FORTY-FIFTH ANNUAL REPORT. 79 



through this thin coating of spray, and in doing so, they take up some 

 of the spray, and before they reach the surface of the apple, the task 

 is given up as a bad job. 



An intelligent understanding of the nature of this disease which we 

 call apple scab, and a proper knowldege of the action of the spray 

 on the disease, will enable the grower to successfully control it. 



In the control observe two things: _ 



1. Prune the tree so as to let plenty of sunlight on to the growing 

 fruit. Sunlight is an enemy of scab. 



2. Spray in time. 



They say that a step in time saves nine, but it is equally true that a 

 spray in time saves the apple crop. 



3 V 



"PLANT APHIDS 



CHARLES N. RICHARDS;, BENTON HARB0R_, MICH. 



Aphids are plant lice. I am sure you will be able to realize the 

 delicate position in which I am placed. I was told when a little boy 

 that it was not proper to speak in public about such things as lice, 

 but if you will pardon me I will side-step the laws of conventionality and 

 deal with one of the serious pests that is confronting the fruit grower 

 today. 



Every farmer is beginning to learn that he must successfully combat 

 a score or more insects and diseases if he is to make a profit from his 

 labors and remain in the fruit growing business. There is a bug or 

 a disease for everything we grow, and the fruit grower who is most 

 successful in overcoming these obstacles is the one who will be the best 

 repaid for his energies expended. 



The plant lice need no introduction to this audience. Through their 

 numerous species they are found during the summer upon almost every 

 plant that grows upon the average farm. For years this insect has 

 reigned supremely in the fruit orchards of the country. It is a 

 sneak, a blood-sucker, and because of the obscure way in Avhich it does 

 its greatest damage, it has been tolerated and allowed to exist in in- 

 creasing numbers. The farmer has not known the proper way to con- 

 trol it. Let us undertake a closer study of this insect. The aphid does 

 its greatest damage upon the apple, cherry, plum and pear. Early 

 in the spring, the young lice hatch out from little black eggs which were 

 laid in cracks in the bark the previous fall. These lice appear just 

 at the time that the fruit buds are beginning to swell. They crawl 

 aloug the twigs to these opening buds and begin feeding upon the tender 

 tips. 



This is the time and the one time to control the plant louse. At this 

 stage he is tender and can be easily reached with a spray. 



As the buds open up, the lice dig deeper into the heart of the petals 

 and as the young leaves are formed, the aphids attach themselves to the 



