Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-09-15
INSECT PESTS.
The RESIN COMPOUND FOR va.
EIOUS SCALES.
Result CT experiments Made by ID.
w. CoqiL'ett of Los Angeles
Upon the Subject.

While the spraying of trees for the de
struction Of scale insects has not proved a,
satisfactory as could be wished, yet wher
properly done, and an effective wash ha.
been used, it has had the effect Of greatly
lessening the number of these pests upon
the trees thus sprayed; and while there is
every reason for believing that the gas
treatment will in the main supersede
spraying, yet there will always be cases
where it will be desirable TO use a wash of
some kind, such as upon plants or vines
trained against wall, or otherwise so
situated that it would be impossible to
cover them with a tent prior to fumigating
them.
One of the best washes l have used for
the destruction of scale insects consists of
caustic soda, resin and water, in the fol-
lowing proportions: Caustic soda, pound:
| resin, 10 pounds; water, to make 40 gal
Ions.
The caustic soda is first dissolved by
boiling in one and half gallons of water,
and when dissolved one-half the solution is
taken out and the resin added to that re-
naming in the kettle. If this precaution
is not taken, and the resin is added to the
whole of the soda solution, the latter is
very liable to "boil over" After all of
the resin is dissolved add slowly the bal
ance of the soda solution, and boil until
the mixture will assimilate with water,
this can be ascertained by occasionally
dipping out small quantity of the mix
ture and adding water to it, rs when prop
erly cooked it will assimilate with water,
like milk, but if it has not been boiled
sufficiently it will form ropy mass in the
bottom of the vessel. During the boiling
process the solution should be frequently
stirred, and if it shows signs of boiling
over a small quantity of water should be
added, but not too much, or the cooking
of the mixture will be delayed. While
the mixture is boiling foam will be
formed upon its surface, usually equalling
in hight the depth of the mixture in the
vessel, being composed of very small bub-
bles. On one occasion, when l was super
intending the boiling of some of this mix
ture, the latter did not form such foam
upon its surface, but in its stead produced
very large bubbles; this doubtless resulted
from the fact that the mixture did not con-
tain sufficient quantity of the caustic
soda solution to properly saponify the
resin; accordingly | added more Of the
soda solution, and in short time the mix
ture produced the usual foam in small bub-
bles upon its surface.
When sufficiently cooked that it will
assimiiate with water, like milk, which it
resembles, it should be measured and
poured into a barrel or vessel, and suffi-
cient water added to make forty gallons;
the water should be added very slowly, the
mixture in the meantime being thoroughly
stirred.
The use of caustic soda is simply to re-
duce the resin to condition which will
admit of its being diluted with water, and
1t does not, therefore, act as an insecticide,
its caustic property having been largely or
wholly neutralized by the resin This
wash leaves a sticky residue upon the
leaves, giving them the appearance of hav-
ing been vanished; but in the course of a
few days this dries up and is blown off of
the leaves, leaving the latter in clean,
healthy condition.
| have used this wash upon orange trees.
and have seen it used On orange trees, also
upon rose bushes, and in neither instance
were either the leaves or fruit injured by
ii, while large percentage of the Iceryae
were destroyed. 1t has the property in an
eminent degree of saturating the egg
masses, and | have seen numerous instances
where these had been saturated and the
eggs killed, while the females to which
they were attached escaped unframed, and
excreted new egg-masses upon the old
ones, the new ones being very noticeable
by their purer white color | have never
used this wash upon the red scale, but re-
liable parties who have done so inform me
that 1t proves fatal to large percentage
OF these scales.
One thing greatly in favor of this wash
is its remarkable cheapness, the materials
of which it is composed can be purchased
in this city at such a rate that each gallon
of the wash will cost only about one-half
of cent. Parties who have used or may
hereafter use this wash are requested to
send the results obtained by it either to
the writer, or to the editor of this journal,
for publication in the same.