Culture of the Cherry 1843 



later begins to lay its eggs. The insect inserts its egg just beneath the 

 skin of the cherry and the egg hatches in two to four days. Infested 

 fruit generally decays on the tree. ( 



Control. — There is some evidence to show that arsenate of lead, four 

 pounds to one hundred gallons of water, applied to the foliage as soon 

 as the insects appear, is an effective means of control. Sweetened poison 

 has been found to attract these insects and has been used with con- 

 siderable success. The following formula is suggested: 



Arsenate of lead 5 pounds 



Cheap molasses 3 gallons 



Water 100 gallons 



This spray should be applied as soon as the insects appear. A second 

 application should be made two weeks later if necessary. 



Pear slug (Eriocampoides limacina). — This slimy, olive-green insect 

 attacks the leaves of the cherry and of other fruits and feeds on the upper 

 surface, skeletonizing the leaves and frequently causing them to turn 

 brown and fall away. The insect first appears on young foliage in June, 

 and often a brood appears about August. 



Control. — A spray of arsenate of lead, four pounds to one hundred 

 gallons of water, should be applied as soon as the insects are found on 

 the leaves. 



DISEASES OF THE CHERRY 



Black knot (Plowrightia morbosa). — This is one of the most serious 

 diseases of the cherry, and is almost if not entirely confined to sour 

 varieties. It is caused by a parasitic fungus that produces black knotty 

 growths on the branches. The fungus is transmitted by spores, which 

 winter over in the black knots. 



Control. — The only means of controlling this disease is to remove 

 and destroy all the knots before growth starts in the spring. 



Brown rot {Sclerotinia fructigena) .■ — This disease, which is troublesome 

 mainly on sweet cherries, is serious and is difficult to control. The rotting 

 of the cherries often results in a loss of one half or more of the crop. 

 The fungus frequently attacks the blossoms as well as the fruit. The 

 fruit is susceptible to this disease principally during the ripening period. 

 When hot, moist conditions at picking time have caused the fruit to crack, 

 the spores can enter, and thus during wet weather an entire crop may 

 be destroyed in twenty-four hours. The spores of the fungus causing 

 this disease pass the winter largely in mummified fruit on the trees of 

 on the ground. 



Control.— Bordeaux mixture 4-4-50 or self -boiled lime-sulfur 8-8-50 

 should be used as a spray. Two pounds of arsenate of lead should be 



