Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1881-06-03
Petroleum and Plant Life,

At the last meeting OF the California
Academy of Sciences, discussion took
place on the subject of the use of pc.
troleum for destroying scale insects on
rose bushes. DR.. Henry Gibbons said
that two months ago he put petroleum
on the trees in his garden. Since then
the trees have grown better than ever
before; they have grown faster than
ever before, and given better roses than
ever before. The petroleum seems to
kill the scale insect. The handsomest
rose he exhibited was from bush
which looked nearly dead q short time
since. The petroleum was mixed with
castor oil. 1t is not applied profusely
and allowed to run down the roots.
Perhaps in a crude state the petroleum
would be bad, even on the stalks; but
mixed with the castor oil it appears to
be advantageous to the plant. Tha
compound does not evaporate nor give
out the insoluble portion. Therefore
you have q permanent coating, acting
on the entire surface of the plant.
DIR. Gibbons exhibited large bunch
of beautiful roses of exceeding fra
GRANGE. and in full bloom, which he
gathered from bush in his garden
which two months ago was overrun with
scale bugs and nearly dead.
Now, since using the petroleum and
the castor oil, no sign of any scale in
sect can be seen in the whole garden.
He thought castor oil was the only oil
that will mix with alcohol, turpentine
and the benzines. 1t is soluble in al.
cohol, and when mixed with crude
petroleum forms a sort OF varnish or
cement, which remains Oh the bushes,
and does not fall to the ground. Pc.
troleum, uncombined with castor oil,
evaporates swiftly, but when combined
forms useful coating to preserve the
plant. Many things have been thus
tried. Trees have been whitewashed
with caustic potash and lime. One of
his rose bushes, nearly ruined by scale
insects, thus treated, has borne an un-
usual number of roses, and a single
cactus has horne 200 flowers this sea.
son. He thought these we're practical
facts, and quite as valuable as theoret-
ical ones, although he valued both, and
was glad to learn Of any experience
having bearing of such importance to
the agricultural industries of the hu-
man family. He warned persons
against soaking the earth with petro-
leum as such q course prevents future
vegetation. Like all things else, its
moderate use, wisely directed, is good,
and its ,xcessive use is destructive. A
grain of opium relieves pain, but its
habitual use persisted in, brings death.
DR.. Behr said that as the mixture
was not soluble in water, if it reaches
the earth, it cakes the ground and thus
shuts out the air, which must permeate
the surface and is necessary to plant
growth. A few applications will make
rose-bushes grow better il sparingly
applied, and kill the scale bugs, but il
allowed to reach the soil. it renders
vegetation thereafter impossible in that
spot, until il is eradicated.
DIR. A. Kellogg thought simple wash
OF common lye would at first be suffi-
cient in many cases. Petroleum dete.
riorates ground for crops. One scale
bug has 60 offspring.
Mr.. Verder received q large lot OF
lemon trees from Australis, covered
with scale bugs. He applied refined
petroleum to the leaves carefully, and
they all fell off, but every bug died,
and fresh leaves came out, and the
plants continued healthy for many
years. He afterwsrd applied it success.
fully to orange trees. He thinks there
is misspprehension among those who
condemn its use. It should not be al.
lowed to reach the Rural
Press.