The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-08-28
HOP LOUISE QUESTION SOLVED.
vines That Have Been Sprayed Are
Now Entirely Free From vermin.

Now Entirely Free From vermin.
From Ezra Meekers Hop Annual
BY the notes Of preparation made for
harvesting the incoming hop crop. We are
admonished that the season Of 1912 has
closed and SO passed into history. So far
as We are advised, not more than fifty paies
OF hops of the old crop remain in the
whole state to remind US of the new ex.
perience of partial loss of the crop from
the ravages of vermin, the great damage
from the same cause 10 much that WAS.
saved, and the farther greater losa in
prestige from persisted hops in the bale.
The first cause is known to every grower
in the states of Washington and Oregon
by his personal experience not soon to DO
forgotten; not so the latter cause, as most
of this damage resulted after shipment to
to Eastern and foreign markets and was
felt principally by the dealers and con-
sumers. While this is true as to loss on
the crop of 1891, 1t will not be true as to
the incoming crop, as "a bnrnt child
breads the fire." and we will doubtless
witness much more rigid inspection in
the transference of ownership than hereto
fore, "a greater discrimination as to quality
and much wider range in prices.
As to the remedy from damage by ver-
min, all parties are now agreed that the
whale-oil soap quassia emulsion is the
best. 1t Is the most thorough and withaI
harmless as to damage of the foliage or
even the hops after being formed. In fact,
we sprayed in our Kent yards up to within
few days of harvesting. We do not,
however, advise late spraying, only for
the cleaning ont of the later deposits Of
the fly to be found at the tops of the poles.
We here reprint what was said in cur
recent monthly circular.
For fifty years English growers have
successfully destroyed the fly (lice) with
the quassia whale-ou soap emulsion. A
member of this firm having visited the hop
fields of Kent and from personal observa-
ton gained the information as to the
methods adopted there to destroy the lice,
We did not hesitate to use this remedy
ourselves and advise others to do so.
Notwithstanding the fair warning given.
many persons were inclined to and did
try other remedies to their great damage,
As has been thoroughly demonstrated
within the last two weeks here IN Puyal-
lup and White river valley, and now all
agree that this is the safest remedy of all
tried.
To the end that our customers may
not make q mistake We republish the
formula for making this emulsion.
Quassia chips and whale-oi soap, as fol.
lows: Z to Q pounds quassia chips to
6 to pounds whale-oil soap, 100 gallons
water; steep the quassia chips in a few gall
Ions of cold water about five hours, then
boil thirty minutes and add the soap.
We now have a practical illustration q
thorough spraying with the wbaIe-oil soap
and quassia emulsion in the Kent yards.
On August % the writer, in company of .
party of gentlemen. travelled through the
large yard for one-third of mile looking
diligently, without finding louise.
This remarkable result was accom-
plished by persistent early spraying with
the yard every five days until the lily
ceased to deposit its young, never letting
louise get big enough to breed. The lily,
we now know, deposits the first generation
of lice 'alive and kicking" no bigger than
the point of pin, but these soon grow If
left alone and multiply very rapidly, and
are then much moro difficult to destroy.
Our first experience in spraying was
with an English machine that cost us over
$500, was cumbersome TO operate and sent
only lets" or solid streams among the
foliage, and required at least 450 gallons Of
emulsion to the acre for one spraying.
A Puyaliup company has perfected
what is known rs the ROLLER sprayer,"
which is light draft and easily operated,
can be turned around anywhere in the
yard, will use less than half of the emui-
more effective work, as the ''iet" can DO
discarded at will and turned into . fine
spray or fog, covering every portion Of the
foliage. These have this season been sold
ut $50, which has therefore placed them
within the reach of most growers. We
ourselves have used five OF them in our
yards. and have thereby saved our crop.