New York AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. 253 
is often so extensive that it is desirable to extend the period for 
these operations, and spray a portion of the orchards in the fall. 
In 1903-05, experiments” were undertaken to determine the e‘fects 
upon fruit trees and scale of such practice. The work that has 
been accomplished indicates that the sulphur washes applied in the 
fall may, under certain conditions, cause injuries, such as sometimes 
attend the excessive use of these sprays in the spring. ‘Trees that 
are healthy and possess well ripened wood will usually escape harm, 
while trees injured by insects, fungi and unfavorable environment 
may sustain more or less injury, proportionate to their health and 
the severity of the winter. As plums and peaches are more sensitive 
to injury it is deemed advisable not to spray these fruits in the 
fall, but to limit the treatment as far as possible to the more hardy 
pears and apples. 
Miscible oils—In recent years attention has been directed to de- 
termine methods by which crude and refined oils could be treated to 
get a stable mixture with water. Several compounders of insectt- 
cides have interested themselves in this problem and have been 
successful in their efforts. This has led to the production of so-called 
water-soluble oils or miscible oils, which are now offered for sale on 
the market, under various proprietary names as Kil-o-Scale, Scale- 
cide, Water Soluble Petroleum, etc. The best of these preparations 
emulsify readily in water, and when diluted form uniform white or 
cream colored liquids, free from sediment or precipitates. The con- 
venience in the preparation of these sprays and their freedom from 
clogging precipitates have commended them to many fruit growers, 
especially those having a small acreage, who did not wish to go to 
the expense of erecting suitable outfits for cooking the sulphur wash, 
which is more commonly employed. During 1905-7, the Station 
conducted a number of experiments!® with these mixtures to deter- 
mine their value for the treatment of the San José scale and their 
effects upon the trees. The miscible oils were used according to the 
manufacturers’ directions and stronger preparations were also em- 
ployed. In these tests applications of the miscible oil at the rate of 
one part of oil to twenty or twenty-five parts of water as recom- 
mended in the printed directions, did not give uniform results on 
the scale, and when applied during the growing season, caused much 
damage to the foliage. The stronger mixtures of these sprays were 
. Buls. 247 and 273; same in Rpts. 23:187-205 (1904) and 24:325-344 
(1905). 
* Bul. 281; same in Rpt. 25:289-298 (1906). 
