REMEDIES FOR INSECTS 



A WINTER WASH FOR DECIDUOUS TREES WHEN LEAFLESS 



Lime Salt and Sulphur Remedy. The following formula has been used with 

 great success throughout the State : 



Lime 30 pounds 



Sulphur 20 pounds 



Salt 10 pounds 



Water ; 60 gallons 



For preparing the wash two vats or boilers are necessary, and if the spraying 

 is to be done on a large scale, one of these at least should hold a couple of 

 hundred gallons. If but a small number of trees are to be treated, ordinary 

 iron kettles will answer the purpose. Of course, the preferable way of cooking 

 the wash is by means of live steam. 



First place two or three inches of water in the boiler, and to this add the 

 sulphur, which has previously been made into a paste by mixing with hot 

 water in order to remove the lumps, or sift the dry sulphur through a mos- 

 quito wire-netting and stir it thoroughly. Then add about one-fourth of the 

 lime, and when the violent boiling has ceased add another fourth, and so on 

 until the required amount of lime has been added. Hot water should be added 

 with the lime as needed, so as to make the mixture of a creamy consistency. 

 Too much water will "drown" the lime, while on the other hand too little will 

 cause incomplete slaking of the lime. In this way the heat generared by the 

 slaking of the lime is taken advantage of, and by adding the sulphur first plenty 

 of time is given for removing the lumps. 



By the time the lime is thoroughly slaked the fire should continue the bon- 

 ing, so that the time of boiling begins with the addition of the lime. The salt 

 and about one-fourth of the water should now be added, and the whole boiled 

 from one to two hours, keeping it frequently stirred in the meantime. At the 

 end of this period screen into the spray tank and add the necessary amount 

 of hot water, and apply to the trees hot. The wash when properly made is a 

 heavy reddish-brown liquid, very caustic and having a strong sulphur odor. 

 The heavier materials settle upon standing, leaving a lighter liquid both in color 

 and weight. Stock solutions of lime-sulphur compound are now being furnished 

 ready for dilution by California manufacturers. 



WASHES FOR ALL TREES WHEN IN LEAF 



Kerosene Emulsion. Take kerosene, two gallons ; common soap, or whale-oil 

 soap, one-half pound; water, one gallon. Dissolve the soap in the water and 

 add it boiling hot to the kerosene. Churn the mixture by means of a force 

 pump and spray nozzle for five or ten minutes. The emulsion, if perfect, forms 

 a cream which thickens on cooling. Dilute before using, one part of the emul- 

 sion with nine parts of cold water. To obtain this emulsion in proper form 

 violent agitation is necessary, the time required depending upon the violence 

 of the agitation and temperature of the mixture. Professor Cook's formula 

 is this: "Dissolve in two quarts of water one-fourth pound of hard soap by 

 heating to the boiling point, then add one pint of kerosene oil and stir violently 

 from three to five minutes." This is best done by use of the force pump. This 

 mixes the oil permanently, so that it will never separate. Add seven pints 

 of water and the wash is ready for use. 



Resin Soap. Take ten pounds of resin, one and one-half pints of fish 

 oil, three pounds of caustic soda (76 per cent), and enough water to make 

 fifty gallons. Place all the ingredients together in the boiler with water enough 

 to cover them three or four inches. Boil one-half hour, or until the compound 

 resembles very black coffee. Dilute to one-third the final bulk with hot water, 

 or, if cold water is used, add very slowly over the fire, making a stock mixture 

 to be diluted to the full amount as used. When spraying, the mixture should 

 be perfectly fluid and without sediment. This mixture can be used twice or 

 three times as strong on deciduous trees when dormant. 



