86 APPLYING COMPOSITION, 



sible fall on the trees, because it is injurious 

 to them, but it will be destructive to insects 

 and their larvae which may be deposited in 

 the walls*; after this is done the trees may 

 be anointed with the composition. (The 

 directions for making the composition proper for 

 each kind of fruit tree will be found at the end 

 of this work,) The composition must be laid 

 on with a brush, such as is generally termed 

 a painter's, dusting brush. In laying on the 

 wash, always be careful to draw the brush 

 up the shoot, for by doing the contrary way 

 the buds are apt to be damaged. Let it be 

 well rubbed into all the joints, as the insects 

 or larvae are generally deposited there. The 

 composition must be in a tepid state, what 

 is commonly termed new milk warm, as the 

 ingredients are then in a fermenting state, 

 and the effects it produces are more powerful 

 when in that condition. To preserve the 

 temperature of the composition, let only one 

 pint be carried to the wall to be applied at 

 once, and let an earthen pot be used for 

 the purpose, as earthen vessels retain heat 

 much better than those made of tin or other 

 metal. 



Espalier trees may be anointed with the 

 same success as wall trees; I also find it 

 highly beneficial to apply it to standard 



* AH loose rough bark must be pared off, and after the application of the 

 composition, a new bark will be formed. 



