4^ AGRICULTURE OF MAINE). 



active and being so protected by long hairs they are not so 

 susceptible to attack by some species of parasites, especially the 

 Tachnid flies, as are the smooth-skinned species like the Saddled 

 Prominent. Birds are not so fond of hairy caterpillars, so they 

 have a double protection. Yet they may disappear as abruptly 

 as did the Prominent last year, although we do not feel as safe 

 in predicting it. 



This orchard pest could have been easily controlled by spray- 

 ing the trees thoroughly about the first of July with lead ar- 

 senate, three pounds to fifty gallons of water, directing the spray 

 upwards from underneath so as to coat the under side of the 

 leaves with the poison, as the eggs are always laid in a cluster 

 on the under surface. 



Other leaf-eating caterpillars, such as the red-hump, yellow- 

 neck, Saddled Prominent, the tussocks and brown-tail moth 

 can be controlled in the same way, as the moths of all of these 

 different species except the tussocks lay their eggs on the under 

 side of the leaves. If the eggs are not laid at the time of the 

 spraying the poison will remain, if properly applied, until long 

 after the last of them have hatched, so that as soon as the tiny 

 caterpillars begin to feed there is enough poison left to quickly 

 destroy them. 



SAN JOSE SCALE. 



The only known orchard infestation of this insect is at Lim- 

 erick in York county. A thorough treatment was given with 

 lime-sulphur by the ov/ner in the spring, followed four weeks 

 later with scalecide on the trunks and branches, with the result 

 that no live specimens were seen crawling, although several 

 inspections were made during the season. A careful watch will 

 be kept and another thorough spraying with lime and sulphur 

 will be made next spring. 



Three other infestations have been found during the season, 

 one at Northeast Harbor, discovered by Dr. H. T. Fernald of 

 Amherst, Mass., while on his vacation. It was found on some 

 purple plum trees but a careful inspection revealed only dead 

 scales. It will be inspected another season. 



While inspecting an orchard in Gardiner a single tree was 

 found infested with scales. The tree was dead and every indi- 

 cation pointed to the fact that the scale must have been de- 



