296 Report or THE DEPARTMENT OF ENTOMOLOGY OF THE 
the miscible oil to secure a thorough distribution of its ingredients. 
The failure to follow the directions in this respect is undoubtedly 
responsible for some of the poor results with these preparations. 
Before making applications, the oil and water should be well mixed 
by the spraying agitator. Spray in the spring as the buds are 
swelling, during a period of clear weather when the trees are dry. 
The applications must be thorough so that all parcs of the trees are 
completely wet with the spray. If the base of the new growth 
should during the summer show quite a little infestation, then spray 
again in the fall as soon as the majority of the leaves have fallen. 
Spraying in the fall, especially of peaches and plums, is usually not 
advisable because of the risk of injury to fruit buds. But rather 
than run the chances of the continuation of injuries by the late 
breeding of the scale or the neglect of the treatment in the spring, 
fall spraying is advised, as the increased vigor and usefulness of 
the trees arising from the control of the scale will more than com- 
pensate for probable losses in fruit yields. 
The miscible oils are commercial insecticides and therefore the 
orchardist should understand that the reliability of the prepara- 
tions rests solely with the compounder. These sprays are simple 
to prepare and they are discharged from the nozzle as an even 
mist, as there is usually no sediment or clogging of the nozzle 
apertures. At a price of fifty cents a gallon for the stock material, 
miscible oil in the proportions of one part to ten parts of water 
will cost about $2.50 per barrel of fifty gallons which is about five 
times the cost of the raw materials for making one barrel of a 
sulphur wash. Because of the ease in which they may be prepared 
for use, they are convenient sprays for the treatment of a few 
trees and of small orchards. The cost of the miscible oils in the 
proportions of one part to ten or fifteen parts of water makes their 
use almost prohibitive for commercial orchardists who desire a. 
safe and comparatively cheap oil spray. Compounders of commer- 
cial insecticides should endeavor to produce a reliable miscible oil 
that is cheaper than present brands, as there is demand for an 
efficient and economical spray that may be prepared for use with 
greater ease than some of the present remedies, 
