The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1918-04-11
%Rov APPLICATION OF M SPRAY.

THOROUGH APPLICABLE
prepared by the United States Depart
.ment Of Agriculture.)
The spraying of trees during winter
and spring, OF when they are in a dor
mant condition, is directed largely
against scale insects, especially the
San Jose scale. There are two prin-
cipal advantages in spraying at this
time: (1) The absence of foliage per-
mits Of more thorough applications,
and (2) the sprays may be used much
stronger than during the growing
season. Contact sprays are employed,
as %lime-sulphur solution, fish-oil and
other soap washes, kerosene and crude
petroleum emulsions, miscible oils, and
the like. The prime essential is thor
oughness in making applications, so as
to v every part Of the tree, because
in general only those insects actually
hit with the spray are killed.
Applications may be made in late
fall as o o. as most Of the leaves have
fallen, at favorable times during the
winter when the temperature is above
the freezing point, or, preferably, in
the spring shortly before the buds are
due to swell. There is probably less
danger to fruit buds and twigs from the
use of sprays in the spring than at 9TH
er times. Better results follow spray
ing with ~lime-sulphur solution in late
spring than in late fall or during the
winter, since this insures some spray
on the trees during early summer,
which is Of value in killing any young
scales. the offspring of adults, which
may have escaped destruction.
Important Orchard Work.
Spraying dormant trees for the San
Jose and other scales and for other in
sect pests has come to be a very i'm
portant part of orchard work, especial
ly IN the East and on the Pacific slope,
and in general it is possible so to time
this work that a single application will
reach most Of the troubles comfortable
by dormant-tree sprays. Other things
being equal, the insecticide having the
greatest range Of usefulness should be
employed. OF the several dormant
Tree sprays, the standard l%ime-sulphur
solution is the n most generally used
against the San Jose scale. and it is
equally effective against several other
insects which may coexist on the trees.
1t is an excellent fungicide, and, aside
from the inconvenience experienced in
Its preparation and its disagreeable
character, it furnishes nm ideal spray
for dormant trees. Abundant expert
ence has shown it to be an effective
remedy in the control Of the San Jose
scale under all conditions, and for most
other diaspine scales, as the cherry
scale, the European fruit scale, and
reasonably 81 against the oyster-shell
scale, and the scurfy scale. Lecantum
scales, such as the terrapin scale and
the brown apricot scale, are ore eff
fectively controlled by mneral-oil
sprays. The thorough treatment
each year, therefore, with lime
sulphur solution will keep we'll under
control the more important scale-in-
sect pests of the orchard.
There are certain other troubles con-
trolled by the dormant-tree sprayings
with sulphur solution. It has been
found effective in destroying eggs Of
the pear-tree psylla and has long been
hnown as effective against the pear
leaf blister mite. The red spider and
eggs Of the clover mite and other
mites are probably also destroyed. In
California, if applied in late spring, the
%lime-sulphur solution has been found
Effective in destroying the peach twig-
borer. EntomolOgists are not agreed
as to the benefit from %lime-sulphur
spraying in the destruction Of egggs of
apple aphids, and other plant lice, but
Its value in this connection is perhaps
not important. In practice, therefore,
the plan should be to make one thor
ough application of l%ime-sulphur solu-
ton to orchards each spring as a gen
era treatment for the control not only
Of the San Jose scale but of many
other scale insects and other pests.
Homemade Concentrates.
Several years ago the cooked lime
sulphur wash was used largely for the
control of the San Jose scale but has
now been generally superseded by the
commercial or homemade concentrates.
Since inquiry occasionally is received
ns to Its preparation, the formula and
method of making are given below:
Stone lime. pounds .........."...20 or 2
Sulphur Commercial ground,
pounos . . IL or ~
wafer TO make ......................60 or s