168 [ DlSEASES'OF^THE MULBERRY 



the parasites are few or too young, can be utilized to 

 feed the silkworm. A good remedy against this scale 

 is to whitewash thoroughly with lime the whole stem 

 and branches, once or twice during winter. The fig 

 scale, Ceroplastes Rusci L. is met with now and then on 

 the mulberry, but the attack is never severe as in the 

 case of the fig tree. The fluted scale (Icerya Purckasi 

 Mask.) also attacks the mulberry and, but for the pre- 

 sence of its natural enemy, the small beetle Novius cardi- 

 nalis, which keeps it in check very thoroughly, would prove 

 a formidable obstacle to its cultivation. Lecanium Oieae 

 Bernard and L. hesperidum Forst occur frequently on the 

 mulberry, but they rarely affect seriously its growth or 

 productiveness. All that L. hesperidum usually does is to 

 cover thickly a few growing twigs with its grey-brown 

 elliptical scales, stunting their growth and causing the loss 

 of a few leaves, but the attack is too sporadic to call 

 for special treatment. The attacks of the cottony scale, 

 Daetylopins Citn Signoret are sometimes important, but 

 are always limited to plantations growing in very sheltered 

 situations. In bad cases large masses of Dactylopius 

 held together by their cottony exudations are formed 

 on the branches and twigs, and sometimes also on the 

 leaves, with the result that the growth of the trees 

 suffers a severe check, and the foliage becomes too 

 soiled with the parasite to be of any use. As a curative 

 treatment the stem, branches and twigs, may be white- 

 washed repeatedly and copiously from December to 

 February. The whitewash, made of freshly slacked 

 lime, may be applied with an ordinary brush, or may 

 be passed through a sieve of copper gauze, and applied 

 as a spray by means of a garden pump. The attacks 

 of Aphis are rare and unimportant even on young trees, 

 and even when the Aphis appears early in the season 

 the attack is never so severe as to interfere with the 

 production of tender leaves required for the newly 

 hatched silkworm. 



