Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1896-11-28
THE SAN JOSE SCALE.
Entomolo.iSt Johnson'S Expcr-
imcntS for Its Extcrmi-
n1tiou

Mr.. w. G.. johnson, state entomol-
ogist, was in Baltimore recently on his
way 10 the Maryland Agricultural
College, having been on the Eastern
Shore in connection with the duties OF
his office In speaking Of his last trip
Mr.. johnson said
For the past four days | have been
at Chestertown, Kent county. where
have been conducting series of en-
permeutS on the San Jose scale.
visited this place upon the invitation OF
Captain Robert :. Emory, one OF the
largest and most successful fruit
growers in Maryland. to see in opera
ton a spraying outfit Of his own de-
sign. His apparatus is not expensive,
simple and does the work thoroughly.
Captain Emory was one Of the first to
suffer from this scale insect. and ii
came to him on nursery stock bought
from New jersey. He has fought it
persistently and theoretically, but has
mot succeeded in exterminating the
insect. He was the first to suggest
and use whale oil soap. now so uni
versally recommended for the destruc
ton and determination of this pest.
Last year he used over four hundred
gallons Of this soap on the infested
trees, but at the present time many of
them are literally covered with the
scale. The method is too expensive,
and as complete humiliation Of the
pest seems impossible, other measures
must be resorted to in order to cheaper
the cost Of the materials used.
Captain Emory bought nearly
three tons Of oil soap this fall, and has
already used over $500 pounds on
his infested trees. He has shown in
practical way that soap made with
potash I've is far more rapid in its
action upon the insect than soap made
with soda.
1T has been stated that from ten
days to two weeks are required for
the soda soap to entirely destroy the
scale; the I've soap, on the other
hand, requires only few hours, and
is far more easily prepared and APP
piled. The soda soap is very thick
and must be applied hot, while the
I've soap is semi-liquid, easily mixed
and does not harden when cool The
I've soap costs three and half cents Il
pound in large quantities, and as it
takes from two and half to two and
three-quarters pounds TO a gallon of
water, it will be seen that it is very
expensive mixture 1t requires from
II gallon to six quarts 10 a tree. the
amount depending on the size of the
tree.
In my experiments | am endeavor-
ing to find cheaper wash that will
destroy the scale. The substance used
for the basis of my experiments in
Kent county in whale oil soap and
pure Kerosene. Many of the badly
infested trees have been treated with
these materials combined in various
ways, some Of which bring the cost of
the wash as low rs four cents n gallon.
1t will not be possible to ascertain the
effect of these washes on the scale for
several days Other washes were
applied to test the effect on the vitality
Of the tree itself. These, OF course,
will give no definite results until next
spring.
II will return 10 the Eastern Shore
next week. where ! will start another
series of experiments on certain plant
diseases. These experiments will in
volve chemical and physical analy-
SIS of the soils on which the trees are
growing. The effects OF manures
and commercial fertilizers upon them
will also I've tested