196 THE PRACTICAL GARDEN -BOOK 



them useless ; or they are killed by the winter. The indica- 

 tions are that the scale will never be so serious in the 

 moist, cool climates of the northeastern states as it is in 

 the hotter and drier climates of the West. It has been 

 found by careful experiments that it can be killed by a 

 spray of kerosene and water (see Kerosene] in a proportion 

 of one part of kerosene to four or five of water. This ma- 

 terial is applied with a mechanical pump mixer, and the ap- 

 plication should be made on a sunny day so that evaporation 

 soon takes place. Spraying with kerosene in cloudy weather 

 is very likely to result in injury to the plants. Some experi- 

 menters have found crude petroleum to be a specific for 

 the San Jose" Scale. 



It is not to be expected that the San Jose Scale can be 

 exterminated any more than the tent caterpillar or apple 

 scab can. It follows, therefore, that wo should spray for 

 the San Jose Scale as we do for other pests. It is such a 

 serious pest, however, that the state or province should take 

 measures to hold it in check. Some system of inspection 

 should be inaugurated, and it is probably best that nursery 

 stock be fumigated with hydrocyanic gas before it is sold. 

 This gas is exceedingly poisonous, however, and should 

 never be handled by the inexperienced. Whenever it is 

 used, it should be under the control of experts. Plants or 

 plantations which are badly infested with the scale would 

 better be destroyed. 



Scabiosa. MOURNING BRIDE. A useful annual, 



producing a profusion of bloom through the greater part of 

 the summer if not allowed to go to seed. The flowers range 

 in color from white to rich purple, are borne on long 

 stems, and are very lasting. The seed may be sown where 

 the plants are wanted, or to hasten the season of bloom may 

 be sown in boxes in February and grown along to be planted 

 out in April. 



Scarlet Runner. One of the pole or running 



