. 



The choice of methods must in some degree be govern- 

 ed by the shape and density of the tops of the trees or the 

 shape of the tree tops must be made to conform to the 

 method of control. It is impracticable to thoroughly 

 spray trees with dense, thick heads, they must be pruned 

 out. The heads of the trees must be formed like a hollow 

 cone with a leaf zone covering the framework of branches. 

 Trees with low, flat heads such as are found by the Ba- 



