ENTOMOLOGICAL SOOIETY OF ONTAPaO. 



77 



Two of the worst enemies of the fruit grower are the codling moth (^Carpocapsa 

 pomonella) and the plum curculio {Conotrachelas nenuphar). [Fig. 50 represents all stages 

 of the insect.] After a great many experiments under varyiug circumstances, spraying 

 the trees with Paris green (one pound of Paris green, one pound of fresh lime and 200 

 gallons of water) still remaius the best remedy ; I believe that whether these insects are 

 known to be present or not, it will well repay fruit growers to spray their orchards at 

 least once every spring as a regular operation. Numerous instances have been reported 

 to me of astonishingly successful results from following this course, and hardly any fail- 

 ures ; so I can repeat what I said last year, that " where this work is done carefully and 

 intelligently, it is practically all-sufiicient." The occasional cases of failure which are 

 sometimes heard of, and these are very rare, are almost invariably due to careless work. 

 In the January number of the Canadiin Horticaltiirlst, I published an open letter 

 requesting fruitgrowers who had failed to obtain paying results from spraying plum or 

 apple trees, to write to me on the subject After nearly a whole year, I have not 



Fig. 49. —Codling moth larva in apple. 



Fig. 50.— rium curculio. 



received a single unsatisfactory reply; furthermore, at the last annual meeting of the 

 Fruit Growers' Association of Ontario, held at Peterboro', the question of spraying apple 

 trees for the codling moth and plum trees for the curculio, came up for discussion. During 

 this meeting which I had the pleasure of atteading, I reqaested those present wh^ had 

 sprayed with Paris green against those insects, to give the results of their experience. 

 Some convincing instances were given by leading members of the Assjciatioa, which 

 proved the efficacy of the treatment recommended. 



ScALR Insects — Considerable injury is undoubtedly due throughout the whole 

 Dominion to the operations of the inconspicuous but very pernicious soale insects ; the 

 most redoubtable of these is the Oyster-shell bark-louse (J/</<«7as/.'is pomorum, Bouche), and 

 it competes every year with the codling moth for the honour of being the worst enemy of 

 the apple tree. The life history, in this species as well as in most others, gives us a sug- 

 gestion as to the best time to apply a remedy. The scales (Fig. 51) may be found upon 

 the twigs and branches of apple trees, black currant bushes, mountain ash, ash and many 

 other trees during the winter. From these during June emerge minute, white mite-like 

 insects with six legs (Fig. 52), which for a few days crawl about the trees seeking for a 

 suitable spot for them to attach themselves. This is generally on the young wood of the 

 previous year. It is only during these few days that they are able to move, for having 

 chosen a spot they pierce the bark with their needle-like beaks and remain fixed for the 

 rest of their lives. Each gradually secretes a waxy mantle (Fig. 52, 3), and by August 

 has transformed into a scale (Fig. 52, 7), in the case of the females, covering a cluster of 

 eggs. The scales of the males are much smaller than those of the females and of a differ- 

 ent shape. The eggs do not hatch until the following June. While the young are in 

 the active state they are very much more susceptible to injury than after the scales are 

 formed. The time of hatching varies somewhat in diiferent localities, but by examining 

 the trees this date can be easily ascertained, and if the trees are then sprayed with a 



