The Somerset reporter., 1900-01-11
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ANOTHER lNSeCTlCIDE.
new Jersey Station Experiments
Will Crude Petroleum.

Few Jersey Station Experiments
With Crude Petroleum.
Crude petroleum Is not a recognized
insecticide and has not had place
heretofore In the list of materials rec
commended for the destruction of IN
furious insects. The New Jersey sta
TONS 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 a single case of injury to any
tree treated in winter has been obserY-
ed. On the contrary. in number OF
cases the oil seems to have acted as
stimulant. and the sprayed trees have
shown greater vigor and better foliage
than those untreated.
In no case has there been any injury
to fruit buds. but on this point the OBJ
servations are incomplete, no early
winter treatments having been made
In bearing orchards. Applications
made after Jan Is have In no way less
ened the crop of apples and pears the
wear following, and applications made
in March have not injured the fruit
buds in peach and plum.
Crude petroleum is not suited for n
summer application, either pure or di-
luted, because Of its choking effect on
foliage and its persistence.
This. however, increases its value
for winter work as compared with
kerosene. The latter acts at once or
not at all and eyaporates very soon
after it has been applied. In fact, to
avoid injury. it must be applied In
such way as to favor rapid evapora.
ton. Crude oil does not evaporate
readily. 1t is penetrating, and, If APP
piled with n brush half way round a
branch, will often soak round the
branch completely. 1t remains as an
oily or greasy surface coating for
many weeks. and no scales can set on
this coating within a month of the
application and live. 1t does not or
dinarily penetrate through even the
surface layer Of bark. Under the most
unfavorable circumstances. If the out
or layer Is penetrated, the inner layer
remains healthy, and there Is no pro-
gressive injury. 1t does not seem tn
interfere with bark functions, and
young trees painted with the oil In
creased In size quite as rapidly and
freely as those untreated.
Crude petroleum will kill the PERM
cious scale In winter whenever IL
comes into sufficient contact with the
insect. 1t Is a contact insecticide and
will not injure what 1t does not touch,
but, literally applied, 1t will soak
through masses of scale, no matter
how densely set, as nothing else will.
A minor advantage is the fact that
1t gives greasy, brown color to the
bark. making it easy to see exactly
how thorough the application has
been
1t seems IL fair conclusion that the
crude petroleum tried Is an important
lnsecticide for winter application on
orchard trees.
1t Is fully as effective against scale
insects as kerosene and is harmless
to the most tender varieties and on the
Youngest trees Therefore 1t Is pecul-
larly adapted for employment against
the San Jose or pernicious scale.
AS the oil remains on the surface for
long time, it makes no difference
whether 1t is put on undiluted or
mixed with water. Ii mixed with wa
ter, the latter evaporates and leaves
the oil, so that the material In contact
with the tree is as much undiluted as
If the water had not been applied
with 1t.
If 1t is put on undiluted, a fine nozzle
should be used not only because better
distribution can be secured in that
way, but because of the saving of ma
terial. 1t will be just as well, how
ever, to use an emulsion sprayer and
mix with from GO to 70 per cent of wa
ter. 1t will then be possible to use a
nozzle of larger capacity or, better, a
group of fine nozzles. and the material
can be applied until everything is drip
ping. a gallon of emulsion containing
% per cent oil will give better coat
ing than one quart Of oil undiluted.
On trunks and branches "A summer
application is as safe as one made in
winter and small trees or larger ones
not generally infested can be summer
treated il application to the foliage Is
avoided.
THEORY AND PRACTICE