THE SAN JOSE SCALE INSECT. 



Iv arc glad that the Niagara 

 District fruit growers are 

 taking active steps to pre- 

 vent the introduction of this 

 terrible pest into Ontario orchards. It 

 is well known in California as the most 

 destructive insect pest of deciduous 

 trees, and has caused the growers there 

 very great pecuniary loss. 



Fig. 1079 — As Adult Female. 



During the last few years this scale 

 has been spreading rapidly throughout 

 the State of New Jersey, whither it was 

 brought from California, on plum trees ; 

 and from Idaho, on pear trees. During 

 the last year or two, it has even made its 

 way into New York State, so that it is time 

 we were alarmed. Our trees and plants 

 come so largely from New York State 

 nurserymen, that we see no way of a\ert- 

 ing the evil without wholesale measures. 

 The insect is so tiny that it might easily 

 escape inspection at the border, and 

 total prohibition of importation for a 

 time seems about the only sure means of 

 preventing its introduction. 



It belongs to the same group of in- 

 sects with the oyster scale bark louse, 

 but differs in form, being perfectly round. 

 It is flat, pressed close to the bark, 

 which it resembles in color. Itjs^so 

 small that it easily escajjes the natural 

 eyesight, and when full grown is only 

 about '/^th of an inch in diameter. It 

 infests the twigs, the leaves, and even 

 the fruit, and when very abundant the 

 latter is utterly ruined by it. It is 

 especially injurious to the Bartlett pear 

 the fruit of which is rendered unsalable 

 by it ; and as this is one of our most valu- 

 able varieties for export, and the one 

 most widely planted, we fruit growers 

 should be wide awake to the danger. 



Figure 1081 shows a Bartlett pear 

 only slightly affected with this scale ; 

 while Fig. 1080 shows an adult female. 



^/^ 



Fig.— 1080— San Jose Scalk; a, pear moderately 

 infested; ft, female scale enlarged. 



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