EXTRACTS OF PROCEEDINGS. 



vii 



letter from Professor Eiley on the use of resin washes for bark- 

 lice. " If," says Mr. Kiley, " the insect is a Dactylopius, the 

 Alexandrians cannot do better than use one of the resin washes 

 with which we are spraying Icerya so successfully in California." 

 The following extract from Insect Life contains a good formula 

 for the purpose : — 



" Resin Wash for Bed Scale. — In accordance with instruc- 

 tions, Mr. Coquillet has been making experiments with this wash 

 against red-scale (Aspidiotus aurantii), and after twenty different 

 tests made with various preparations, from July 17 to August 8, 

 the one which gave the best results was found to be composed 

 of resin, 20 lb. ; caustic soda (70 per cent, strength), 6 lb. ; fish 

 oil, 3 lb. ; and water to make 100 gallons. In preparing this 

 wash the necessary materials were placed in a boiler and 

 covered with water, and then boiled until dissolved, and stirred 

 occasionally during the boiling. After dissolving, the prepara- 

 tion was boiled briskly for about an hour, a small quantity of 

 cold water being added whenever there was danger of boiling 

 over. The boiler was then filled up with cold water, which 

 mixed perfectly well when added slowly and frequently stirred. 

 It was then transferred to a strong tank and diluted with water 

 to 100 gallons. Neither the leaves nor the fruit was injured, 

 while a large proportion of the scales were destroyed. Those 

 which escaped were either on the fruit or the underside of the 

 leaves. The cost of the wash is 80 cents per 100 gallons, or 

 four-fifths of a cent per gallon. An Orange-tree, 16 feet tall 

 by 14 feet in diameter, was given 14 gallons. This, however, 

 seems to us to be an unnecessarily large amount, but upon this 

 basis the cost of spraying per tree is 11*2 cents." — From ''Insect 

 Life," Oct. 1889, p. 92, U.S. Department of Agriculture. 



The Winter Moth. — Mr Wilson called attention to a commu- 

 nication in the Hereford Times of November 9, 1889, as to the 

 efficacy of greased bands as a check to the insect, and wherein 

 Mr. Cranston says : — "I consider that the greasing process which 

 is being adopted is injurious to the bark of the trees, especially 

 to young trees. To the older trees it may possibly not do much 

 harm, but I believe the old plan of painting the trunks of the 

 trees with a solution of quicklime is the best. Some use soot 

 with the lime, but I don't know that the soot is of much conse- 

 quence except to dull the white glare of the lime. The painting 

 should be done in the autumn." 



