FLORIDA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
either known to be more economical or 
are in greater need of investigation. The 
matter of discovering new spraying ma¬ 
terials is not an important one since there 
are several already in use, which are en¬ 
tirely effective in that, when properly 
mixed, all of the larvae and pupae hit by 
the spray will be destroyed. Ineffective¬ 
ness, in most cases, is due to poor 
methods of application and failure to ap¬ 
ply the spray in sufficient cpiantities. The 
report, soon to be prepared, to which I 
have previously referred, will give the 
results of experiments in spraying and 
will discuss fully those things which are 
concerned with obtaining the greatest ef¬ 
ficiency from the practice. 
Fumigation is far more economical 
than spraying and at present can be most 
strongly recommended for general use as 
a reliable method of controlling the White 
Fly. The principal advantages of fumi¬ 
gation over spraying are: first, greater 
thoroness; second, less expense; third, 
easier and less disagreeable labor. The 
work of the Bureau of Entomology has 
resulted in placing the process of fumiga¬ 
tion for the White Fly under Florida 'con¬ 
ditions on a basis such that Florida or- 
ange growers will be able to use this 
method more intelligently and with more 
uniform results than California growers 
have used it heretofore. The so-called 
expert fumigators, relied upon in Cali¬ 
fornia to estimate the dosage, are un¬ 
necessary in Florida. The experimental 
work conducted during January and Feb¬ 
ruary 1907 serves as the basis for a bul¬ 
letin on fumigation which will be ready 
for distribution in the course of a few 
weeks. 
During the past winter more than 
4,000 citrus trees have been fumigated 
under the direction of the writer and his 
1)3 
associates. The complete results of the 
past winter’s work cannot be obtained for 
several months; but it may be said that 
they have been most satisfactory, both 
from the standpoint of the experiments 
and from that of practical results in con¬ 
trolling the White Fly. In one small 
grove of two acres the results are already 
so striking that it is very evident that the 
treatment would have been very profita¬ 
ble even tho the expense were twice as 
great. The results obtained in destroy¬ 
ing citrus scale insect pests by fumiga¬ 
tion, conducted primarily as a measure 
against the fly, have fully justified the 
writer's assertion made at the last meet¬ 
ing of this society to the effect that the 
benefits derived from destroying the va¬ 
rious scales in most groves are of suf¬ 
ficient value to offset the entire cost of 
the fumigation, leaving as clear gain the 
benefits resulting from the destruction of 
the fly. The agents connected with the 
investigations have been making careful 
inquiry into the matter of damage in 
Florida due to scale insects. Without the 
aid of the fungus diseases and insect 
parasites of these scales, it seems 
evident that frequent spraying or regular 
fumigations would be necessary to pro¬ 
duce profitable citrus crops. With their 
aid the damage is reduced to an 
estimated averag'e of between five and 
ten per cent. In some cases, however, 
the damage is as high as fifteen or twenty 
per cent, of the value of the crop, while 
in others there is no appreciable damage. 
Usually the damage by the scale itself 
does not justify the expense of direct 
remedies, but the effect on them of fumi¬ 
gations for the White Fly is an extremely 
important consideration. 
In addition to the foregoing main sub¬ 
jects of investigation attention is being 
