6 REPORT ON INJURIOUS INSECTS FOR 1906. 



some hold strenuously to the belief that the wash without it is a failure. 

 Besides this it would appear that the caustic soda entirely takes the 

 place of the lime, in so far as the caustic action of the wash on the 

 scale is concerned. . . . Therefore a wash composed only of sulphur, 

 caustic soda and water seems worthy of a trial." The author then 

 goes on to recommend the following as a proposed formula : 



Water ... ... ... 50 gallons. 



Powdered Sulphur ... ... ... 19 pounds. 



Caustic Soda ... ... ... 10 pounds. 



The sprayfluid is made as follows : Make a paste of the sulphur 

 with not more than 5^ gallons of boiling water ; at once add all the 

 caustic soda, which has previously been broken up into small pieces, 

 and stir occasionally for half an hour. Then add 44^ gallons of water, 

 stir, and the sprayfluid is ready for use. 



Most important results have been obtained from two sprayfluids, 

 which for the present I shall term V i and V 2. 



V I is a winter sprayfluid of great penetrative power. In one 

 orchard, where it was tried on about 100 acres of Apple, Pear, and Plum 

 trees, and 34 acres of various fruit trees, Apple Sucker, Apple Aphis, 

 Plum Aphis and Mussel Scale were exceedingly bad last year. A 

 careful inspection was made in March of some 30 to 40 of the worst 

 attacked trees, and not a single egg of any of these pests could be 

 found alive. 



In another orchard equally good results were obtained. The trees 

 were mostly Apple, and thick with Mussel Scale, but in spite of the 

 most careful searching and examination no live eggs could be found. 

 Indeed, I can confidently state that, in my opinion, on April 24th in 

 these orchards there were fewer living insect pests in any stage to be 

 found than I have ever previously seen. 



The grower writes : 



" It gives me pleasure to inform you that since I have used your 

 winter wash for spraying my fruit trees I find a wonderful difference. 

 It has practically cleared out American Blight, and all other insects 

 and fungi in my Apple trees, and I am more free from these pests 

 and aphis generally than I have ever previously been. I consider the 

 winter washing very effectual, and I think you have made a most won- 

 derful stride in the art of spraying fruit trees." 



One spraying was sufficient to kill the eggs of Chermes abietis, 

 on branches of Larch, also Chionaspsis salicis covering branches of 

 Ash. 



V 2 is intended to replace sprayfluids used in the spring and 

 summer. The following are some of the reports received from fruit- 

 growers who have tried it : 



