The Bulletin. 7 



blotches. If such a spot be found, however, it must then be examined to 

 see if it is caused by a true scale-insect, for there are certain unimportant 

 diseases which may have a similar appearance. If the little gray, circu- 

 lar scale is found in the center of the spot, and if the scale is readily 

 moved by scraping gently with a knife blade or with the finger nail, then 

 you may be quite sure that it is San Jose Scale, and should at once send 

 specimens to the Entomologist and get further information. 



Turn one of the scales over gently with the point of a knife. If it is 

 one of the large, full-grown scales the insect may as likely be dead as 

 alive under it, for the scale often adheres long after the insect is dead. 

 If the insect is alive it will be seen as a little, yellow object — slightly egg 

 shaped, but more pointed at one end, and slightly flattened. Indeed, it 

 has been well described as resembling a tiny bit of cheese or yellow 

 butter. Press the body with the point of the knife or pin and it is easily 

 crushed, yielding a tiny bit of yellowish, oily liquid. If, on the other 

 hand, the insect is dead, the dried body will likely be found simply as a 

 thin yellowish-brown particle under the scale. 



If you simply rub the flat of a knife-blade along a thickly infested 

 branch the insects will be crushed in such numbers that the oil from their 

 bodies becomes quite conspicuous, though of course not enough to run 

 down the limb. 



Where to Find it on the Tree. — The insect feeds by inserting its tiny 

 beak into the bark and sucking out the sap. The young insects are so 

 very small and delicate that they cannot settle well on old tough bark, 

 and on the other hand the very newest growth is so young that there are 

 not likely to be many full-grown scales upon it, so that it is usually on 

 the wood of last year and the year before that the scales are most readily 

 found, and in examining a tree for this insect we should examine 

 especially wood of that age. Thus in inspecting nursery stock we would 

 look on the trunk and on the larger branches, while in orchards we look 

 on the two-year wood near the ends of the branches. Of course it may 

 be found also on either the newer or older wood, but it is more often 

 found on the one- and two-year growths. 



The young insects in their search for a place where they can insert 

 their tiny, delicate beaks, often settle on the fruit. If the fruit is green, 

 whitish or yellow in color the infestation may be quite readily detected 

 by the reddish blotches (Fig. 2) ; but if the fruit be red, these will not 

 show so plainly. Remember, however, that there may be reddish blotches 

 or pimples on the fruits which are not caused by the San Jose Scale, and 

 you should examine them closely to make sure. On apple fruits the scales 

 are apt to be especially abundant at the blossom end. 



The insects also show a decided tendency to settle close by, or under 

 the buds, and at the rings which mark the end of a year's growth. In 

 inspecting trees special attention should be given to these portions. 



