A Wash For Fruit Trees

The following is recommended by a conimission of fruit-growers, presided over by Prof. Cyrus Thomas, State Entomologist of Illinois, and is part of a very full report, embodying adrice as to the best nieaiis of fighting the insects that infest the orchards of the West. Insects and mildews, injurious to the leaves of seedlings and root graf ts, can be kept in Subjection or destroyed by a f ree use of a comtoination of lime and sulphur. Take of quick or unslacked lime, four parts, and of common fiour of sulphur, onepart (four pounds of sulphur toonepeckof lime); break up tlie lime in small bits, then mixing the Kulphnr witli it in i tight vessel (iron is beet), pour on them enough boiling water to slack the lime to a powder; cover in the vessel close as soon as the water is poured on; tliis makes also a most excellent whitewash for orchard trees, and is very usef ui as a preventive of blight on pear trees, to cover the wounds in the form of a paste when cutting diseused parts; also for coating the trees in April. It may be considered as the one specific for many noxious insects and mildew in the orcliard and nursery; its materials ahould always be ready at hand; it shonld be used quite fresh, as it would in time become sulphate of lime and so lose its potency. Wherever dusting with lime is spoken of, tuis should be used. This preparation should be sprinkled over the young plant as soon as or before any trouble from aphides, thrips or mildew occurs,early in the morning while the dew is on the, trees. This lime and sulphur combination is destructive to these pests in this way flrst, by giving off snlphuric acid gas, which is deadly poison to minute Ufe, both animal and fungoid; and the lime destroys by contact the same things, besitles its presence is noxious to them; neither is it injurious to common vegetable life, except in excess, unless the lime is appliedto the foliage of evergreens.