86 ORANGE CULTURE IN CALIFORNIA. 



red scale, as they will the black. As a remedy, some growers 

 cut away the entire top of the tree, down to the large limbs, and 

 remove all branches and thorns, to admit the free use of reme- 

 dies applied by washing by hand, and rubbing and scrubbing 

 the entire remaining portion of the tree with some insect-de- 

 stroying compound. Others have adopted the plan of forcing 

 a spray of parasite-destroying liquid throughout the whole tree 

 with a force-pump to *vhich is attached a hose with a finely 

 perforated sprinkler. The liquid may be carried to the trees on 

 a tank on a wagon. When this is properly done it reaches every 

 part of the tree. It is claimed to be the best method of ap- 

 plying remedies for the destruction of these parasites. 



It is my opinion that this insect the red scale will be en- 

 tirely eradicated from our country within a few years. 



I have sometimes thought it would be commendable and 

 highly proper if the directors of our horticultural societies 

 would bring this subject to the attention of our legislators. 

 [This was written before the Legislature appointed a Horti- 

 cultural Commission. AUTHOR.] There might and ought to 

 be some legislation providing for the compulsory eradication of 

 this parasite from the orchards of California. There will always 

 be some easy-going owners of orchards that will be slow and 

 slovenly in their treatment of this scourge ; this will at least 

 have a tendency to retain it among us for a considerable time. 



For the eradication of the scalebug Mr. Ellwood Cooper, of 

 Santa Barbara, recommends and uses a strong decoction of 

 tobacco, heated to about one hundred and thirty degrees, and 

 applied by means of a force-pump worked by hand. Two acres 

 of tobacco will supply leaves enough for any ordinary orchard, 

 and one good drenching every year is sufficient to prevent any 

 damage. 



A correspondent of the Florida Agriculturist^ writing from 

 Lake George, says one of his trees that was covered with the 

 red scale, a tree six years old, looked as if it had been scorched 

 in a hot fire, and he supposed it was past all hope of recovery. 

 Extreme cases prove the remedy, and he determined to try it, 

 though with little hope of success. He boiled an ounce of fine- 

 cut tobacco in a gallon of water till the strength was extracted, 



