loo The Connecticut Pomological Society 



Professor Johnson: "The oil men use a test. It is an 

 instrument having a scale, and the oil should test on that scale 

 not less than 43 degrees. The higher \'^ou go the more expen- 

 sive it becomes, but it should not test less than 43 degrees. It 

 should range, I think, between 43 and 45 degrees. The oil 

 should not be thick. Some of the oils are yellow or brown, 

 and those should be avoided because they carry a very high 

 percentage of vaseline." 



Mr. InniS: 'T would like to make a statement. At Bridge- 

 port we have the scale, and lots of it. Being interested in this 

 line and the owner of a particular place being a friend of mine, 

 I had occasion to make a microscopic study of the San Jose 

 scale in its native haunts. After a thorough examination I said 

 to this friend of mine, 'You cannot do more than kill the tree, 

 and I will tell you what to do. We will use clear kerosene.' 

 That tree was thoroughly drenched from the ground to its tips 

 in the early spring, in March I think it was, with pure kero- 

 sene. It was put on on a bright sunshiny, but a consider- 

 ably windy day, when the air was in motion and everything 

 favorable. That tree the past season bore a good crop of fruit, 

 and is in apparently a good healthy condition so far as I have 

 been able to discover; and I cannot find a living scale on it." 



Professor Johnson: "That shows that pure kerosene un- 

 der those conditions is no more liable to injure the tree than a 

 25 or 30 per cent solution. I have heard of a good many cases 

 reported where 25 per cent used under unfavorable conditions 

 caused a good deal of damage. At the same time, if the 

 growers will be sufficiently careful about the weather when they 

 spray, and the condition of the trees, experience has shown that 

 25 per cent is a safe proportion. As I said before, you must 

 work out a good many of these problems for yourselves and not 

 be guided too much by what we fellows say. What may do for 

 Mr. Hale down in South Glastonbury may not do for the fellow 

 right over the fence. There may be a difference in conditions 

 existing in two orchards with only a rail fence between. I have 

 seen that on a single slope of the mountains in the south. We 

 are only throwing out topics for thought for the individual 

 growers to adjust, and to work out for themselves. The best 

 thing is for a man to work out his own case." 



