238 



STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



half the breadth. The top of the scale is lighter in color than the sides. See Fig. 5. 

 There are about twelve radiating lines extending to the outer edge on each side, the 

 spaces between being darker. The front and rear parts of back are also darker. The 

 surface is shiny, smooth, and covered with a delicate thin coat of wax. Length 

 three-sixteenths of an inch or a little more (2y 3 -2% ram.), width about one-sixteenth of 

 an inch (1^-1% mm.). They pass the winter nearly full grown. 



In her excellent account of the life-history of this scale, Miss Murtfeldt speaks of 

 the color as bright sealing-wax red with brown and black, at the time when just 

 acquiring full size. The color disappears as the scale dries with age. 



Microscopic mounts show the margin to be lined with a few spines, few and far 

 between, with a set of three larger ones, on or near the lateral margin of the thorax 

 and another set of three on each side opposite the antennae. The middle spine in each 

 of these sets is curved and much the largest, as is customary. There is a broken 



Fig. 6. 



-Peach Lecanium. L. nigrofasciatum. Anal plates, antenna, front leg, and group of 

 three spines on lateral margin. Greatly enlarged. Original. 



irregular row of glandular spots running from the anal plates forward two-thirds of tin 1 

 distance to the front margin. The anal plates are brown, surrounded by a narrow 

 quadrate ring of brown. Antennae are six jointed. Joint six equals four and five : 

 three equals four plus five plus six; joint three equals one plus two and one equals 

 three-fifths of two. There are a few hairs about the anal plates. 



The effects produced by this scale are frequently serious to judge by a sentence 

 in the account written by Dr. L. O. Howard.* He says: "It clusters upon the twigs 

 and smaller limbs of peach trees in such masses as completely to cover the bark, and 

 frequently to cause the death of young trees." 



REMEDIES. 



The fact that this pest does not hibernate in the same condition as does the apricot 

 scale, renders the treatment slightly different from that used against the latter insect. 

 The winter is passed by the peach Lecanium in a nearly grown condition and being 

 unprotected by a scale, it will probably succumb fairly well to the usual winter washes. 

 The eggs hatch, however, in June and July and the best time for fighting them probably 

 will be during the period shortly after they are hatched and while the young lice are 

 tender. At this time, during June and early July, a spray, or better two or three of 

 them at intervals of two weeks apart, of kerosene-emulsion, diluted ten times, should 

 be very effective. 



* U. S. Year-book, Department of Agriculture, p. 271. 



