17 
eggs, the process occupying about a fortnight, during which time the 
insect has become reduced to less than one-third of its size at maturity, 
and occupies the upper portion of the shell, the eggs filling the lower 
portion. As a rule the eggs are not hatched until the following spring. 
The male of this species has not been observed. 
In America this insect is considered to cause a greater amount of 
injury than any other, and I believe this to be true in the Nelson 
District at the present time. ” 
Although numerous remedies have been proposed, it must be 
confessed that few have proved satisfactory in practice. Many of 
them require the removal of the scale by rubbing or scraping, a process 
involving the unnecessary expenditure of a large amount of time and 
labour, as the insects can be destroyed and the trees kept in a clean 
condition at a very small cost and with but little trouble. 
Castor-oil, containing 2 02. of soot to the gallon, as recommended 
for American blight, is thoroughly efficient under all conditions when 
properly applied. : 
At the School of Agriculture, Lincoln, several hawthorn plants 
amongst the ornamental trees were so badly attacked by the apple-scale 
that their bark was completely encrusted, their leaves shrivelled, became 
discoloured, and fell away without reaching maturity. The bark was 
lightly washed with the castor-oil mixture, applied with a paint-brush, 
the result being a complete success: the scale fell away, the bark 
assumed a healthy appearance, and new leaves were developed within 
six weeks of the first application. As a matter of precaution a second 
dressing was applied later in the season, and the trees remained in a 
healthy state. In planting the experimental orchard a few trees just 
received from the nurseries were found to be slightly infested with 
scale and American blight; the parts affected were treated in the same 
way, and, although the orchard is in a district where infested trees are 
much too common, a careful examination in the early spring, and the 
application of the wash to any branch on which scale or aphis had 
effected a lodgment, was found sufficient to eradicate the pests with 
very little trouble. 
A mixture of kerosene and linseed oil has been recommended, and 
without doubt would prove effectual; but, unfortunately, in practice, 
it has been destructive to the tree Mr. Budden, Mr. Weisenhavern, 
and other growers informed me that in Nelson numbers of young trees 
had been killed by its application, and similar results have been ex- 
perienced in other places. 
Kerosene emulsions have many advocates, but in actual practice I 
do not find that kerosene has the slightest advantage over castor-oil, 
while its application to growing vegetable-tissue is certainly attended 
with risk. The worst effect that I have seen attending the use of 
castor-oil, when applied in excessive quantities, is the retardation of 
of leaf-development for a few days. 
Amongst other applications may be mentioned a mixture of soft- 
soap and seal-oil ; covering with a thin wash of soft-soap and scraping 
with a wooden knife; lime-water; tobacco-water and sulphur, applied 
B 
