CHAPTER VII 



INSECTS AND DISEASES AFFECTING THE APPLE 



IT Is a common saying among farmers who 

 have grown apples on their farms for 

 many years that there are many more 

 pests to fight than there used to be. How often 

 we have heard a farmer tell of the perfect 

 apples that grew on a certain tree " when he was 

 a boy," before people had generally heard of 

 codling moth, San Jose scale, apple scab, or 

 other troubles now only too common. " We 

 never sprayed, but the apples were fine," he 

 says. Is this the usual glorification of the myth- 

 ical past or is it true? In all probability it Is a 

 little of both, but it Is undoubtedly true that In- 

 sects and fungous diseases have Increased 

 rapidly of late years. 



Reasons for Pest Increase. — ^When there 

 is an abundance of food and conditions are 

 otherwise favorable, any animal or plant will 

 thrive better than when the food supply is scarce 

 and conditions unfavorable. As long as apple 

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