35 



The largest adult specimens received from Mr. Bighter are 4 mm long 

 by 3 wide and If high, and the smallest adult specimens are 3 mm long, 

 2 wide, and 1 high; the color is a light yellowish brown, the outline oval, 

 narrowing anteriorly; the sides are rugose and transversely carinate, 

 the dorsum much smoother, and with indications of a medium carina 

 most distinct anteriorly; the edges are thin and spread out. 



My library contains references to upwards of fifty descriptions of as 

 many different kinds of Lecanium, and it is quite impossible to decide 

 to which of these numerous species the Brown Apricot Scale belongs. 



As a remedy, the stronger resin wash described in the chapter on 

 the San Jose Scale will doubtless be found effectual when used against 

 the present species ; it should only be used while the trees are dor- 

 mant, and at that time none but the younger scales will be found alive, 

 there being but a single generation each year. Common brown laun- 

 dry soap, 1 pound dissolved in 3 gallons of water, will doubtless prove 

 fatal to these scales, as I have known it to do when applied to the com- 

 mon soft Brown Scale. 



THYMO-CRESOL AS AN INSECTICIDE. 4 



Some time during the past summer I received a can of thymo-cresol 

 for experimental purposes. No opportunity occurred for testing this 

 insecticide until on the 4th of September, at which date I sprayed some 

 of the diluted liquid on an orange tree infested with the Yellow Scale 

 (Aspidiotus citrinus) and with the Soft Scale (Lecanium hesperhhim). 

 I used it in the proportions of 1 gallon to 1,000 gallons, and also to 2,000 

 gallons, of the wash, these being the proportions recommended for de- 

 stroying scale insects on orange trees as given in the circular which 

 accompanied the can of insecticide. The weaker wash did not prove 

 fatal to a very large percentage of the scales, but the stronger one de- 

 stroyed about 90 per cent of them; there were very few of the soft scales 

 on this tree, but all of them were destroyed by the wash, while the 

 fruit and leaves were not injured. In the printed directions it is rec- 

 ommended to syringe the trees with pure water fifteen minutes after 

 applying the wash, but this I did not do, since it would occasion too 

 much labor to carry out this plan in the case of large orange groves. 



According to a schedule of prices which accompanied the can, a 

 3-gallon can of the thymo-cresol costs $5.25; at this rate, each gallon of 

 the stronger wash used above would cost somewhat less than one-fifth 

 of a cent per gallon, which would make this an extremely cheap insecti- 

 cide. 



In the printed directions it is recommended to make three applications 

 of this wash, at intervals of eight or nine days, each application to be 

 followed by a spraying with pure water fifteen minutes after the appli- 

 cation is made; this plan might be followed in regard to a few plants 

 or small trees, but it is altogether too expensive for adopting in the 

 case of large orange groves. 



