The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1900-01-17
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ANOTHER lNSECTlCIDE.


with Crude Petroleum.
Crude petroleum is not recognized
insccticidc and has not had place
heretofore in the list of materials roc
ommcndcd for the destruction of in
furious insects. The New Jersey sta
tionS experiments recorded in bulletin
1873 therefore possess an element Of
novelty, and their apparently doubtful
nature adds interest to the outcome
which is thus summarized:
Since January, 1898, nearly 1000
trees of the ordinary orchard fruits
other than cherry have been treated
with crude petroleum, either undiluted
or mixed with from 90 to 10 per cent of
water. The trees varied from stock
just out of the nursery row to old trees
In full bearing.
Not single case Of injury to any
tree treated in winter has been observ-
ed. On the contrary, in a number of
cases the oil seems to have acted as II
stimulant, and the sprayed trees have
shown greater vigor and better foliage
than those untrcatcd.
In no case has there been any injury
to fruit buds, but on this point the OBJ
seryations are incomplete, no early
winter treatments having been made
In bearing orchards. Applications
made after Jan. 10 have In no way less
encd the crop of apples and pears the
year following, and applications made
In March have not injured the fruit
buds in peach and plum.
Crude petroleum is not suited for a
summer application, either pure or di
| lutcd, because of its choking effect or
| foliage and its persistence.
This, however, Increases its value
/ for winter work as compared Will
kerosene. The latter acts at once OF
not at all and evaporates very soor
after 1t has been applied. In fact, tc
avoid injury, 1t must be applied IN
such way as to favor rapid cvapora
ton. Crude oil does not cvaporatC
readily. 1t Is penetrating. and, If ap
piled with brush half way round 8
branch, will often soak round the
| branch completely. 1t remains as al
oily or greasy surface coating for
many weeks, and no scales can set OF
this coating within II month of tn,
application and live. 1t does not or
dinnrily penetrate through even tn,
surface layer of bark. Under the mos
unfavorable circumstances, If the out
er layer is penetrated, the inner layc
remains healthy, and there is no pro
greSSive injury. 1t does not seem L
Interfere with bark functions, an,
young trees painted with the oil in
creased In size quite as rapidly ant
freely rs those untrented.
Crude petroleum will kill the PERM
ciouS scale in winter whenever !
comes into sufficient contact with th
insect. 1t is n contact insccticide ant
will not injurc what it does not touch
but, literally applied. it will soal
through masses of scale, no matte
how dcnSely set, as nothing else will
minor advantage is the fact tina
1t gives greasy, brown color to tn
bark, making it easy to see exactl
how thorough the application ha
been.
1t seems Il fair conclusion that tn
crude petroleum tried is an importan
insccticide for winter application OF
orchard trees.
1t Is fully as effective against seal
Insects US Kerosene and is harmless
to the most tender varieties and on tn
youngest trees. Therefore 1t Is pecu
iarly adapted for employment agains
the San Jose or pernlcious scale.
AS the oil remains on the surface 70
n long time, 1t makes no differenc
whether 1T Is put on undiluted o
mixed with water If mixed with wa
ter, the latter evaporates and leave
the oil, so that the material in contaC
with the tree is as much undilutcd Il
II the water had not been appplie
with it.
If it IS put on undilutcd, n fine nozzl
should be used not only because bette
distribution can be secured In tina
way, but because of the saving of ms
terial. 1t will be just as well, how
ever, to use an emulsion sprayer an
mix with from 60 to 10 per cent Of WI
ter 1t will then be possible to use
nozzle of larger capacity or better,
group of fine nozzles, and the materiG
can be applied until everything is driI
ping. y gallon Of emulsion contalnin
20 per cent oil will give a better Goa
Ing than one quart OF oil undilutcd.
On trunks and branches summe
application Is as safe as one made |
winter. and small trees or larger one
not generally infested can be summe
treated If application to the 'oliage
avoided.
In some experiments at the Alabam
station with fertilizers for cotto
kainit used alone was most proftabl,
Cottonseed meal used alone was sec
ond in point Of profit. A combine
tion OF both kainit and cottonsee
meal afforded larger yield than cithe
alone, but the cost was also greater
giving to this combination the thir
place as regards profit.