BOARD OF HURTlCUI/rURE 10!) 



that where applicatious of the regulär lead arsenate spray, two pounds to one 

 hundred iiallons, as applied for tht oheiry sluji were made, the poison present 

 was suceessful likewisf in effectually checkiiiK tlie maggot. 

 The formula for the poison halt spray is as follows : 



Sodiuni arsenate. one-half ponnd 

 Brown sugar, two and one-half pounds 

 (Or syriip, two quarts) 

 Water, eight gallons 



Three applications should lie given : The first, when the adult flies appear. 

 This will l;e about the time Uie Royal Annes show good color, or about June 8 

 to 20. The seeond application should be given about ten days later, and the third 

 about one week after the .seeond. Two applications will probably suffice if care- 

 fully tinied and in ease no showers of rain occur. Rains will discount the effect 

 of previous applications and necessitate a repetition of the spray. 



In applying the spray, take care to use no more material on the tree than 

 necessary. About one pint to one quart of spray to the tx-ee is sufficient. Heavy 

 applications do no more good in maggot control and may seriously burn the 

 foliage. Endeavor to apply this amount as fine misty droplets to the upper sur- 

 face of the outer leaves. Spray the foliage of adjacent trees and shrubs as well. 



THE MALLY FRUIT FLY REIVIEDY 



For the Prevention of Maggots in Fruit by the Destruction of the Parent Flies 



Before Eggs Are Laid 

 (Is.sued by the Union Division of Entomology, 1915) 



There are two closely related flies in South Africa, one a native species, the 

 other introducetl from abroad. The native species predominates in Natal, the 

 introduced in the Cape and Free State, and both abound in the Transvaal. Both 

 flies are brightly colored and in general appearance similar to one another ; they 

 are somewhat smaller than house flies witli iride.scent spotted wings, shining 

 metallic eyes, and gray and yellow-brown bodies. Together they are spoken of as 

 fruit flies, and eonstitute one of the principal fruit pests of South Africa. Almost 

 all kinds of fruit are attacked, more especially apricots, peaches, nectarines, 

 apples, pears, quinces, mangoes, guavas and oranges. The damage begins when 

 the female fly deposits its eggs in the fruit, from wliich come the well-known 

 maggots that spoil the fruit for ordinary purposes. 



The life history of the insect is l)riefly as follows : When apricots and peaches 

 begin ripening in Decemlier the females deposit their eggs just underneath the 

 skin of the fruit. In two to four days the eggs hatch, and the maggots at once 

 attack the tissue of the ripening fruit ; in two to three weeks. depending on the 

 ripeness of the fruit and the weather conditions as to temperature. the maggots 

 are fuUy developed and leave the fruit. On leaving the fruit they enter the ground 

 to a depth of one to two inches and transform to the "puparium" or resting stage ; 

 this stage lasts for about two weeks and then the adults or "flies" emerge. After 

 emergence they spend several days feeding on any sweet sul)stance that may be 

 available, and as soon as the eggs are sufficiently developed the females puncture 

 the fruit and deposit them. Fruit flies are very prolific. and during the summer 

 months a generation will mature al)Out every four weeks. It is therefore easy 

 to account for the great aliundance of maggots during the summer, when stone 

 fruits are abundant. During autumn and winter — the citrus .season — they do 

 not develop so rapidly. It has lieen shown that the flies can live for five months 

 or more when confined in a cage during the winter. if they have access to a 

 sweet of some kind on which they can feed occasionally. Under natural condi- 

 tions they are no doubt alile to wait for some time for fruit to ripen. 



