The Codling-Moth. 143 



Never spray a fruit tree when it is in blossom. — You can reach the 

 insect and fungous enemies just as effectively, and in some cases more 

 so, either just before or just after the trees bloom. 



How 7na?iy applications to make. — As has just been shown under a 

 preceding topic, it is necessary to success to get a dose of poison into 

 the blossom-end of the young fruit soon after the petals fall, and before 

 the calyx lobes have drawn together. If no rains occur between the 

 time of spraying and the closing of the calyx lobes, this one appli- 

 cation will be just as effective, we believe, if it is thoroughly done, as 

 half a dozen later applications. The sole aim of the fruit-grower 

 should be to have a dose of Paris green in that calyx cup when it is 

 covered by Nature. If rains wash out one application, then spray 

 again if there be still time before the blossom cavity is covered. 

 Usually the recommendation is to spray trees twice, once just after 

 the petals fall and again in a week or ten days, to catch the last worms 

 which hatch. 



Many extensive experiments have been made to determine the num- 

 ber of applications it is necessary or profitable to make. In 1885, 

 Forbes made seven and eight apphcations, and the next year only one 

 and two. His results were equally as satisfactory from the lesser num- 

 ber of sprayings. This is also the conclusion reached by Lodeman 

 and others who have made comparative tests. These results are what 

 we should expect from the life-history and habits of the insect. When 

 the second brood of the worms hatch, the calyx cavity is securely 

 closed and the apples have turned down, so there is scarcely any chance 

 to lodge the poison where the httle worms would be hable to get it 

 before they get into the fruit out of harm's way. Yet some experiments 



recorded an experiment in Maine which strongly indicates that this is the 

 case. He found that out of 346 wormy fruits borne on sprayed trees, only 

 133 had been entered by the worms at the calyx, while 213 worms had entered 

 at the side or base ; and out of 449 wormy fruits on unsprayed trees, 252 had 

 been entered at the calyx, while only 197 worms had entered at the side or 

 base. Thus the relative number entering the calyx was more than doubled 

 in the case of the unsprayed tree. " The onl}- plausible explanation would 

 seem to be that the poison lodging in the cah'x had destroyed the larvae 

 attempting to enter at that end, while those entering the side or base escaped. 

 The larvae of the second brood were also exempt." 



