60 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



which has been used very extensively upon the Pacific Coast, and 

 quite hirgcly throughout the Western States is sulphur and lime in 

 the following proportions, viz: twenty pounds of lime and fifteen 

 pounds of flowers of sulphur boiled for upwards of an hour and 

 added to fifty gallons of water; this is sprayed all over the trees 

 while hot. and whenever the scales are hit by this mixture they are 

 destroyed; the great difficulty is to hit them all and as their increase 

 is so rapid the trees have to be sprayed each year. 



We are using at Orchard Farm a soluble oil, known as "Scale- 

 cide." Thus far we are favorably impressed with this material 

 because it is so much more easily jirepared and applied. The lime 

 and sulphur are very caustic to both the men and the teams where 

 they have to work for a number of days, or even weeks, with it. 



The quantity of Scalecide we are now using is one gallon to fifteen 

 gallons of water, and it is only a question of applying this material as 

 thoroughly as the sulphur and lime when it will produce equally 

 as good results. It is a question of great thoroughness of appli- 

 cation to successfully control the scale with whatever material is used. 



Last year avc sprayed several thousand trees about the City of 

 New York with this soluble oil with most satisfactory results, 

 using then one gallon to twenty of water; the work was so thorough- 

 ly done that even that strength gave good results. Several kinds of 

 shrubs were so entirely encrusted with the scale that it seemed 

 impossible to promise any hope of saving them, but the reports 

 that have come to me indicate that not only were the scales thor- 

 oughly killed and cleaned off of these shrubs and trees, but they 

 made most satisfactory growth the past season. One apple orchard 

 was so infested with them that the fruit could not be sold, but after 

 the application of Scalecide there has been no evidence of the scale 

 upon the trees. 



In answer to your inquiries I will say that this is made by G.B. 

 Pratt Co., Chemists, 11 Broadway, New York. 



In the renovation of an old orchard insect control is so large a 

 factor that systematic and annual spraying will hereafter have to be 

 done as one of the most important of its operations. 



We have considered those orchards that are on land that may be 

 cultivated and upon which spraying machinery may be worked. 

 There are many old orchards in New England standing on rough 



