12 BULLETIN - 965, U. S. DEPARTMENT OP AGRICULTURE. 
the wounds. The ultimate effect was such rapid drying of the 
scraped tissues that great flakes of bark peeled off, temporarily 
injuring the trees, although they soon recovered. When sticky 
bands are to be removed, therefore, this should be done without 
scraping the bark and the thin film will assure gradual drying of the 
bark without subsequent injury. 
AXLEGREASE AXD STICKY TrEE-BaXDIXG MATERIAL. 
A mixture compounded of 1 part of ordinary black axlegrease 
and 2 to 3 parts of sticky tree-banding material recommended by 
J. E. Horton 4 was tried on a large number of trees in different 
localities. This material proved inferior to undiluted sticky material. 
A few hot, dry days in summer usually caused sufficient hardening 
of the surface for the ants thereafter to cross at will. 
Sulphur axd Sticky Tree-Baxdixg Material. 
By far the most satisfactory " tree-sticky " substance tried was a 
mixture of sulphur and commercial sticky tree-banding material in 
the following proportions : 5 
Finely pulverized flowers of sulphur parts by weight. . 1 
Commercial sticky tree-banding material parts by weight. . 6 
The two materials should be thoroughly mixed until of a uniform 
consistency. In small quantities this should be done with a wooden 
paddle, although for large amounts that method is too slow and costly. 
The most satisfactory method observed by the writers for preparing 
large batches was a turning machine such as a lathe to which was 
attached a large corkscrew arrangement. A gallon pail partly filled 
with the proper proportions of ingredients could be mixed to proper 
consistency in a few minutes and with little effort. The attempt 
of one orchardist using a shovel to prepare the mixture in 100-pound 
lots naturally gave a very unsatisfactory mixture, with the sulphur 
in lumps, rather than a smooth, consistent mass as desired. 
After preliminary experiments had proved that the bands of 
sulphur and sticky material were superior to all other tree-banding 
materials used, they were given a very extensive tryout over two 
seasons under widely differing climatic conditions. The results 
were variable. In one experiment in which 42 large trees had a 
heavy 5-inch band applied May 1, only 2 had been crossed by 
August 14, a period of 3^ months. Three adjacent plots comprising 
a total of 208 trees, for the most part with limbs 3 to 4 inches in 
diameter, were treated with bands 2 to 2\ inches wide. From 18 to 
34 per cent of these bands were crossed within one month. In 
4 Horton, J. R. some weatherproof bands for use against ants. In Calif. State Comm. Hort, 
Monthly Bui., v. 5, no. 11, p. 420. 1916. 
5 Horton, J. R. Op. cit. 
