DEPARTMENT REPORTS. 129 



To ciill the alleutioii of fiuil; growers to the danger which threatens 

 the orchard interests, aud to point out the method of bringing the 

 t^an Jose scale under control, the following circular was prepared and 

 sent to numerous newspapers and to fruit growers: 



''Fiijht the San Jose Scale." ''During the last twenty years, hundreds 

 of fruit trees have been killed in Michigan by the San Jose scale. This 

 has been needless since cheap and effectual remedies have been found. 



"Two years ago it was hoi)ed that the numbers of the scale had been 

 so reduced by climatic conditions and insect parasites there would be 

 little trouble from this insect in the future, but the past season was so 

 favorable for its development that many trees which did not receive 

 treatment became so badly infested during the summer that the branches 

 were seriously injured and the fruit was condemned for marketing. 

 To check the spread of this insect and to prevent further injury to the 

 trees now infested, every owner of fruit trees in sections where the 

 San Jose scale has been found in previous years should see that his 

 trees are sprayed before the buds open. 



''There are two effectual remedies, either commercial lime-sulphur 

 solution, diluted at the rate of one to eight parts of water, or "Scale- 

 cide" at the rate of one to fifteen parts of water. The latter is a soluble 

 oil preparation which has the merit of spreading along the branches, 

 in this way reducing the amount required considerably less than when 

 lime-sulphur solution is used. Hence, even though applied with a very 

 fine nozzle it will be likely to reach all of the scales, if reasonable care is 

 taken to cover the branches. 



"On the other hand, lime-sulj^hur solution is an excellent fungicide, and 

 is helpful also in controlling the diseases of fruit trees. For this puj:- 

 pose, it may be used at the winter strength up to the time the blossoms 

 show color, without reducing the fruit crop, or permanently injuring 

 the foliage, although it may burn the edges of the leaves in the open- 

 ing buds. Even this injury can be largely prevented by slightly reduc- 

 ing the pressure and using a comparatively fine nozzle. 



"Applied at this time, lime-sulphur solution will destroy the San Jose 

 scale upon the trees and also serve as the early cluster-bud spray for 

 apple and pear scab and other fungous diseases. The benefits from 

 either of these will repay many times the cost of the application. The 

 present price of fruit, w^arrants a fight for a clean crop, especially 

 as the scale may get their orchards if farmers fail to do so." 



The Codling Moth. For several years the codling moth has done 

 considerable harm to orchards that were thought by the owners to 

 have been thoroughly sprayed. Trees which were free from wormy 

 apples during the first part of July were found to be badly infested 

 later in the season. This was the case where the trees were given two 

 applications in June after the fruit had set and received another ap- 

 plication during the first week in August for the second brood of worms. 

 The trouble was ascribed to the early development of the second brood, 

 owing to the warm season, and the fact that the worms had entered 

 the fruit before the August application Avas made. In most, if not all 

 cases, it is probable that the worms which entered the apples during the 

 month of Jnly wore delayed specimens of the first brood rather than early 

 individuals of the second brood. 



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