SAN JOSE SCALE. 



those planted out better; all are getting 

 a more intelligent knowledge of horticul- 

 ture through your excellent publications 

 and the Fruit Growers' Associations, 

 and now all we want is capable and 

 honest nurserymen to fill the growing 



orders. Unfortunately Prince Edward 

 Island, which ought to raise at least its 

 own trees, is deficient in thoroughly 

 equipped nurseries. 



A. E. Burke. 

 Albert on, Oct. 27, 1899. 



SAN JOSE SCALE. 



H MEETING of prominent fruit 

 growers was held at Grimsby, 

 on Friday evening, 27th Oct- 

 ober, 1899, to discuss the re- 

 port of the San Jose Scale Commission. 



A communication was read from Mr. 

 Owen of Catawba Island who has had 

 much experience in treating trees for 

 San Jose Scale with whale oil soap, two 

 pounds to the gallon. This he said 

 could be applied in the winter to trees 

 that are hardy, but not to peach trees, 

 which must be treated just before the 

 buds open in the spring. 



One hundred and fifty trees per day 

 is all that can be properly treated with 

 the whale oil soap. Every part of the 

 tree must be thoroughly drenched. 



Even eggs of insects can be largely 

 destroyed by applications of whale oil, 

 and the leaf curl of the peach is totally 

 destroyed by its use. 



Previous to spraying, the orchard must 

 be thoroughly pruned as a preparation. 

 The trees must be severely cut back ; all 

 dead and weakly limbs, and superfluous 

 wood must be removed, and in cases of 

 badly affected trees leave only four or 

 five feet of the limbs should remain. 



Insect parasites are not to be relied 

 upon for the destruction of the scale so 

 well as whale oil soap. 



A communication was also read from 

 Professor Webster, .who says he attaches 

 much importance to the application of 

 whale oil soap. He has found that it 

 so cleans up orchards that they are very 

 much more vigorous and healthy, and 

 able to throw off all fungous diseases. 

 The result is so evident that it would 

 pay to apply the whale oil soap even if 

 there were no San Jose Scale. 



To entirely destroy the scale, it might 

 be necessary to continue the treatment 

 for several years. 



He also states that one hundred and 

 fifty to two hundred trees per day is all 

 that can be treated in a day with a good 

 pump with two lines of hose and two 

 nozzels on each. 



He also said that an ordinary tree will 

 require 1^ gallons of the mixture, con- 

 taining about three pounds of whale oil 

 soap, at a cost of three cents a pound, 

 or nine cents per tree for the soap alone. 



After considerable discussion the fol- 

 lowing resolution was unanimously 

 adopted : 



" We desire to express our great satisfac- 

 tion with the efforts made by "the Department 

 of Agriculture to destroy that most serious 

 enemy of the fruit grower, the San Jose 

 Scale. We regret exceedingly that any sus- 

 pension of the working of the Act shonld 

 have taken place thus allowing the pest to 

 spread with great rapidity. 



" In view of the uncertain results of the 

 work of the Experiment Stations in the 

 United States in the treatment of orchard 

 trees with whale oil soap for the destruction 

 of the scale, we recommend, 



" That there be no relaxation of the inspec- 

 tion of orchards or of the destruction of 

 infested trees, but that the work proceed 

 with all vigor, while it is possible to prevent 

 the spread of the pest ; 



" That in case of valuable orchard trees 

 only exposed to infection, the owner have the 

 choice of having his trees destroyed with 

 compensation, or of having them treited for 

 a certain length of time for the destruction of 

 the insect, and in case of failure, of having 

 them destroyed without compensation ; 



"That the owner of an infested orchard, 

 who wishes to hare exposed trees treated in- 

 stead of destroying, be required to thoroughly 

 prune the orchard trees exposed, in such a 

 manner as may be required by the inspector, 

 as a preparation for the spraying ; 



That all nursery stock be thoroughly fumi- 

 gated with cyanide of potassium gas, under 

 the eye of an inspector, before it is allowed 

 to be sent out." 



485 



