February 22, 1883. ] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
149 
22nd 
Tn 
Royal Society at 4.30 P.M. 
23rd 
F 
Quekett Club at 8 P.M. 
24th 
S 
Royal Botanic Society at 3.45 P.M. 
25th 
SUN 
3rd Sunday in Lent. 
26th 
M 
27th 
TU 
28th 
W 
Society of Arts at 8 P.M. 
DESTROYING INSECTS ON FRUIT TREES. 
'OUBTLESS one of the greatest among 
the gardener’s many great troubles is 
the plague of insects which come every 
season as regularly as the seasons them¬ 
selves. I should just like my readers to 
recall to mind how they have battled 
in former springs and summers with the 
hosts of insects on their outdoor fruit 
&)■' trees—how the shoots of the Cherries were 
covered with black aphides, the Peaches and 
Plums with green fly in variety, and the Pears 
with quite a collection of entomological curiosities! 
Just picture them at the present time, and consider 
whether you w T ould like to have them that way again 
when every minute is doubly engaged, and you are 
obliged for self-protection to shut your eyes to some of 
the evils around you. 
No insects are visible now, and some of our old- 
fashioned friends will tell us that they will not come 
till the east wind brings them. We have it on the 
highest authority that the east wind was once guilty of 
such things; but that was a long time ago, and 
although the wind in the east still is said to be “ good 
for neither man nor beast,” the insects are sure to 
come be the wind where it will, unless w T e take the 
trouble to prevent them. 
Perhaps the most detestable of insects on our out¬ 
door fruit trees is the black aphis which infests our 
Cherries. It seems to come so suddenly, and squeeze, 
syringe, and dip as you will, nothing will prevent dis¬ 
figurement of the trees nor partial loss of the crop. 
As I am more interested in the movements of my 
enemies than those of my friends, I have watched this 
pest rather closely, and can always find it in the form 
of the tiniest black spots on a sunny day just when 
the bloom buds are about one-third expanded. It is 
hardly larger than the point of a pin, and to the naked 
eye cannot be seen to be alive ; but leave it a few days, 
and it will not only be seen to be alive itself but to 
have a very flourishing family. It is quite possible to 
destroy it when the small black specks are first seen, 
and at any time before the bloom buds are more than 
half expanded; but the surest and most economical 
plan is to destroy it before it can be seen : and with 
wall trees, at least, this is a very easy matter, as I 
have proved for two successive seasons. 
Petroleum is cheap enough. It is certain death to 
all insects when used in a thorough-going manner, and 
before the buds are much expanded it is perfectly 
harmless to the trees in comparatively strong doses. 
My fruit walls are very old and full of holes, so that 
there is plenty of harbour for insects; but by thoroughly 
syringing them all round twice in early spring, with 
an interval of a week or ten days, and repeating the 
dose in the autumn after the leaves are hardened, 
insects are comparatively no trouble. 
The petroleum mixture for syringing the walls and 
trees before the buds burst, and also after the leaves 
are hardened in autumn, is used at the rate of 2 ozs., 
or about an ordinary-sized wineglassful, to the gallon 
of water. The method of using it has been often 
described in this Journal by various writers, but as 
new readers are being constantly enlisted, and the 
inquiries on this subject are still very numerous, it 
may be worth while to repeat it here in the plainest 
language at my command. 
The oil is not soluble in water, and will float on 
the top, consequently when applying the contents of 
the vessel to the trees we may draw one syringeful 
entirely of water and the next entirely of oil, the 
effects of which would be very disastrous. But al¬ 
though the oil is not soluble in water we may, by 
keeping it constantly agitated, divide it into very small 
particles, and distribute it equally through the water. 
Applied in this condition at the proper strength the 
mixture is harmless to the trees and destructive to the 
insects. Where a large space of wall has to be ope¬ 
rated on it is well to have two men with two syringes, 
one to keep drawing from the vessel and returning the 
contents of his syringe with as much force as possible, 
the other to keep on applying a very gentle spray, light 
as dew itself, to every portion of the trees and wall. 
The lighter the application the greater will be the 
quantity of liquid held by the trees, in the same way 
as they hold much more moisture from dew than they 
do from heavy rain. When only a small space has to 
be done with one pair of hands, one syringeful must go 
into the pot and one on to the tree alternately. The 
mixture is used indiscriminately on all kinds of fruit 
trees, and no syringing with clear water is practised at 
any time of the year.— Wm. Taylor. 
Notwithstanding all the remedies that are provided 
insects appear to cause as much trouble as ever both to 
fruit trees and flowers during the summer months, and 
insecticides are brought into disrepute if they do not 
clear off all the pests at once and leave the trees and 
plants clean and healthy. The truth is that nearly all 
insecticides will accomplish their purpose. It is certain 
that tobacco water, quassia water, Gishurst compound, 
nicotine soap, and petroleum will, when properly mixed 
and applied, destroy insects; but it is not fair to any 
insecticide to allow the pests to increase and cover 
the shoots and foliage in crowds before the remedy is 
applied, as then in many cases the insects protect 
each other. 
The true course to pursue is to endeavour by every 
possible means to prevent the attacks of insects, and 
this may be in a great measure done by syringing fruit 
trees just before the blossoms expand and the wood 
buds are starting into growth. If no insects are visible 
then, so much the better; still they are certainly not 
far off, and preventive measures should be adopted. 
Petroleum has become a favourite remedy with many 
cultivators, but there is a difficulty in mixing it with 
water. My employer, who does not occupy an obscure 
position in the scientific world, has tested carefully 
every method that has been advanced of incorporating 
No. 139,— VOL; VI., Third Series, 
No. 1795.— Vol. LXIX., old Series, 
