CHAPTER XIII. 

 ENEMIES OF THE APPLE. 



The more serious enemies. The codlin-moth and the scab fungus 

 are the most serious enemies of the apple in Western New York. The 

 scab is not so injurious if the apples are to be evaporated, but it probably 

 causes more loss than any other enemy when apples are to be barreled. 

 It was very destructive in 1902, was of small importance in 1903, and was 

 very prevalent in 1904. 



Of the insects that attack the tree, the canker-worm (commonly called 

 " army worm ") has done the most damage, but it is now practically sub- 

 dued. Probably the wood-rot fungi have done more to shorten the lives 

 of the trees than any other enemy. These gain entrance through wounds 

 and rot out the trunk so that the trees eventually break down. (See 

 pruning, Chap. IV.) Canker of the limbs has done much damage and 

 has killed a number of entire orchards. (See page 341.) The collar rot, 

 " King disease," or " winter injury," as it is variously designated, is the 

 worst enemy of King and Spitzenburg varieties. It is not so serious 

 with other varieties. (See page 345.) 



In addition to these there are many kinds of insects and diseases that 

 do a small amount of damage every year. In their ups-and-downs some- 

 times one and sometimes another becomes serious. The bud-moth prob- 

 ably did as much damage as any other insect in 1903. Aphids were the 

 worst enemy of young trees and caused considerable damage in old 

 orchards. They were worse on thrifty trees than on slow-growing ones. 

 The best orchardists therefore suffered the most loss from them. The 

 apple bucculatrix, or ribbed cocoon-maker of the apple, the apple weevil 

 and the mites each did considerable damage in a few orchards. Table 36 

 indicates something of the relative importance of the various enemies 

 in 1903. 



TABLE 36. 



Insect and fungous enemies of the apple in 1903. 



Injury. No. orchards. No. acres. 



Canker (Sphaeropsis malorum) serious 87 526^ 



considerable 83 729^ 



Bud-moth (Tmetocera ocellana) serious 45 590^4 



considerable 37 221 



slight 148 614*4 



Codlin-moth (Carpocapsa pomonella) serious 61 333^2 



considerable 45 631 



slight all bearing orchards 



