SEVENTEENTH ANNUAL MEETING. 95 



are born just before the leaves drop in the fall. At first their 

 scaly covering- is very thin and is not firmly attached to the 

 bark. From this it would seem that the insect is more sus- 

 ceptible to treatment in the fall. However, so far as killing 

 the insect is concerned, equally good results have followed 

 spring application. It is evident that badly infested trees suf- 

 fer from the presence of the scale during the winter months, 

 at least during the fall and early in the spring before the 

 spraying is commenced. In view of this fact and because of 

 its greater convenience, fall spraying is recommended. It 

 must not be understood, however, that this is the only time, 

 for it may be successfully done any day, from the time the 

 leaves drop in the fall till the buds commence to swell in the 

 spring, providing the temperature is above freezing point. 



As A Summer Spray. 

 If for any reason a serious infestation should present 

 itself during the summer, a few weak applications of oil emul- 

 sion may often save a crop of fruit from injury. In view of 

 the fact that a solution weak enough to avoid injury to the 

 tree will kill only the moving scales, or those under two days 

 old, repeated applications, every few days until the fruit is 

 about to mature, will be necessary. This is out of the question 

 when large orchards are to be considered, but with small, re- 

 stricted areas in the orchard, or in the nursery, it is quite 

 feasible. The exact stength that may be safely used with the 

 various kinds of fruit trees is yet to be determined. The re- 

 sults of the past season, however, seem to indicate that a 1 to 

 30 may be safely and effectively used with apples, pears and 

 peaches. The condition of the w^cather seems to have consid- 

 erable influence upon the degree of injury. Trees in foliage 

 that were sprayed on a cloudy day were less seriously injured 

 than those sprayed on a clear day. 



Orchard Tests. 

 1. At Mcridcn. On November 19, 1907, in the pres- 

 ence of a few prominent fruit growers of the state, the writer 

 ]:)rcpared a batch of soluble oil sufficient to make 2,500 gallons- 



