The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1886-07-29
The Aailg q ,lletim.
THURSDAY, JULY 20, 1886.
WASHES FOR FRUIT TREES.


Francisco Builetia, and contains
matter of interest to some of our
readers: -
After reading Prof. Hilgard's
bulletin on alkaline washes for the
destruction of fruit-tree pests (Which
is well worthy a perusaD in your
weekly of February 18th, it oc-
cured to me that many fruit-grow-
ers might be deferred by some
statements therein from washing
their trees at all. One would sup
pose that enough had already been
written upon this subject; but so
little has been said to the point that
the pests are on the increase to an
alarming extent. Having had two
years experience, and the result
being very satisfactory, would like
to state what seems necessary to be
done each and every year to insure
as clean an orchard as is possible.
My system is this: Prune early as
soon as the leaves have fallen, leav-
ing an open center to the tree (most
persons leave the new wood too
long), and examine every tree for
scale, marking those found to be
infected. Gather and burn the cut
tings soon after. Remove the earth
from the marked trees until the
stocks upon which they are grated
are exposed. Then spray, not later
than February 1st, with American
concentrated I've and commercial
potash in equal quantities, dissolved
in one gallon of cold water to each
pound of the material, stirred well,
tested with the meter, and reduce to
10 degrees. Upon examination the
next day, with the glass, the young,
running, yellow insect will be found
in great numbers upon the infected
trees, as the wash has caused the
mothers to expel their young while
dying. These trees must at once
receive another treatment. For this
l use the same wash, except for
apple or pear, and those who fear
the effects of coal oil can use the
I've for these also. The second wash
for apple and pear l make as fol-
lows: Boil up box of eighteen
bars of comon resin soap in five
gallons of water. Place five gallons
of the best coal oil in the spray bar
rel and add the soap suds boiling
hot. Remove the nozzle and pump
the mixture, with the stream passing
through wire cloth bag, as fine as
a -four sieve, fixed in the opening Of
the barrel until converted into 8
foam. Now add ten gallons of hot
soft soap suds, pump again until
well mixed and apply at once while
warm. 1t is better to apply the lye
mixture in damp weather, but the
coal-oil emulsion must always be
used on a clear day. 1 find the I've
compound contracts the bark at the
cut so that the top bud is sure to
grow, giving limit just where you
wish it, and l cannot understand
how Prof. III. succeeded in killing
from one to several inches of the
end of the branches, with a mixture
something weaker than that l use.
Place water upon the I've and potash
several days before you expect to
spray. If a meter, which is much
safer, is not used, dissolve two
pounds of material in two and one
half gallons of water. This. well
mixed, will never harm either bark
or buds if applied in January. 1t
does not pay to use summer wash
for scale. Most fruit-growers think
they have done their duty when the
trees with scale are given one spray.
ing, while all should receive the lye
compound and the infected trees
the second washing. 1 have never
seen my theory of the appearance
of the young scale mentioned, but
have made it study and can &C.
count for it in no other way as they
are found on trees where they coult
not be discovered before the treat
ment. l find that they invariably
appear after any wash except pure
coal oil, which / have often applied
in severe cases without losing =:
single tree. But it must be put OF
when all the conditions are right.
think the trees derive a benefit from
the lye wash equal to the expense
Should i give the infected trees bu
one wash, however, it would be tn
coal-oil mixture, as the growth O
trees that have stood still under til
scale is remarkable after this appli
cation. 1 have underway some ex
periments with the red spider ant
their eggs. The latter have neve
yet been successfully destroyed.
1 applied wash to 1000 youn,
pear trees last spring, that CON
pletely protected the leaves iron
the slug throughout the season, bu
as some disparage the use of til
drug, and great care has to be exel
cised, owing to its unequal strength
l will not mention it until l max
further tests.
Pear trees with percent seal
last year, find with l percent thi
year, and those older, with 80 pei
cent last year, had but 10 percer
this winter. So l am of opinio
that they can be eXterminated.
| En.~,,- naxm,,,