X 



INSECT ENEMIES 



It is often said that the insect enemies of all crops 

 are constantly multiplying in these latter times and 

 that the modern farmer has a great deal more to 

 contend against than his grandfather used to have. 

 While this view of the case is usually exaggerated, 

 it still has some foundation. At any rate, to grow 

 regular crops of fancy fruit which will grade up to 

 the requirements of the best markets, requires con- 

 stant vigilance. The fruit grower today must be 

 acquainted with a considerable number of insect 

 enemies, must be able to recognize the work of each 

 at a distance and must be ready to meet these foes 

 in an effective manner. 



The most serious enemies of the peach are the 

 San Jose scale, the peach borer, the peach lecanium, 

 the plum curculio and the fruit bark beetle. For- 

 tunately there are few orchards where all these in- 

 sects operate at once, yet the orchards which are 

 free from serious attacks by some of these are even 

 more rare. 



SAN JOSE SCALE 



Unquestionably the San Jose scale should be 

 awarded the first place among injurious fruit insects. 

 Its geographical range is almost exactly the same as 

 that of the peach tree. Thousands of peach orchards 

 have been killed out entirely by this enemy; others 

 have had their lives seriously threatened; many 

 crops have been ruined; others have been partly 



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