1910.] Summary of Agricultural Experiments. 935 



to settle once for all that in this respect it is useless, and consequently 

 it is a waste of money to apply it. The double strength of caustic 

 soda was used as well. 



The spraying - was done in October, November and March, in order 

 to find which month was most suitable, should any of the washes prove 

 successful. The only wash that was found to have any appreciable 

 effect on the ova was the lime and salt wash. In 1907-8 this was again 

 tried, and also Vi Fluid, a proprietary fluid advertised to destroy the 

 eggs of apple sucker. The latter did not prove successful. The lime 

 and salt wash was made according to the following formula : — Best 

 selected white lime (freshly burnt) i| cwt., agricultural salt 30 lb., 

 water 100 gallons. The lime is first slaked and should be well stirred 

 until all lumps disappear, when the salt is added. In order to prevent 

 the coating flaking off the trees when dry, several "fixatives" were 

 added to the wash. Of these waterglass at the rate of about 5 lb. 

 per 100 gallons was the most effective, but also the most expensive. 

 Powdered alum, 3-4 lb. per 100 gallons, and a few pounds of soft soap 

 and of paraffin-soap jelly were 'also found to be more effective than most 

 of the fixatives used. The lime and salt wash was again very 

 efficacious in most cases, although in the first year of application the 

 infestation was often only reduced. It was found necessary to apply it 

 thickly, and the best results were obtained when spraying was done 

 as late as possible up to the time when the buds began to burst. 



Spraying against Apple Sticker (Journal of Sonth-Eastern Agric. 

 Coll., Wye. No. 17, 1908). — The life history of the Apple Sucker is 

 given by Mr. Theobald, together with a description of various experi- 

 ments and trials with the lime and salt wash. Experiments were 

 carried out at Wye in 1907 and 1908 to find a cheap sticking medium 

 to make the lime adhere more firmly to the bark, but no very satis- 

 factory results were obtained. 



Mr. Theobald gives the following summary of conclusions as regards 

 this wash :— Lime and salt wash (ij cwt. fresh lime, 40 lb. salt, to 

 100 gallons of water) prevents the hatching of large numbers of the 

 apple suckers, its effect varying according to the thickness put on the 

 trees, the thoroughness of the application, and the extent to which it 

 has dried before rain comes. No ingredient yet known prevents to 

 any great extent the flaking-off of the lime on smooth wood. Water- 

 glass or paraffin to some extent causes it to hold slightly better. Up to 

 40 lb. of salt may be used to 100 gallons of water, but more than that 

 amount may damage the buds of some varieties. As much lime as 

 possible should be used so as to make a thick coating. 



Spraying against various Insects and Fungi (Worcester C. C, 

 Reports by Kenneth G. Furley ; Thirteenth Annual Report on the County 

 Garden, Droitwich, 1908). — In the case of Mussel Scale, a double 

 strength caustic soda wash (2 lb. caustic soda, | lb. soft soap and 10 

 gallons of water) entirely killed the scale. Strong paraffin emulsion 

 and Mr. S. U. Pickering's paraffin and soda wash did not kill the 

 scale at once, but in the following spring when the trees were 

 examined the scale insect eggs were found to be dead, showing that 

 it probably takes some little time for the paraffin washes to penetrate 

 the scale. Ordinary caustic alkali wash killed a certain amount of 

 eggs, but by no means all. 



