1900. 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
823 
A STORY OF SCALE DAMAGE. 
The following clipping, headed “Fruit Tree Vaccination,” 
is from the Fruitman's Guide, last issue. Do you know 
whether there is anything in it? S. H. sick. 
West Virginia. 
“Experiments in progress on the famous N. P. Creely 
farm, near Burlington, N. .7., have attracted the atten¬ 
tion of agricultural scientists all over the country, and 
may lead to the extermination of the San Jose scale. 
The Creely apple orchard of about 200 acres, one of 
the finest in the State, was destroyed, as it was supposed, 
by the scale. When workmen began cutting down the 
scale-withered trees, it was discovered that the trunks 
were still alive, although every branch was leafless and 
dead. The upper . dead branches were cut away and 
new shoots were grafted to the trunks, or. in some 
cases, the trunks were allowed to form their natural 
shoots. The result, after a few months’ growth, has 
surprised the agriculturists, who are watching the ex¬ 
periment. The shoots are thriving and show no signs 
of being infected by the scale, notwithstanding that the 
neighborhood abounds in scale-ruined trees. 
“The theory advanced by the scientists in explaining 
the phenomenon is that the tree itself probably formed 
an antitoxin which poisoned the scale. If this turns 
out to be the ease, it is believed that the inoculation of 
scale-infected trees with sap extracted from the trunk 
and bark of the grafted trees will render them immune 
fo the scale blight, just as human beings are rendered 
impervious to smallpox by vaccination.” 
This is one of the original orchards where the 
lime and sulphur mixture was used in New Jersey. 
The oil was abandoned, and for a year or two the 
trees seemed to be in very good condition. They 
were just of that age between the point when lime 
and sulphur can be safely used and where the oil 
must be used. So the lime and sulphur for a year 
or two seemed to give exceedingly good results. 
Then it was found that while the trees seemed to 
remain in tolerably good condition, the fruit was so 
badly attacked by scales as to become almost un¬ 
salable. Consumers object to fruit so disfigured. 
Mr. Creely, 
the owner, was 
sickly, and 
could not al¬ 
ways look after 
the work done 
in his orchard. 
In consequence 
in one or two 
years the spray¬ 
ing was not 
as thoroughly 
done as it 
should have 
been, or the 
mixture was 
not cooked as 
well as it should 
have been, and 
the scale sim¬ 
ply swept over 
the trees like 
fire. I saw Mr. 
Creely two or 
three times 
during this 
period, and 
urged him to go back to the use of the oil, and I 
believe that at one time he did use the miscible oils 
with favorable results; but a sick man in charge of 
a farm of considerable size, especially a fruit farm, 
must trust very largely to hired help, and of this 
he did not have the best kind. 
The result was that this orchard of comparatively 
young trees died largely from the outside; that is, 
the outer twigs and branches were killed, while the 
older wood was still to a large extent living. The 
result of the scale attack, as you know, is to make 
the outer bark of the trees dry and hard, and if you 
put lime or. other caustic mixture over that, you get 
a crust that an ordinary scale insect cannot penetrate. 
The practical outcome of the whole matter was that 
the trees looked dead; but, as a matter of fact, the 
trunks and larger branches were still iii good condi¬ 
tion so far as the bast was concerned, and what they 
did when they started to take out the orchard, was 
first to cut it back. In doing this they left only the 
stumps of the larger branches, all of which was really 
live wood. At the same time they cut off all the wood 
that bore living scale, and left that part of the wood 
covered by tough old bark. Naturally enough, with 
the dead wood cut out, the trees made a new start, 
and naturally enough too, all those new shoots are 
and for a year or two will be practically free of 
scale. Wherever, however, there are any living scale 
left on the tree, these nevr shoots will become in¬ 
fested, and we will have the same business all over 
again. 
This is by no means the first orchard that Ins gone 
through exactly the same experience. In fact, several 
times I have recommended exactly this proceeding; 
but more frequently with peach trees than with apple 
trees. There is no mystery in the matter. It is per¬ 
fectly simple. There is no question of inoculation, and 
what has happened is that the. orchard has been com¬ 
pletely rid of scale for the first time in a good many 
years by the process of letting all the tender, wood 
be killed off and then cutting back to live wood. 
JOHN B. SMITH. 
A CHAPTER ON BORDEAUX MIXTURE. 
1. Why is it necessary to dissolve copper sulphate 
slowly in cold water instead of using boiling water as 
in slaking lime? 2. I find three different formulas for 
making Bordeaux, viz., 4-0-50, 5-5-50, and 0-4-50. Which 
is best, and is it imperative to follow any one of these 
formulas strictly? 3. Is it necessary to have 25 gallons 
of lime water and 25 gallons of copper water mixed 
together to produce a perfect mixture? Suppose I have 
a barrel containing ten gallons of copper water and 
add five gallons of lime water, then add enough clean 
water to produce 50 gallons? 4. Why do some formulas 
call for 48 gallons instead of 50? 5. How can T make 
a stock solution without using a test to try the strength 
of the mixture? e. c. s. 
Susquehanna Co., I’a. 
1. No, it is not -necessary to dissolve sulphate of 
copper slowly in cold water, but it is the easiest and 
most economical method. Up to 1905, each five- 
pound batch of copper was weighed up and dissolved 
separately, with hot water, in earthen jars, using a 
wooden pounder-to hasten the slow, tedious process. 
Often some copper was spilled on kitchen floor, or 
porch, and a roaring kitchen fire in Summer kept 
the house from becoming chilly, yet even under this 
high pressure hot water was at a premium. Since 
adopting the cold method there is peace in the family. 
Were I a woman and had a man who persisted in this 
hot water method, a divorce would be applied for at 
the beginning of the second season. I would not 
return to the former plan for a small Government 
pension. The cold water dissolved copper is just as 
good in every way, and valuable time is saved, but 
it should be started the day before, in order to have 
it ready for the next day, or days, following. Soft 
water will dissolve copper a little faster. By the 
watch, 75 pounds of copper was dissolved in 50 gal¬ 
lons of water in five hours. Copper was raised higher 
several times, so it was just the water from start to 
finish. In slaking old lime, especially in cold weather, 
it is usually necessary to use hot water to get the 
lime into action. We have never used a drop of hot 
water in slaking lime. Cold water from the well is 
used and the lime promptly causes it to hiss and 
boil vigorously. 
2. Bordeaux Mixture originated at Bordeaux, south¬ 
western France, and from this place came its name. 
In this locality vincyardists had suffered serious loss 
from both fungus disease and human enemies, the lat¬ 
ter in the form of children and travelers. Formerly, 
the grape rows adjoining the highways were sprinkled 
with verdigris, to give the fruit the appearance of 
having been poisoned. Later, for pure economical 
reasons, copper and lime were substituted against these 
human attacks. During 1882 the downy mildew of 
grapes was prevalent and destructive. Millardet and 
Prillieaux, also others, noticed where this human 
scare, copper and lime, had been applied, the grapes 
retained their foliage and ripened fruit; while the 
grapes adjoining, farther from the road, not treated, 
lost both foliage and fruit. These two men at once 
observed and recognized this beneficial action and 
ascribed the virtue to the copper, as lime had been 
previously tested ; therefore the. birth and discovery of 
Bordeaux Mixture, localized as bouillie bordelaise, 
was accidental, just as many other good results have 
come about. The value of observation cannot be 
over-estimated. Then commenced ceaseless, careful 
experiments to determine the proper mixing of this 
new combination. At first 18 pounds copper, 12 to 34 
pounds lime and 30 to 50 gallons of water was con¬ 
sidered the proper strength. Such mixtures were 
applied with a whisk broom. It would be difficult to 
apply such a formula with modern spray pumps and 
nozzles. In 1885 Millardet tested Bordeaux Mixture 
on potatoes and other crops with gratifying results. 
Later, the French standard Bordeaux formula Re¬ 
cording to my memory) was 12, 8 and 40 to 50 gal¬ 
lons water. Americans reduced the French standard 
one-half, or to 6, 4, 40-50, which thus burned some 
kinds of foliage, necessitating more formulas, until 
there are several recognized standard formulas, the 
result of hundreds of experiments and years of study 
and work on various crops. More copper is required 
to destroy cetrain fungi, and again tender foliage will 
be damaged under certain atmospheric conditions if 
used stronger than three or four pounds copper to 
50 gallons and lime to neutralize. At the present time 
the question is not entirely settled, and probably will 
not be for some time to come. These spraying for¬ 
mulas are somewhat similar to fertilizer formulas. 
Who knows the correct fertilizer formula for all? 
Personally, for potato work the 5-5-50 is preferred, 
and this formula is'closely followed, except that more 
lime is used, probably five to eight pounds per 50 
gallons. It is not so important which formula is 
followed in potato spraying, but it is necessary for 
best results to do the spraying on time and thor¬ 
oughly. 
3. Emphatically no sir! Llowever, we never mix 
that way, but as follows: First into sprayer barrels 
are put seven to eight pails of clear water, then five 
three-gallon pails of good lime water, strainer 
washed, and 3 T /s gallons of copper water and tank- 
filled with water, without stirring, except that given 
by machine 
agitator, which 
is constant 
when machine 
is in motion. 
Also for 10 
rods, just be¬ 
fore beginning 
to spray, the 
pump is set in¬ 
to action, re¬ 
turning the so¬ 
lution to tank 
through stop 
cock and re¬ 
turn pipe. This 
machine mix¬ 
ing is easy, 
simple and per¬ 
fect for prac¬ 
tical work 
After this vio¬ 
lent agitation if 
there is a slight 
snapping sound 
in the tank, 
upon listening, 
the Bordeaux is first-class and is now ready for use. 
4. Probably only 48-gallon barrels were at hand. 
5. Dissolve 50 pounds of copper in 48 gallons of 
water, while will make an even 50 gallons of copper 
water (stock solution) with one pound copper in each 
gallon, if properly stirred up before using. If five 
pounds copper are 'wanted, dip out five gallons of 
stock solution; 75 pounds copper could be dissolved 
in 47 gallons of water, which would make 50 gallons, 
each of which gallon would contain V/ 2 pound of 
copper. Always stir stock solution vigorously before 
using. Water charged with copper is heavier and 
goes to bottom of barrel. The latter strength we are 
using this year, and in order to get five pounds cop¬ 
per, 3 l /$ gallons of copper water are dipped out by 
a gallon earthen jar into a wooden pail, which is 
graduated in gallons, on the inside, by previous actual 
measurements, cutting notches therein at even gallon 
marks; \ l / 2 pound x 3 l /i gallons equals five pounds 
copper. _ T. E. MARTIN. 
PACIFIC COAST NOTES.—Say to the readers that tills 
exposition at Seattle is a perfect gem of an exposition in 
every way; well managed, no liquors sold on or within 
two miles of the grounds, and no spectacle or similar 
fakers. The fruit show is good and getting better every 
day. I take little trips' to places not far away as I 
get chances; was over the great Skagit Valley yesterday 
and saw raspberry patches that have to he picked over 
with stepladders, oats that run 125 bushels to the acre 
and rarely under 100 bushels; Timothy meadows that are 
now in the cock and being baled that run two to three 
tons and more per acre. One stump pile I saw from 15 
acres cost $1,055, and the clearing out of roots, etc., an¬ 
other $1,000. But the land is worth $500 per acre now. 
There is a school of sockeye salmon on the coast now 
20 miles broad and 100 miles long. I saw the canneries 
in operation and brought one fish back that made ten 
of us a good mess. It is the best salmon that swims, 
but not a large one, h. e. van deman. 
Seattle, Wash. 
•K. -‘'AgtgSJ! 
* *v. 
RED ASTRACHAN AND DUCHESS FROM DWARF TREES. Fig. 464. 
