108 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



SAN JOSE SCALE IN THE ORCHARDS. 



Althoiigli the San Jose scale was greatly reduced, particularly in 

 the west part of the state by the October freeze of 1906, the numbers 

 are again increasing except where proper attention is paid to spraying. 

 In most sections the people are becoming familiar with the insect and, 

 as they are able to understand the danger to their trees if nothing is 

 done to control it, in most cases they require very little urging to spray 

 their orchards. 



Here and there, however, it is but just making its appearance and 

 many fruit growers are not sufficiently informed regarding its appear- 

 ance so that they are able to recognize it. During the year considerable 

 work has been done in following out reports of the api)earance of this 

 disease and although in most instances some other insect has been mis- 

 taken for it, we have been able to locate it in many orchards where it 

 had not been hitherto found, and required the ownere to spray their 

 trees. 



Up to the present time the lime-sulphur solution has given best satis- 

 faction as a remedy against this insect. The original formula of 15 

 pounds of sulphur and 20 pounds of lime in 50 gallons of water is still 

 very generally used. In some cases it is objected to because it must be 

 used as soon as made. To such persons we recommend the use of only 

 8 or 10 pounds of lime with 15 pounds of sulphur. This makes a clear 

 solution which can be barreled and kept for a considerable length of * 

 time. If very much is required, it can be prepared in a concentrated 

 form by boiling 100 pounds of sulphur and 6.0 pounds of lime in 50 

 gallons of water for two hours and diluting when required for use. 



Several of the prepared brands of lime sulphur solution on the 

 market, when diluted at the rate of one part to nine or ten of water, 

 contain about the same amount of sulphur in solution as is found in 

 a well prepared home-made mixture. The principal objection to the 

 use of these solutions, as well as that of the clear home-made solution, 

 comes from the fact that they do not show plainly upon the trees and 

 for this reason many jiersons fail to get as good results as when a sur- 

 plus of lime is used. Of course it is possible by adding three or four 

 pounds of freshly slaked lime to a barrel of the diluted solutions to 

 whiten the trees the same as when the old formula is used. 



THE PEACH YELLOWS. 



Although the growers in the poach belt proper have been able to so 

 completely control this disease that they have little fear of it, it is 

 still making serious inroads upon oi'chards and the scattering trees 

 which are often found upon farms and in gardens just outside the peach 

 belt proper. There, as with the San Jose scale, people fail to recognize 

 it and do not understand its danger, hence it is more difficult to bring 

 about the proper enforcement of the law under the above conditions 

 than in townships where there are thousands of acres of peach orchards. 



During the year an endeavor has been made to bring about the ap- 

 pointment of inspectors in townships and cities which do not now have 

 them and in which any of the more dangerous insects and diseases have 

 been found. Considerable time has l>een silent by myself and deputies 



