New York AGRIcULTURAL EixpERIMENT STaTIon. 363 
CLEAR KEROSENE AS A Spray ON Dormant TREES. 
During the season of 1888 a few experiments were made by Mr. 
Goff with kerosene in its pure state, to note the effect on various 
trees and plants for the destruction of insect pests. : 
_ To verify these experiments and obtain additional data on the 
subject, if possible, the following experiments were made: 
A row of old cherry trees south of the garden and running 
parallel with the apple orchard were taken in part for the 
experiment. The trees were planted some years previous to the 
establishment of the Station. Their age is therefore not known: 
They had been nearly destroyed by repeated attacks of the aphis 
and by severe pruning. Several of the large limbs were dead. 
Altogether they were in an unpromising condition. Three oils 
were used in the experiment, viz., a low flash oil furnished by the 
Shipman Engine Company of Rochester, N. Y., for use as fuel in 
their engine, water-white headlight oil, used for illuminating pur- 
poses, and crude petroleum. They were applied in the following 
_ order, with a small-sized Nixon pump and nozzle. 
The first and second trees in the row were sprayed with the 
low flash oil, spraying being continued until the oil dropped from 
the trees, as in ordinary spraying. About one-half gallon of oil 
was used on each tree. The trees being dormant, accounts in a 
measure for the small amount of oil required to do the work. The 
third tree was sprayed with crude petroleum in the same manner 
as Nos. 1 and 2, but about double the quantity of oil Was used 
Owing to its being heavier and so much more viscous. The fourth 
tree was not sprayed, but was left as a check on the others. 
Nos. 5 and 6 were treated with a spray of the second_ oil 
mentioned (white headlight), the same quantity being used as on 
Nos. 1 and 2, sprayed with the low flash oil. 
Beside the experiments on the cherry, several apple trees in the 
old orchard were sprayed with the low flash oil. As stated in the 
beginning, the cherry trees taken for the experiments were not in a 
thrifty condition, and, as a consequence, some of the limbs have 
continued to die, and in one or two instances the trees are entirely 
dead. But I do not think that it is owing to the effect of the 
spray, for wherever the limbs appeared healthy, or, when used on 
vigorous trees, no injurious effects were noted. 
The apple trees sprayed were in perfect condition, apparently, 
and they have borne a crop of fruit the present season, and are, as 
