96 



A MEMBER : I mean to spray solid. 



PROF PARROTT: If you cover the insects with the 

 liquid that is all that is reciuired, l)ut a simple mist spray 

 that lodges on the hack of the insect might not be sufficient 

 as it may not strike him at a vital spot or reach other insects 

 beneath it. 



A MEMBER: He has got to be drowned. (Laughter). 



PROF. PARROTT: Not necessarily, enough liquid to 

 thoroughly cover the insect. 



THE CIIAIRiMAN: AVhen you ask your questions, if 

 you will rise and give your name, it will help the stenogra- 

 ylier. 



A MEMBER : I would like to have Prof. Parrott tell us 

 about the pear psylla. 



PROF. PARROTT : How many growers here are pear 

 growers, or grow pears extensively? Judging from uplifted 

 hands, there are cpiite a number. You Avill be interested to 

 know that in New York more pears than ever are being 

 planted because during the last fifteen years so many 

 trees have died as a result of pear blight and pear psylla, 

 and it seems if there is one line of fruit growing that has a 

 promising future, it is the grooving of pears. Unfortunately 

 the pear has two serious pests, in most pear growing sections, 

 and these are the pear blight and the pear psylla. 



In the lower Hudson River Valley we have in addition 

 to these two, the pear thrips, a pest recently established in 

 New York. • 



It is a difficult matter to devise a system of spraying of 

 H pear orchard that Avill control both insect pests. Leaving 

 the thrip out of consideration we lay a great deal of stress 

 on the importance of disinfecting the trees of the psylla 

 ilies durhig November or December or at this season of the 

 year, selecting bright sunny days when the temperature is 

 not above 40 degrees F. 



As you know the ])ear psylla winters on the pear trees 

 in the fly stages, seeking preferably the cracks and crevices 

 of the rough bark on the trunk and bases of the larger 



