GETTING INTO THE GROUND 35 



Like other unpleasant things, one is disposed 

 to postpone the doing; but "take it from me," 

 that is a mistake! I waited, or delayed, over one 

 winter, to spray some beautifully shaped currant- 

 bushes that had given us a notable crop; and when 

 I did get around to it, the San Jose scale had sucked 

 the juices out of most of the stems, so they had 

 to be cut off and burned. Nowadays I spray on 

 the first fair and still day after I see any signs of 

 either scale, and in late February or early March 

 everything that is scale-susceptible gets thorough 

 and repeated going over "for luck," or for surer 

 protection against scales and other evils. 



This latter general spraying protects as well as 

 punishes, and it is quite as disagreeable to other 

 predaceous bugs and their eggs as it is to the two 

 main scale promoters of destruction I have men- 

 tioned. 



The commercial lime-sulphur spray, in winter 

 or dormant proportions, and preferably with lead 

 arsenate added to give it killing potency for any- 

 thing that eats, is a jaundiced -looking liquid, 

 rather oily in consistence, and most unsuitable to 

 get on any clothing ever to be worn again. An 

 old rubber coat, rubber gloves, a disregardable 

 hat, and much care to keep to windward, are 

 essential to the comfort of the operator. 



