1 68 



DESTRUCTIVE INSECTS. 



power of multiplication. The insect winters in the form of 

 small round black scales scwcely larger than a pin's head. 

 These become full grown ir May or June, when they are of 

 a grayish color and nearly '.n eighth of an inch in diameter. 

 There is no egg stage, *"he young lice being born alive, and 

 they may become mothers in about forty days. Thus there are 

 from three to five generations of the scales during a season, 

 and as <*ne titker may rear from one hundred to five hundred 



. . . . 



FIG. 228. San Jos6 Scale. Female insect which lives under the scale, greatly 



enlarged. (Adapted from Howard's figures.) 

 FIG. 229. San Jose" Scale, natural size. 



young, it is easy to understand how a few scales may soon 

 cover a tree with their progeny. If one of the scales be tipped 

 over at any time, there will be found the soft, yellow body of 

 the insect itself, as shown in Fig. 228. 



Much legislation has been enacted to prevent the spread of 

 or to exterminate this pernicious pest, and much good has re- 

 sulted from the systems of inspection of nurseries and or- 

 chards, but eventually every fruit-grower will have to work out 

 his own salvation. Fruit-growers should understand that the 

 insect can never be exterminated in any seriously infested 

 orchard or locality without destroying the trees, but it can be, 

 and some are controlling it as effectually as they are some 

 other fruit pests. 



It can best be treated when the trees are dormant, but much 



