PREVENTION OF BURNING. 161 



1. Avoid the use of London purple. 



2. If Paris green is used, keep the spraying liquid con- 

 stantly and thoroughly agitated. 



3. Use only a very fine spray and distribute it lightly. 

 This applies especially to tender plants and valuable fruit 

 trees where burning may mean serious loss. 



4. Do not let the spraying liquid stand in the tank but 

 use it as soon as mixed. 



5. Spray early in the season when the injury to leaves 

 will be least. 



6. If Paris green does not give good results, use arsenate 

 of lead, which will not burn if properly mixed and applied. 



Reports of Injury to Man and Animals by Spraying. 

 The prejudice against spraying in Medford and other 

 towns was intensified by the belief that there was danger of 

 fatal poisoning to man and animals. When the spraying 

 was in progress, sensational reports were circulated. State- 

 ments were made in the daily press that a man had died 

 from the effects of chewing leaves taken from trees sprayed 

 in Medford, and that a child had been fatally poisoned by 

 eating bread and butter on which some of the spray had 

 fallen from the trees. On this at least one newspaper editor 

 advised his readers to shoot at sight the workmen employed 

 in spraying. It was reported that there was great danger 

 from eating sprayed fruit. Several quarts of cherries which 

 had been taken from sprayed trees and preserved in jars were 

 analyzed, and no trace of arsenic was found. Yet even before 

 they were analyzed, it was reported that they had been sent 

 to Amherst and that arsenic enough had been found on them 

 to kill a dozen people. A large portion of the cherries on 

 these trees were stolen by boys or given away, yet no im- 

 mediate mortality occurred among the juveniles of the neigh- 

 borhood. It was frequently reported that people had been 

 badly poisoned by having a spray thrown in their faces. It 

 is possible that this statement had some slight foundation in 

 fact. While in eating fruit there is little danger of the con- 

 sumption of sufficient poison to have any appreciable effect 

 on the system, there is a certain amount of danger from the 

 absorption or inhalation of arsenic, and great care should 



