5^-3: j^ K £. S. LIDRARV G©P. 3* y CONNECTICUT AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION NEW HAVEN, CONN BULLETIN 146, OCTOBER, 1904. ENTOMOLOGICAL SERIES, No. II. San Jose Scale-Insect Experiments in 1904. S 43 CONTENTS. Page Officers and Staff of Station 2 San Jose Scale-Insect Experiments in 1904 3 Effect of the Winter on the Trees 4 Effect of the Winter on the Insects 4 Materials Used in Spraying 5 Early Winter Spraying 6 Spraying in Late Winter and Spring 11 Connecticut Orchards Sprayed in 1904. 19 Making the Boiled Mixture 21 Making the Mixture without Boiling 24 Outfit for Applying the Mixture 27 Summary 32 The Bulletins of this Station are mailed free to citizens of Connec- ticut who apply for them, and to others as far as the limited editions permit. CONNECTICUT AGRICULTURAL EIPERIIENT STATION. OFFICEES AXSTID STAFF. BOARD OF CONTROL. Ex officio. His Excellency Abikam Chamberlain, President. Prof. W. O. Atwater Middletown. Prof. W. H. Brewer,, Secretary New Haven. B. W. Collins Meriden. T. S. Gold West Cornwall. Edwin Hoyt New Canaan. J. H. Webb Hamden. E. H. Jenkins, Director and Treasurer New Haven. STATION STAFF. Chemists. Analytical Laboratory. A. L. Winton, Ph.D., Chemist in charge. E. Monroe Bailey, Ph.B. Kate G. Barber, B.S. I. A. Andrew, Ph.B. Laboratory for the Study of Proteids. T. B. Osborne, Ph.D., Chemist in charge. I. F. Harris, M.S. Botanist. G. P. Clinton, S.D. Entomologist. W. E. Britton, Ph.D. Assistant to the Entomologist. B. H. Walden, B.Agr. Forester. Walter . Mulford, F.E.f In charge of Forestry Work. Austin F. Hawes, M.F. Grass Gardener. James B. Olcott, South Manchester. Stenographers and Clerks. Miss V. E. Cole. Miss L. M. Brautlecht. In charge of Buildings and Grounds. William Veitch. Laboratory Helper. Hugo Lange. Sampling Agent. V. L. Churchill, New Haven. f Absent on leave. San Jose Scale-Insect Experiments in 1904 BY W. E. Britton and B. H. Walden. Bulletin 144 of this station contains an account of the experi- mental spraying work against the San Jose scale-insect for 1903. In December of that year tests were made in Bridgeport to determine whether fall or early winter spraying with lime and sulphur could be depended upon to hold the scale in check in Connecticut. About 770 trees, mostly Japan plum, with a few peach and pear trees, were treated. A few trees in New Haven were also sprayed in the fall. In the spring of 1904, spraying experiments were conducted at New Haven, Westville, Wallingford, Milford and South- ington. The boiled mixture did not seem to adhere to the trees as well as last year, doubtless owing to the different climatic conditions. Wherever the lime and sulphur mixtures are used there is a decided tendency for the young scales to set upon the fruit and leaves instead of the twigs that have been covered with the spray mixture. This is doubtless the case where any adhesive mixture is used, and often the fruit is dis- figured by the scales when they are not abundant on the twigs. All of the lime and sulphur mixtures seem to have consider- able value as fungicides. Young scales were first observed crawling on June 25, at New Haven. The whole number of trees and plants treated in these experi- ments was approximately as follows : -v, °rj ',. f- December treatment. New Haven 14 \ Westville 150^ Wallingford 130 | Milford 481 J- Spring treatment. Southington 2552 j New Haven 35 J Total 4134 The effects of the winter on the trees make it impracticable in many cases to express the results of the spring treatment in exact figures, as was done in bulletin 144. In some cases, however, this can be done, and we consider the general results to be of sufficient value for publication, and so present them in the following pages : 4 connecticut experiment station, bulletin i46. Effect of the Winter on the Trees. It would be manifestly unfair to give any account of experi- mental spraying work against the San Jose scale-insect without mentioning the very unusual effect of the season in causing injury to trees and orchards. The extraordinary winter killed many peach and plum trees in Connecticut, and thousands were seriously injured. Scale-infested trees, as a rule, were the first to show this injury and thousands of such trees in peach orchards went into the winter in a weakened condition never to leaf out again. But the damage was by no means confined to infested trees. In some places young and vigorous peach trees were frozen and killed to the snow line and had to be cut away, while in many orchards, especially on the lower levels, the fruit buds were entirely destroyed. In some instances trees leafed out, but soon withered and died. Large apple trees in different parts of the State appeared sickly in June and July and some of the branches withered and died. An examination failed to show the presence of any parasitic trouble, and their condition could be ascribed only to winter injury. On the whole, Connecticut orchards suffered a vast amount of damage, from which some of them will not recover in several years, if ever. At the time of cutting twigs to examine the insects prior to spraying, the best looking infested twigs were selected, but the extent of this winter injury could not then be determined. But in many cases the infested wood was injured or dead and most or all of the scale-insects were dead in consequence, before the spray was applied. In June, when the twigs were cut for the second examination to show the effect of the treatment, the trees were in leaf and it was easy to distinguish the living from the dead branches. Only living branches, of course, were examined at this time, and in some cases the number of living insects after the treat- ment exceeded the number found on the injured branches at the first examination. Effect of the Winter on the Insects. Ordinarily we find that a portion of San Jose scale-insects are killed each winter — probably by the climatic conditions. Twenty-five per cent, is about the average mortality pjid 75 per cent, of living insects is about the number that :pect MATERIALS USED IN SPRAYING. 5 to find when we cut twigs for examination in March or April. The past winter proved to be an exception to this rule, the mor- tality being much greater than usual. Seldom did we find 50 per cent, of the scale-insects alive, even on healthy twigs. So many of the twigs were injured that much less than 50 per cent, of the whole number of scale-insects actually sur- vived the winter. Materials Used in Spraying. Various materials prepared after 15 different formulas were used in these experiments. The formulas are given below, each with a separate number, by which it is designated in the following pages. The details of preparing each are given on pages 21-28. BOILED MIXTURES. 1. — 14 lbs. lime. ) Flowers of sulphur made into a paste and 14 lbs. sulphur. ;- slaked with lime. Mixture boiled 30 minutes 40 galls, water. ) with steam. 2. — 14 lbs. lime. ) Light sulphur flour not made into a paste but 14 lbs. sulphur. 1 added dry to the slaking lime. Boiled 45 to 60 40 galls, water. ' minutes. -20 lbs. lime. ) Light sulphur flour not made into a paste but 14 lbs. sulphur. - added dry to the slaking lime. Boiled 45 to 60 40 galls, water. ) minutes. 3-- -20 20 40 galls, water. MIXTURES NOT BOILED. ,, ,. "I Lime slaked and potassium sulphide s. 1m . dissolved separately and then put to- lbs. potassium sulphide. >■ ., .., r ., J \.. c o-aiic W a*pr i g et her with the proper quantity of J water. ) Fused sodium sulphide broken into - small lumps and added to the slaking } lime. ) Fused sodium sulphide broken into - small lumps and added to the slaking \ lime. 5. — 20 lbs. lime. 20 lbs. sodium sulphide. 40 galls, water. 6. — 20 lbs. lime. 10 lbs. sodium sulphide. 40 galls, water. 7. — 20 lbs. lime. 6 lbs. sulphur. 6 lbs. sodium sulphide. 40 galls, water. 8. — 20 lbs. lime. 11 lbs. sulphur. 11 lbs. sodium sulphide. 40 galls, water. 9. — 14 lbs. lime. 6 lbs. sulphur. 6 lbs. sodium sulphide. 40 galls, water. 10. — 14 lbs. lime. 11 lbs. sulphur. 11 lbs. sodium sulphide. 40 galls, water. Light sulphur flour, sulphide in lumps, both added to slaking lime. Light sulphur flour, sulphide in lumps, both added to slaking lime. ! Flowers of sulphur, sulphide in lumps, both added to slaking lime. ! Flowers of sulphur, sulphide in lumps, 1 both added to slaking lime. 6 CONNECTICUT EXPERIMENT STATION, BULLETIN I46. 11. — 20 lbs. lime. "] 14 lbs. sulphur. ! Flowers of sulphur, sulphide in lumps, 6 lbs. sodium sulphide, f both a dded to slaking lime. 40 galls, water. J 12. — 8 lbs. caustic soda. ) -.. , , , . , , , ... aq o-qlls water I" Dissolved soda in cold water and applied. 13. — 7 lbs. caustic soda. ) ^.. , , , . , , . ... 40 cralls water f Dissolved soda in cold water and applied. 14. — 14 lbs. lime. ■] 14 lbs. sulphur. I Light sulphur flour and caustic soda added 7 lbs caustic soda. [ t0 the slakin? ]ime . 40 galls, water. J 15. — 20 lbs. lime. ") 14 lbs. sulphur. ! Light sulphur flour and caustic soda added 5 lbs. caustic soda. { to t h e slaking lime. 40 galls, water. J Early Winter Spraying. On account of the unfavorable weather and the rush of work in late winter and spring, it would frequently be more con- venient for orchardists to spray in the fall. Ordinarily in Connecticut the San Jose scale-insect continues breeding until about December i. Last fall the young were observed crawl- ing on December 2. We believe that if the spraying can be done as soon as the leaves drop or during November, that a large proportion of the young will be killed, and that they are much more susceptible to the effect of the sprays than after they are partially grown and better protected by their shells or armor. The mature insects die naturally, before spring, and it is only the half or partially grown individuals that carry the species through the winter. The experiments in fall spraying herein described were made December 10 and later, and though satisfactory it seems rea- sonable that even better results might follow from a treatment made two weeks earlier in the season. Experiments at Bridgeport. At Bridgeport an orchard of about six hundred Japanese plum, one hundred and twenty-five peach, thirty-four pear and ten quince trees was sprayed with the lime and sulphur mixture December 10 and n. The trees were quite close together and irregular in size. This orchard was sprayed in the spring of 1902 with crude oil and water. While this treatment was quite successful, some scales came through alive, and as the orchard is in a badly infested locality, conditions were favorable for the scale to continue to breed. Since the treatment in 1902, EARLY WINTER SPRAYING, BRIDGEPORT. J trees which became badly infested were sprayed with kerosene emulsion, whale oil soap, or other similar mixtures. At the time of the last treatment, the orchard was not badly infested, but scales could be found on nearly every tree. The lime and sulphur mixture was prepared at a near-by woodyard, where a twenty horse-power upright boiler fur- nished steam to cook the mixture. A fifty gallon cask was used for boiling the mixture, steam being conveyed through a hose connected to the boiler. The following formula (No. i) was used: 14 lbs. fresh finishing lime. 14 lbs. flowers of sulphur. 40 galls, water. The sulphur was made into a thick smooth paste with water as hot as could be conveniently borne by the hands, which were used to work the lumps out of the paste. The lime was/ put into a barrel, hot water added, and as soon as it commenced to slake the sulphur paste was poured in, and the whole stirred to prevent the lime from "burning." By the time the lime was slaked we had a smooth mixture which was assuming a darker color, showing that the sulphur was being dissolved. About one-third the required amount of water was then added, the steam turned on and the mixture boiled vigorously for thirty minutes. This was stirred frequently, and the hose moved to different places in the barrel so that the mixture was kept well agitated. The boiled mixture was dipped out and strained into the pump barrel. The sulphur appeared to be all dissolved, and very little sediment was present, that which accumulated in the strainer being practically all washed through with cold water. After the boiled lime and sulphur mixture was transferred to the pump barrel, cold water was added until the barrel was filled within about four inches of the top. This made practically forty gallons. The spraying outfit consisted of a barrel pump, mounted on the end of a forty-five gallon barrel. This was placed on a low wagon, and fitted with two lines of one-half inch hose from thirty to forty feet long. To each line of hose was attached an eight-foot bamboo extension with a double Vermorel nozzle. CONNECTICUT EXPERIMENT STATION, BULLETIN I46. The trees were coated as thoroughly as possible. On some of the trees that had been sprayed with the soap and oil solu- tions the mixture did not seem to stick as well, and when the trees dried the coating was of a bluish grey color. o U W Q <& o w o p s PQ H < in < to w H < pq *° 1 £ sag to g c No injury. .5 « c 3 r^» O ' *0 ■ ■ M Si '% H c c a CO O 00 in 1 10 M IH - H . ^ 1 M O -° S " -a S-S cn i_i Ti- in 00 CT* O CO CO r 00 2* £3 / OOOOO OOOOO "5. 0. Formula No. 1 — 14 lbs. lime. 14 lbs. sulphur. 40 galls, water. Condition of trees before treatment. Moderately infested. 2»i •*J- in O co O N CO IN O t-« 1 1 — 5** Pear Peach Jap. Plum . Wild Plum Quince Average . EARLY WINTER SPRAYING, NEW HAVEN. 9 No twigs were cut for the purpose of examining the scales at the time of treatment, but it was assumed that ioo per cent, were alive at that time, as the insects had been breeding up to a few days previous and there had been no cold weather to cause wholesale destruction of them. Twigs were cut January 2, 1904, and examined, and again on June 22. The figures are given in Table I. on page 8. Results at Bridgeport. It has already been stated that the trees were not made very white by the mixture (Formula No. 1). This is partly due to the fact that oil had previously been used on some of the trees, and partly due to the small quantity of lime in the mixture. Nevertheless, the adhesive qualities were good and the mixture could be seen on the trees in some places when the final exami- nation was made on October 20. On December io-ii, when the spraying was done, the scales were about all alive. On January 2, less than a month after the application, twigs were cut and examined, with the result that an average of 17.5 per cent, of living insects were found. This can fairly be attributed to the effect of the treatment, principally because no severe weather or ice storms had occurred to kill the scale-insects in unusual numbers. The results of the second examination of twigs on June 22 are somewhat disappointing, as an average of 10.6 per cent, of living insects were found after one of the most severe winters known in recent years. In spite of the rather large percentage of living insects in this test, the writers believe that fall or early winter spraying can and soon will be practiced by the growers. We shall make further tests along this line. The following account of fall spraying at New Haven shows better results in figures than the Bridgeport experiments. When the final examination was made of the sprayed trees at Bridgeport on October 20, they were found to be in a very satisfactory condition. The trees had made good growth, borne a crop of fruit and few living scale-insects could be found. Experiments at New Haven. On December 19 a number of small trees and shrubs in the western part of the city were sprayed with the lime and sodium sulphide mixture (Formula No. 5). The sulphide was broken into lumps not larger than butternuts and was added to the IO CONNECTICUT EXPERIMENT STATION, BULLETIN I46. lime after the slaking process was well started with hot water. After slaking the lime the whole was allowed to stand for a few minutes, utilizing the heat to help dissolve the lumps of so'dium sulphide. Then cold water was added and the liquid sprayed o 01 Pi w u w Q szf w > < X w < Ph ►J u 5 u • s s§£ 'c" » 2 c ■-' Wto S5 . s ~ c M rt g n 1 ■ 1 -* ' 10 N '? > rt , ! ! ,' ! **■ H <£ Si •BE.E CO O -1- IT) \o en ■ • 1 O ■ O On 8 5£c ■ • : ; 3 O UT3 O O O C — O O O gs 03 "S 2 a, ■6 ,« 3 *S en 0. 1 in s 3 Ih [5 aJ rt d s U3 s rt '3 (0 .a CO b£ s O M M ■* fc T3 CD a! £ -a en £ 1 -d CO c o rt . ijo ^ ^ o"u >■> a> CJ^ rG O RES _bp m CO s 'o u uj-O BjsSS N w t-H CI M CO M M * a " S 3 ■ 3 | c bD „• rC e. O .3 C rt CD 05 CD re J-c 0} 5" u a! 1 — > j3 rt > rt u )H 3 O O < (X O Ph E O O < 'c= Oh SPRING SPRAYING, WESTVILLE. II upon the trees. This makes a mixture which is ash-grey in color and does not disfigure the trees and shrubs to which it is applied like the boiled mixture ; but it is very caustic in its action, and therefore needs to be handled with more care. Sore spots are formed wherever it strikes the skin and it corrodes the finger nails ; therefore face and hands should be well pro- tected if this mixture is to be used. A few trees on the station grounds were also sprayed during December, using the same formula. Table II. contains the data connected with these tests. Results at New Haven. Most of the trees sprayed with lime and sodium sulphide were on rented land and were destroyed by the tenant on vacating the premises in April. The twigs examined, therefore, were cut during April instead of June, as in most of the other experi- ments. Nevertheless the percentage of living insects was rea- sonably small, though probably the winter is partly responsible. Two larger trees (apple) on the station grounds received similar treatment, and though only 5 per cent, of living insects were found in June the trees were fairly well coated with scale- insects in October at the writing of this bulletin. Spraying in Late Winter and Spring. Westville Experiments. About 150 pear trees were sprayed on March 21 and 24. This is the same orchard that was sprayed last year and described in bulletin 144, page 9. The condition of the trees generally was about the same as last year, except that those treated last season with Bordeaux mixture and plain white- wash were more scaly than was the case a year ago, and also more scaly than the other trees. Nearly all were seriously infested, but had not suffered from winter injury as much as most peach and plum trees in the same region. March 21 was a bright, still day, becoming cloudy in the afternoon, with a light snow at night and a light drizzle of rain in the forenoon of the 22. The boiled mixture (see formula No. 2, page 5) was used on the first five rows, beginning on the northwest side. Hot water and light sulphur flour were added to the hard finishing 12 CONNECTICUT EXPERIMENT STATION, BULLETIN I46. o 0\ ~ I— t Pi W Ph W w > .• £ a -a rt t3 rt -O rt -O BJ T3 '- c *- C '" 3 & ni o< e3 ^ rt <^rt Cl» r- in U 0) >! to m tO •- >-. m !^ 3^5 3 X! 3 £1 3 XI 3 X) 3 >> c h C >% C >\ 3 3 3 p — O •— . o-— . O • — O "-1 O -r-l z; Z z Z z 5S 3 _Q X) X hn *zaa S, - _ — — £ •* ■* g M H rt- O g ^w w R •* n- r^ M -f- g H M W -r w ~ <* 1/3 Cj 6 = ^ J5 to"S F 00 O O a! *3 rt ■c £ O to 03 4-H X £-3 c 2, *-• 5 £ rt ^ "° u rt 2" Oh c „• 11 vn r^ OO BH MD M N cn 1" <* fee 1 1 1 1 1 M 00 O ci <3 S H BJ m <*■ SPRING SPRAYING, WALLINGFORD. I 3 lime and the mixture well stirred until the lime was thor- oughly slaked. It was then boiled for 45 minutes in a feed cooker corresponding to a kettle over a wood fire. This outfit is shown on plate II. b. The next eight rows were sprayed with lime, sulphur and sodium sulphide, four receiving formula No. 9, and four formula No. 10. One row was sprayed with lime, sulphur and caustic soda (Formula No. 14) and one row with the caustic soda solution (Formula No. 12). Results at Westville. These spraying tests show the boiled lime and sulphur mix- ture to be no more efficient in destroying the scale-insects than similar mixtures containing lime and sulphur and prepared without boiling. Apparently there was not much difference in the adhesive qualities of these mixtures. When twigs were cut in June for final examination, the whitish coating could be seen, especially on the under sides of the branches of all the trees, except, of course, those receiving the caustic soda solution containing no lime. Caustic soda solution as used here (1 lb. in 5 gallons water) was less effective in destroying scale than any of the lime and sulphur mixtures. (See Table III.) None of the pear trees of the orchard showed any injury that could be ascribed to the spraying, though some branches were killed by scale and winter. When examined October 22, most of the trees had made good growth and there were few scales on the new wood, though the old wood was well covered with dead ones. The trees sprayed with the caustic soda solu- tion were far more scaly than any of the others. There was but little difference in effectiveness between formulas No. 2, No. 9, No. 10 and No. 14, though No. 9 was probably the least efficient. Wallingford Experiments. The trees sprayed at Wallingford were seven years old, of good size, and but slightly infested with the San Jose scale- insect. The damage to the trees by the winter was slight. The applications were made April 8. Ninety trees were sprayed, using the following formula (No. 9) : 14 lbs. fresh finishing lime. 6 lbs. sodium sulphide. 6 lbs. flowers of sulphur. 40 galls, water. 14 CONNECTICUT EXPERIMENT STATION, BULLETIN I46. The materials were weighed out, the lime placed in a barrel and just enough cold water added to start it slaking. When the lime began to slake the sulphur and sodium sulphide were added and the mixture kept well stirred. Just enough cold water was added to prevent the lime from becoming dry or "burning," thus keeping the mixture hot in order to dissolve the sodium sulphide, and as much of the sulphur as possible. After the lime had slaked, a small amount of water was added and the mixture allowed to stand for at least twenty minutes, with occasional stirring. It was then dipped out, strained and diluted. This preparation was of a dark muddy olive-green color, becoming greenish yellow when diluted. Upon strain- ing this into the pump barrel no more sediment remained than with the boiled lime and sulphur mixture. The spraying outfit consisted of a No. 6 "Hardie" pump mounted on the side of a fifty-gallon barrel. The trees were covered thoroughly. Upon drying, the coating was not as white as on the trees sprayed with the boiled mixture (Formula No. 3). This, of course, was due to the smaller amount of lime used in our mixture and the darker color which the sodium sul- phide imparted to it. About forty trees in the same block were sprayed with a mixture made after formula No. 10. This was prepared in the same way as the above mixture. The additional amount of sulphur and sodium sulphide made very little difference in the appearance of the mixture, making it a trifle darker in color. The following table gives the chief data: Results at Wallingford. Though 130 trees were sprayed here by the writers, the owners of the orchard sprayed the remaining 9,000 trees with boiled lime and sulphur mixture, using for the most part formula No. 3. (See page 5.) Their work was done with thoroughness and twigs were cut from some of the trees for comparison with our tests. The mixture made after formula No. 9 did not appear to stick on the trees as well as the boiled mixture, and the figures show that it was less effective as a scale-destroyer. Though where more sulphur and more sodium sulphide were used (No. 10) the results were much better; the average number of surviving scale-insects being smaller even than where the boiled mixture was used. SPRING SPRAYING, WALLINGFORD. 15 O 00 ►J 2 < 2 m p o fc. o g 13 ■j <: w P3 H C _C i ,£h ^3 -a u .SP* *>*,• .SP* T ^ ►»£ ,H r*-» 1- >, SB JO£> 3.0 3 42 1 W 'jB >> c >. c >-> ; ■fH — •rt ~ 5 3 3 ■— < O •— » o-^> £ z Z ^ ^j i> « c « 5? •t; 3 hart rt E2c "? -t- 4) w 1> 1> c> c-i en > rt > 4> 13 -O J= ,C a, a •0 3 3 . "5 1 . <" a a 1 s 6 S3 1 S a *«' a a a 1 ^ u ' 1 3 D o> ,j 3; en , ,cj -w |3 . 4> Q.— 5 . w tn" E ^"5 £ ►^ .5 3 ^ — "> m « 1 rt . . . — ,U (/> U) c/> -3 g to "" ** rt • • • — „ t« in in — ; = £££ £> B rr « w O £ ° •* ° 1 S HHH,t N - •* fa fa b U^ S be « c U.a ^O' - .£? ^S^ 55 <3 * mbe tree sated -1- c Z *- s V T3 g a — £ rtCL, ^3 ^C c c u rt a r £ - II vn vO O Ss LD JL, 0.3 x c W J£ I T3 1 6 CONNECTICUT EXPERIMENT STATION, BULLETIN I46. The orchard was examined on October 26, and the trees were found to be in a very satisfactory condition. It was difficult to find living insects on any of the sprayed trees in the orchard. Experiments at Southington. The small peach orchard sprayed last year and described on page 14 of bulletin 144 should be mentioned here. That half of the orchard receiving lime and sulphur mixtures remained quite free from scale, and though the trees suffered injury from the winter, were in much better condition than the trees in the other half of the orchard where whitewash was used and kero- sene emulsion applied in August. The whitewashed trees went into the winter in a badly infested condition and were killed, or injured to such an extent that they were cut out in the spring. Twigs and branches were dead. The remaining trees, 100 in number, were sprayed on April 4 and 5. Seventy received boiled lime and sulphur. (See formula No. 2, page 5.) The other trees were sprayed with lime, sulphur and sodium sulphide, 18 with formula No. 9, and 12 with formula No. 10. A much larger peach orchard at Spring Lake farm, owned by Mr. L. V. Walkley, was found to be seriously infested by the scale-insect, and though winter injury was at first apparent it was considered a good place for experimentation, and about 950 large trees and 1,500 small ones were sprayed with various mixtures April 4-19. The boiled mixtures were cooked with steam from the boiler of a Kinney "Safe" portable engine. The data are presented in Tables V. and VI. Results at Southington. The percentage of living insects shown in Tables V and VI are all low and would indicate that the mixtures were efficient had not the winter killed such a large proportion of the scales. On the whole, the mixtures adhered well to the trees and could be seen on the trunks and larger branches when the twigs were cut in June. The boiled mixtures remained perhaps longer than those made without boiling, though the differences were not great. The effect of the winter on this orchard makes it difficult to draw any accurate conclusions regarding the efficiency of the various mixtures used. It seems safe to say, however, that the spread of the scale was greatly checked by PLATE I. a. The noon hour in spraying time. Portable boiling plant and outfits for applying the lime and sulphur mixture. b. Nearer view showing methods of mounting pump and barrel. The proper method is shown at the right. This is an excellent outfit for a rough orchard. VIEWS IN ORCHARD OF HIGHLAND FRUIT CO., WALLINGFORD. PLATE II. a. Applying the mixture to infested pear trees. b. Boiling the lime and sulphur mixture in a kettle or feed cooker. WESTVILLE EXPERIMENTS. PLATE III. a. Improved stationary cooking plant of J. H. Hale, South Glastonbury. Capacity of this plant is about 50 barrels of mixture per day. b. The common method in Connecticut orchards. A portable engine with boiler is placed near the orchard where water can be obtained. Steam is conveyed to the barrels through common rubber hose. STATIONARY AND PORTABLE STEAM COOKING PLANTS. PLATE IV. a. Some spray nozzles in common use. I. Single Vermorel : 2. McGowen 3. Bordeaux : 4. Double Vermorel : 5. Mistry : 6. Double Spramotor. b. An excellent home-made strainer and funnel. c. Spraying a tree with a bucket pump. This is an excellent outfit for the garden and the city yard. NOZZLES, STRAINER AND BUCKET PUMP. SPRING SPRAYING, SOUTHINGTON. '7 i-H u HH £ £ > > w OJ id 0) (D V E £ E g P g .0 O O c co CO CO CO CO CO c >, s* ^ >^ >s >^ £ a rt rt rt rt rt |H u. 1* V a. O, 3l, Ch Ch Oh i3 71 73 73 73 73 73 "o ^ ^ >»> >-. >. t^ OJ _Q -O -O fc-. iC a b Ut • w 3 O 3 £> 3 C D }_' 3 "^ "C.3 '3 = 5 ." 3 3 .x, c .5, .rf*- — '" "c "" '5"" "" c? _ 3 '^ C C — — « O "H O — 1 O — S5 •z Z z £ •z .3 S MB «e£ = CT> o» M M > aS > u O <*■ IN rf N < 4-. D. DO" 71 10 w - z.-~ — . ^3 > 30" 7) mj 0' 2 6 1 — > C 3 " 6 E — "3 > 3 O 71 73^ s eti 73' en -— rt (/> ■72 75 — £ «• 71 71 — -O -O S. rt 7; 7) -— d 73 73' -— ; -. 73" 10 73' -3 a n ^ 3 -O 3 .O "3 .O — za a — ^ jo x> S> E E ■* 1 — 1 ^- UW W M O £ -*o vo 3 E E 0000 HH M -f M M W Tt ~ rt" M W TJ- c N t-t T Cl •* fo Pn fa fa SJh fa T3 -3 ID U " s 7) 71 01 rt 3 : : .2 " _>. - " >^ • ■0 u ja be 73 3 u-° 55 O O CO u * * * -; — N 00 M M 00 r^ h-H n N en O " £ u J3 rt , D O CO > W PQ CD ID g £ s c CO CO c ^ >> 1 1- cd rt & &, u CO en ** >^ X O •° >> ■° >> b5 Jj C? 3 S3 .si (D O -t- 55 a — — 1 1-1 55 u ■ 1) ^ ^ Si 110 E u c <* > rt > S en ci = £< 6 <- 0. cd CO S c5-o £ « rt cn co > u ^^ ^> w >N «-> -a " 42 <" ^o f> J2 "> ^3 CO "cT.3 .E,b a 3 C.3 3 >> ■5*3 3 >> -. , lH 3 3 W "Z c" "1 C 1 O -rH — O •- — ' O — z Z z "z z v- ScfM ■in J^ MtO id 5 id ~ u ° V c IN en co o- r~~ > M > O m' t-H co' 6 - t< V < ~ a, ai 6 13 T3 Is ft CO rt" C3 ft •6 3 . CO 5 D* .5 -a •_; co •" rt co -« eS .2 ^ - co 10 „• 6 2 So ^ — ft "~ CO 6 Go" 1 ,55 co' co co' ^— r. co' co' 1—3 ,2 t/5 e> in -5 rt CO ^ -. CO co' ■— ; F vo vo O 7: ££ & = £££ & §5m 3 ££ a g s 00 P O ^J- m O £ t^ 000 N N Tf O N H "^ •* c CN ih t^- fa fa fa fa fa ~6 co 2* <" a> £S ' 3 nt a; |S a u cj.o CD O V S-O S ~ IS in tH O OOO M ■<*• CO O cq ci M CO cj r^ in t-( Zoi S <2 3 is s' u 3 s TD ^ c +j h g i_ 2 n « etf 11 B 1 3 X r ( 7 lbs. caustic soda. ' I 40 galls, water. ' *' ( 40 galls, water. Dissolve the weighed amount of caustic soda in water and dilute ready for use. This solution is very disagreeable to use ; every drop that strikes the skin makes it smart violently. Outfit for Applying the Mixture. Spraying with the lime and sulphur mixture is looked upon as one of the arduous and disagreeable jobs of the fruit grower. The spring spraying comes at a time when each day brings the grower nearer the regular spring work. Especially if a few days of bad weather occur, the spraying must be rushed as fast as possible. The above reasons alone are suf- 28 CONNECTICUT EXPERIMENT STATION, BULLETIN I46. ficient to show that the best and most practical outfit procurable should be used, to make the work go as smoothly and pleasantly as possible and to obviate the loss of time from the breaking down and the giving out of an inadequate spraying outfit. As spraying is more and more practiced, the good and bad points of spray pumps and their accessories are being brought out. Many inquiries have come to the station during the past year in regard to the best kinds of spray pumps, nozzles, etc. It seems, therefore, advisable to describe a practical outfit in this bulletin. Pump, Barrel and Carriage. It has not yet been demonstrated that power sprayers are as practical or can take the place of the hand barrel pump for orchard work in Connecticut. The first thing to consider is the pump, which should be of large size, furnishing ample pressure to supply at least two lines of hose fitted with double Vermorel nozzles. This should be made so that when it is mounted on the end of a fifty gallon cask, the highest point should be the fulcrum or post on which the pump handle or lever works. This should be just high enough to give the handle a good working distance, — that is, when pushed down it will just clear the chine of the barrel. The air chamber should be under the handle post, the larger part of it being in the barrel out of sight. It is essential that the cylinder be of good size and the plunger must be packed in such a manner that it can be tightened quickly and easily. The valves should be made as simple as possible. It must be possible to take the whole pump apart and put it together with a monkey wrench. The lime and sulphur mixture requires a pump with an agitator that will keep the liquid well mixed. There are several pumps on the market which are of this type. One which has recently been brought to the attention of the Connecticut fruit grower is the "Hardie." This pump has several features worth pointing out. The plunger is made so the packing can be tightened by turning the plunger rod with a wrench without removing it from the cylinder. The plunger consists of two cone-shaped pieces, one screwing upon the other; the groove between them is wound full with cotton waste. This is pushed into the cylinder and a projection on the lower cone holds it stationary while the upper one is screwed PUMP, BARREL AND CARRIAGE. 29 down by turning the rod. This crowds the packing together until it fills the cylinder. The mixture enters the pump through a strainer at the side instead of the bottom, and the agitator works up and down in front of this place, keeping the strainer from becoming clogged. Among the pumps used in Connecticut that have given fairly good satisfaction are the "Eclipse," manufactured by the Mor- rill & Morley Co., Benton Harbor, Mich. ; the pumps manu- factured by the Goulds Mfg. Co., Seneca Falls, N. Y., of which the "Pomona" is a type ; and the "Century," manufactured by the Deming Co., Salem, Ohio. These pumps all have some good features as well as weak ones. All pumps should be made so that they can be removed from the barrel more readily. Plate I. b. shows one of the most practical ways of mounting a pump. The pump is mounted on the side of the barrel instead of the end. One can readily see many advantages in this method. The barrel is less liable to tip over in rough places. It is much easier to fill than when mounted on the end. When a strainer like the one described is used a hole only large enough to take in the pipe is necessary in filling the barrel. This can be plugged tightly. A drag or sled is made of two pieces of 4 x 6 inch scantling for runners, and spiking a platform of plank to the upper edge of them. The front ends of the runners are rounded. The barrel is placed cross- wise of this sled on wooden blocks cut to fit the curve of the barrel and fastened to both barrel and sled. There should be standing room behind the barrel for the man who pumps. A piece of scantling is placed close to each side of the barrel and fastened to the wooden blocks, thus forming a frame around the barrel, securely fastening it to the sled. Iron straps may also be used for holding the barrel in place. Plate I. b. shows two pumps. One is mounted in the manner just described, the other is placed lengthwise of the runners. It took but a short time to prove which was the practical way of mounting. Where it was mounted lengthwise there was more chance for the barrel to tip over. The handle was at the side and liable to catch on the trees and branches in going through the orchard. The man pumping was continually in the way of the hose on one side. The hose leads from the back and front of the outfit instead of the sides, as in the other case, consequently the hose was continually bent at the point of attachment and soon gave out. 30 CONNECTICUT EXPERIMENT STATION, BULLETIN I46. When the barrel was mounted crosswise of the drag, the man pumping stood back on the platform out of the way of the men handling the hose. Pump manufacturers make outfits consisting of small-sized barrels holding from 15 to 25 gallons, mounted on wheels, for hand use in the garden. The ordinary barrel pump is used in these outfits, though sometimes of a smaller size than would be chosen for orchard work. These hand wheel outfits are most useful in the home garden of four or five acres. For still smaller places, like the ordinary city yard, or for spraying a few large trees, a bucket pump costing from four to six dollars is perhaps the best form of outfit. Such a pump is shown on plate IV. c. and can be used with any wooden pail or bucket. The small compressed air pumps on the market, and the knap- sack pumps, will answer the purpose, but most of them are badly corroded by the lime and sulphur mixtures. Clean water should be run through pump, hose and nozzles at the end of each day's work, and at the end of the spraying season the pump and nozzles should be well cleaned and oiled to prevent corrosion. Hose. For general spraying work, we prefer half-inch rubber hose in lengths of not less than 25 feet. Where two lines of hose are used it is frequently of advantage to have one of them 50 feet long for reaching the opposite side of trees or for working a long distance behind the pump. Most of the pumps are sent out with a piece of hose seven or eight feet in length, which is altogether too short for practical work. This hose, though of good quality, usually costs 16 or 18 cents per foot, making it too expensive for orchard use. We have been using a grade of hose which can be purchased from the rubber stores in the larger cities of Connecticut for eight or nine cents per foot. This hose has been very satisfactory, withstands the pressure, and for dragging about in the orchard seems to wear about as long as the more expensive hose. The points of breakage are always near the ends where sharp bending occurs. Extension Rods. For reaching into the trees it is necessary to use some form of rod six to ten feet long, and the lightest and best is a hollow one which screws onto the end of the hose and permits HOSE, EXTENSION RODS AND NOZZLES. 3 1 the liquid to pass through it. Bamboo rods have been designed for this purpose, each consisting of a brass tube inside of a piece of bamboo. Screw connections are made between the brass rod and the hose at one end, while the other end takes the nozzle. The hose connection should also have a stop cock or "shut off" to avoid wasting the spray mixture. The bam- boo extensions are light and convenient, but not durable, as the screw connections soon break off or the bamboo splits or becomes loosened on the brass rod. For this reason many orchardists have adopted an extension made of quarter-inch gas-pipe. Though heavier and harder to hold in the hand on account of the smaller diameter, the gas-pipe rods are more durable and considerably cheaper than the bamboo extensions. Nozzles. The double Vermorel nozzle has been used probably more than any other in orchard spraying and has given satisfaction. For large trees the MacGowen is preferred by some operators. During the past season the Gould's Mfg. Co. has put upon the market a new nozzle called the "Mistry." The "Mistry" is a large and somewhat complicated nozzle that gives a fine spray. The greatest disadvantage of this nozzle is that the caps wear out very quickly and often need replacing once or twice each season. The lime and sulphur mixture, when forced in a thin stream under great pressure against the cap, will soon wear and enlarge the opening on any of these nozzles. If the caps could be made of hard steel instead of brass they would last much longer. Some growers praise the "Mistry" highly, while others prefer the double Vermorel. The Spramotor Co. has originated a nozzle fitted with hard steel disks, through which the openings are made. These disks can be replaced easily and while we have not yet given these nozzles a practical trial in the orchard, they appear to work nicely and throw an excel- lent spray. One man who makes a business of spraying trees informs me that the Spramotor is the best nozzle that he can find for his work. The nozzles of the "Bordeaux" and "Seneca" type give a fan-shaped spray, are heavy and not readily cleaned after being set, and the handles are hook-shaped and get caught in the branches. For these reasons they are not well adapted to orchard work. These nozzles are all shown on plate IV. a. 32 CONNECTICUT EXPERIMENT STATION, BULLETIN I46. Strainer and Funnel. We have found a home-made strainer the most satisfactory, as the ready-made strainers are not of the proper size or shape for practical use. The strainer and funnel that we have adopted consists of a common wooden pail with the bottom reinforced and a piece of one and one-half inch iron gas-pipe screwed through it. About half-way up on the inside of the pail is tacked a circular piece of iron wire cloth, having at least 20 meshes per inch. A finer strainer is not needed and only hinders the work, as the men must wait for the liquid to go through. This kind of a strainer is always convenient, will hold a pailful at a time, and there is more straining surface than if the wire was placed at the bottom. It is shown on plate IV. b. The materials for such a strainer cost not more than fifty cents, and the wire cloth can be obtained from the wire stores in New Haven and Hartford. SUMMARY. 1. This station conducted spraying experiments in Bridgeport, New Haven, Westville, Wallingford, Southington and Milford during the past season, to kill the San Jose" scale-insect. Over 4,000 trees were treated. Nearly 800 were sprayed in December and the remainder in March and April. Fifteen different formulas were used in the prepara- tion of the materials ; mixtures of lime and sulphur were used chiefly. 2. The winter injury to trees was very serious, many orchards being permanently damaged. This makes it impracticable to express in exact figures in all cases the results of these experiments. Fifty per cent, of the San Jose scale-insects were also destroyed by the winter in many localities. 3. Fall or early winter spraying gave good results, both where the boiled and unboiled lime and sulphur mixtures were used, and will doubtless soon be practiced by fruit-growers. 4. The boiled mixture of lime and sulphur, using as much or a little more lime than sulphur, is probably as effective and as inexpensive as any mixture for ordinary orchard work. Of the mixtures made without boiling, the potassium sulphide and lime is excellent for a few small trees or shrubs, but is rather expensive for spraying large trees ; the lime, sulphur and sodium sulphide mixture is a promising one, worthy of further trial, and giving good results in these experiments. Lime and sodium sulphide make a mixture that is less efficient than those just mentioned, nearly as caustic in its action as caustic soda, and workmen need protection in handling it. At present sodium sulphide (fused), though inexpensive, is not put up in a convenient form for orchard use. 5. Caustic soda as used in these tests did not give as good results as most of the other mixtures. Its caustic action makes it hard to handle and the hands and faces of the men should be protected, 6. Probably 100,000 fruit trees in Corinecticut orchards and gardens were sprayed with the lime and sulphur mixtures during the Spring of 1904. The results were generally satisfactory. 7. A satisfactory spraying outfit consists of hand pump in barrel mounted on drag or wagon and fitted with two lines of half-inch hose at least 25 feet long, extension rods and nozzles, as described in the foregoing pages. University of Connecticut Libraries 39153028850305 '■.■... :