16 



and Ontario; and it is hoped that with the vigilance of Mr. Thos. Cunning- 

 ham, the efficient Inspector, and other officers of the Board, Our present 

 immunity may continue. 



It is, of course, not the intention here to enter into details regarding 

 insect pests and plant diseases, nor to describe the different means that are 

 recommended for the mitigation of the evils ; neither time nor space admit of 

 it. All such information is obtainable from other publications issued by the 

 Department and from the officers of the Board of Horticulture. Chief amongst 

 the means recommended is the use of sprays of different kinds, the efficiency 

 depending upon their purity and intelligent use. The disiderata are: (1st.) 

 A good, well-equipped spray pump, one that is capable of throwing a strong 

 stream, the capacity being, of course, dependant upon the extent of the orchard 

 and the amount of work required to be done. (2nd.) A first-class nozzle, one 

 that will not clog easily and that is capable of transforming the stream from 

 the pump into a fine, fog-like spray; the finer the spray the more effective 

 will be the work. Every part of a tree should be covered, but spraying 

 should be discontinued as soon as there are s*gns of dripping. Rainy 

 weather is unfavourable for spraying operations. (3rd.) The very best of 

 made sprays or chemicals should be used, and a rigid observance of the rules 

 laid down for making sprays and their use are absolutely imperative if 

 success is to be attained. Clean and well-cultivated land, and so keeping, 

 the trees healthy and vigorous, the burning of all rubbish lying about in 

 orchards, the destruction of all infected fruit by fire in case of stone fruits 

 infected with rot, and by feeding to farm animals when infected with insect 

 pests, by painting the trunks of trees with the preparations recommended, 

 and generally observing the rules laid down for keeping orchards free of 

 disease and pests, are all conducive to success. 



The following remedy for oyster, shell bark louse, by W. T. Macoun, 

 Horticulturist, Central Experimental Farm, Ottawa, not having been pub- 

 lished before in any bulletin of this Department, and being of so simple a 

 nature, I deem it best to give it publicity : 



" It has been only within the last ten years or so that spraying has 

 been regarded as an important part of successful fruit culture. Recognising 

 the value of anything that would prevent injury to trees and fruit, spraying 

 has received considerable attention at the Central Experimental Farm, and 

 many fungicides and insecticides have been tested to pi-ove their relative 

 merits. While experimenting with a lime mixture sprayed on fruit trees to 

 prevent the swelling of the buds in early spring, Mr. W. T. Macoun discovered 

 that the trees thus treated were practically rid of the oyster shell bark louse, 

 an insect which does a great deal of injury to apple trees in the colder 

 parts of Ontario and the Province of Quebec. The lime destroys the gelatinous 

 mater which binds the scales to the tree, and the scales are then removed 

 by the action of rain, frost or wind. 



" In order to be most effective the spraying should be done in the 

 autumn, and there should be two applications, so that all the scales may be 

 covered. Lime used in the proportion of two pounds to oi*e gallon of water 

 has been found to be the best formula so far, but it is possible that one 

 pound of lime to a gallon will be sufficient if the lime be good. This new 



