21

I.—6b

Copy of Lettbk from Ghaelbs Holdaway, of Masterton, to M. Mubphy, F.L.S., of Christehurch. Sic, — Masterton. I have noticed through reading the Canterbury Times that you have taken very great interest in the cure of all blights, &c, affecting fruit-culture. I take the liberty, therefore, of writing to you, giving you my experience of scale-blight, codliri-moth, and currant-moth. I got some valuable hints from letters written by Mr. Geo. Eemnant, of Ngatimoti, Nelson, and published in the papers there. I have experimented with his cure, with the best results. I have completely eradicated the scale from my apple-trees, and have had fair success against codlin-moth. My neighbours have allowed their gardens abutting mine to become a hotbed for breeding codlin-moth, but, in. spite of that, I have succeeded in entirely saving more than half of my fruit, and the whole has been fit for use, whilst the whole of theirs has fallen off completely useless. Had I an orchard isolated from others I firmly believe that I could have saved the greater part quite free from damage. My plan is to boil 5 gallons of water, stir in 61b. of best lime and 41b. sulphur, boil for half an hour, keeping it gently stirred; then add 21b. soft-soap and half-pint of kerosene, and boil for a few minutes longer, until the kerosene is mixed with the other ingredients; strain the mixture, washing the thick sediment, and mix with 70 or 80 gallons of water. Spray the trees once in October, after the fruit is well set, and again in November. For codlin-moth add one teaspoonful of Paris green to each 4 gallons of liquid, and spray the fruit once or twice in December, and once in January. For currant-moth spray the bushes at the same time as the apple-trees ; the spraying should be done while the trees are dry, because a fine film is formed on the bark by the solution drying ; this firmly adheres for months. The liquid is quite harmless to either fruit, bark, or leaves. I have had no experience of Icerya -purchasi, but if its life-history is anything like the common scale, then by attacking it in its earliest stage, just as it hatches out in the spring, it ought to be killed easily. Will you please make full use of the above information. I shall feel amply repaid by knowing that it is getting widely disseminated by you and others who take an interest in fruit-culture. Charles Holdaway. P.S.—My apple-trees were infested badly with red spider, but after spraying with the sulphur and lime they soon disappeared. {Approximate Cost of Paper. —Preparation, nil; printing (2,700 uopies), £iyj.

Authority: Geoegk Didsbubt, Government Printer, Wellington.—lB9o.

4—l. 6b.