CHAPTER XXVI 

 Insect Pests of Fruit Trees 



UNFORTUNATELY for the gardener, the cultivation of hardy and 

 tender fruits is interfered with to a considerable extent by the 

 attacks of insect pests, which, if not destroyed, do great and often 

 irreparable damage to the crops. It can scarcely be emphasised 

 too strongly that well-grown trees are less liable to suffer severely 

 from pests than those that are indifferently attended to ; it is 

 invariably the weakly ones that are chiefly affected. Fruit trees 

 growing against a wall suffer to a greater extent from certain 

 pests than those in the open garden, and they are often predisposed 

 to attack by the fact of their being allowed to get dry at the root, 

 Trees planted against a wall do not benefit much from rain ; 

 in early summer, and as long as hot weather lasts, it is essential 

 that the soil be kept moist by watering frequently. It is astonish- 

 ing how dry the ground is near a wall, even in wet weather. 

 Dryness at the root is often the cause of small fruits falling in large 

 numbers in spring. 



Preventive measures against insect pests should be taken 

 early. In fact the fruit grower ought always to endeavour to 

 prevent attack rather than wait until the trees are infested. 



American Blight or Woolly Aphis is a pest which is 

 recognised by the woolly covering or cotton-like growth with 

 which the insects cover themselves on the trees. Apple and Pear 

 tr^es are attacked, and the insects pierce the bark and suck the 

 sap, the result being that affected branches become weak and 

 unhealthy, and, if the blight is allowed to remain, ultimately 

 wither away. Steps to exterminate the pest should be taken 

 immediately its presence is observed. Scrape off and burn the 

 woolly growth and loose bark, and afterwards coat the affected 

 plants with a strong soft soap lather to which a little paraffin has 

 been added. Leave this on for a few days and then scrape it 

 off, and afterwards wash and syringe the affected parts of the 

 tree with a solution made by boiling % Ib. of soft soap in } pint of 



182 



