The Tupelo journal., 1904-05-20
Mississippi State News

! brought from some nursery outside OF
the State-thus the necessity of a law
requiring nursery stock to be inspect
ed before it is shipped from the nur-
sery. Since Mississippi has no law
of this kind, every buyer of fruit trees
should demand that their trees be ac-
companied by a certificate of inspec-
ton from q competent entomologist
to the effect that they are free from
the scale.
The second thing l wish to discuss is
a method of combating this insect
in the summer. Some fruit growers
are losing their trees this spring from
the effects of the work OF this scale,
and unless they do something right
away, more trees will die before Iall.
Summer, however, is not the best time
to fight the scale, because 1t is diff
cult to get a substance that will kill
the insects and not hurt the foliage
of the trees. Winter is the best TINT
to combat the scale. On the other
hand, there are some things that can
be done in summer to hold the scale
in check. Perhaps the best substance
for this purpose is an emulsion made
of kerosene oil and soap. 1t may be
made according to the following for
mula:
2 pounds of hard soap.
4 gallons of soft water.
8 gallons of kerosene oil. F.
Place the soap in the water over a
fire and heat until it is thoroughly dis
solved. Pour the oil into a barrel in
which the pump is set, and when the
water and soar are boiling hot, pour
them both into the oil. Pump the
mixture with vigor back into itself for
ten or fifteen minutes, or until the
soap and oil form a creamy mixture.
This should then be diluted to 80 gal
Ions and applied with a good barrel
spray pump with two leads of hose,
each hose fitted with a "Vermorel' or
..Mistry" nozzle. The Century bar
rel sprayer, manufactured by the De-
ming Company, Salem, o., the 20
| mona" pump manufactured by the
Gould's Manufacturing Company,
| Seneca Falls, N. Y, and the Empire
| King" pump manufactured by the Ell
mira Force Pump Company, Elmlra,
N. Y, are all good pumps for this
work. If the trees are small, the
| emulsion may be applied with a KNAPP
| sack sprayer. Knapsack sprayers are
| also manufactured and sold by all OF
the above named companies. one
should use great care and coat all the
branches and trunks with the mixture.
1t would be we'll to give the trees W.
sprayings about thirty days apart.
The scale can also be very effective
ly checned during the summer by the
use of the lime-salt-sulphur wash. This
Is pre-eminently a winter wash, but
can be used with efficiency during the
summer. 1t kills re foliage, however,
and cannot be applied to the leaves
with a spray pump. 1t is made accord
ing to the following formula:
Is pounds of sulphur.
Is pounds of quick lime.
S pounds of salt.
As gallons Of water.
The lime should be slaked in three
or four gallons of hot water in a ket-
tie holding at least 20 gallons. when
the lime is nearly slaked, but before
it quits boiling, add the fifteen pounds
of sulphur and enough hot water to
make a thin paste of the lime and sui
phur. Stir the lime and sulphur Wig
orously until they are thoroue y
mixed. Then add the five pounds OF
salt, and boil vigorously for 40 min
utes. Be sure the mixture bOils for 40
minutes. When through boiling apply
to the trunks and branches with a
brush or mop, being careful not to
touch the foliage. The more thor
oughly and carefully the branches are
coated the more efficiently the scale
will be checked.
I shall be glad to answer any ques-
lions relative to the scale n spray
ing mixtures and apparatus. Later in
the year We shall discuss the best
known winter remedies for the scale
and give our own results with the use
of the lime-salt-su1phur wash.
GLENN w. HERRICK,
Entomologist.
Agricultural College, May II.