THE JOURNAL 



OF THE 



BOARD OF AGRICULTURE 



Vol. VIII. No. 2. SEPTEMBER, 1901. 



WINTER WASHING OF FRUIT TREES. 



A. neglected orchard not only harbours all manner of insect 

 enemies during the winter, which come out in the spring and 

 commence their ravages in that particular orchard, but it 

 forms a nursery or breeding ground from which other 

 orchards are supplied with noxious insects. 



It is essential, therefore, that all such orchards should be 

 treated in some way to stop the damage that is caused by the 

 various insect pests they encourage. 



For this purpose a caustic or burning wash known as 

 Caustic Alkali Wash is most successful. This mixture serves 

 a double function. It removes, by means of its caustic 

 properties, all vegetal incumbrances, moss and lichen ; 

 and at the same time it causes all rough and decaying 

 bark to fall off. A tree so treated soon assumes a more healthy 

 appearance. By the removal of the moss and lichen from 

 the trees, the favourite quarters of many hibernating insects 

 are destroyed. Beneath the vegetal growths and rough bark 

 lound on fruit trees we find during the winter the Woolly 

 Aphis, the Apple Blossom Weevil, the Earwig, the Codling 

 Maggot, Thrips, and numerous other small insects. The 

 destruction of their winter quarters places these often serious 

 pests in unfavourable circumstances, and they cease to 

 increase in abnormal numbers. Scale insects, of which two 

 at least are more or less harmful in this country, namely, the 

 Apple Bark Louse or Mussel Scale and the Brown Currant 

 Scale, may also be destroyed by caustic alkali wash. 



