DISEASES AND INSECTS 



DISEASES AND INSECTS 1055 



CATALOGUE OF INSECTS, continued. 



Treatment. Hold over infested seed one year before plant- 

 ing. Late planting in some localities. Fumigation with carbon 

 bisulfid. 



PEA APHIS (Macrosiphum pisi). A rather large green plant- 

 louse, often attacking peas in great numbers and causing 

 enormous losses. 



Treatment. Rotation of crops, early planting. When peas 

 are grown in rows, the brush-and-cultivator method may be 

 used. The plant-lice are brushed from the plants with pine 

 boughs, and a cultivator follows stirring the soil. This opera- 

 tion should be performed while the sun is hot and the ground 

 dry. Most of the lice will be killed before they can crawl back 

 to the plants. Repeat every three to seven days. 

 Peach. BLACK APHIS (Aphis persicx-niger). A small black or 

 brown plant-louse, which attacks the tops and roots of peach 

 trees. When upon the roots it is a very serious enemy, stunting 

 the tree and perhaps killing it. Thrives in sandy lands. 



Treatment. Kerosene emulsion; tobacco decoction and 

 extracts. 



CLOVER MITE (Bryobia pratensis). Small reddish mites 

 attacking the leaves, causing them to turn yellow. 



Treatment. Lime-sulfur while trees are dormant. In sum- 

 mer, use self-boiled lime-sulfur, as a dust, or sulfur paste. 

 FLAT-HEADED BOKEK. See Apple. 



FRUIT TREE BLACK BEETLE (Scolytus rugulosus). A small 

 beetle similar to the peach tree bark-beetle. 



Treatment. Same as for Peach Tree Bark-Beetle, which see. 

 KATYDID. This insect is often troublesome to the peach in the 

 southern states in the early spring, eating the leaves and 

 girdling young stems. 



Remedy. Poisoned baits placed about the tree. 

 GREEN PEACH-LOUSE or APHIS (Myzus persicse). A small 

 insect feeding upon the young leaves, causing them to curl and 

 die. 



Treatment. Lime-sulfur, kerosene emulsion, or tobacco 

 extract. After the buds open, either of the last two. 

 PEACH TREE BARK-BEETLE (Phkeotribus liminaris). A dark 

 brown beetle one-tenth inch in length burrowing under the 

 bark. 



Treatment. Burn all brush and worthless trees as soon as 

 the infestation is observed. Keep the trees in healthy con- 

 dition by thorough cultivation and the use of fertilizers. Apply 

 a thick whitewash to the trunk and branches three times a 

 season: (1) the last week of March, (2) second week in July, 

 (3) first week in October. 



PEACH TREE-BORER (Sanninoidea exitiosa). A whitish larva, 

 about ^4 inch long when mature, boring into the crown and 

 upper roots of the peach, causing gum to exude. 



Remedies. Dig out the borers in June and mound up the 

 trees. At the same time apply gas-tar or coal-tar to the trunk 

 from the roots up to a foot or more above the surface of the 

 ground. 



PEACH Twia-MoTH (Anarsia lineatella). The larva of a moth, 

 }^ inch long, boring in the ends of the shoots, and later in the 

 season attacking the fruit. Several broods. 



Remedy. Spray with lime-sulfur just after the buds swell. 

 Spray trunks and larger branches in late spring to kill first 

 brood pupse in the curls of bark. 



PLUM-CURCULIO (Conotrachelus nenuphar). This insect may be 

 successfully controlled on peach by spraying with arsenate of 

 lead, four pounds to one hundred gallons of self-boiled lime- 

 sulfur. Spray, first, when the "husks" drop from the fruit; 

 second, ten days or two weeks later. It is unsafe to spray 

 peaches more than twice with arsenate of lead. 

 RED-SPIDEB, or MITE (Tetranychus bimaculatus). A small mite 

 infesting many plants, both in the greenhouse and out-of- 

 doors. It flourishes in dry atmospheres, occurring on the under 

 sides of the leaves. In some forms it is reddish, but usually 

 light-colored and two-spotted. Common. 



Remedies. Persistent syringing with water will generally 

 destroy them, if the spray is applied to the under surface. 

 Use lots of force and little water to avoid drenching the beds. 

 Sulfur and water. Dry sulfur. On orchard trees, flour paste. 

 ROUND-HEADED APPLE TREE BORER. See Apple. 

 WHITE PEACH SCALE (Diaspis pentagona). Circular gray scales 

 with the exuviae, at one side of the center. 



Remedy. Same as for San Jose Scale. See Apple. 

 Pear. APPLE TREE-BORER; BUD-MOTH; CODLIN-MOTH; FLAT- 

 HEADED BORER. See Apple. 



MIDGE (Diplosis pyrivora). A minute mosquito-like fly; lays 

 eggs in flower-buds when they begin to show white. These 

 hatch into minute grubs which distort and discolor the fruit. 

 New York and eastward. Prefers the Lawrence. Introduced 

 in 1877 from France. 



Remedies Destroy the infested pears. Cultivate and plow 



in late summer and fall to destroy the pupse then in the ground. 



PEAK-LEAF BLISTER-MITE (Eriophyes pyri). A minute mite 



which causes black blisters to appear _ upon the leaves. The 



mites collect under the bud-scales in wjnter. 



Remedy. Lime-sulfur or miscible oil as a dormant spray. 

 PEAR PSTLLA (Psylla pyricola). These minute, yellowish, flat- 

 bodied, sucking insects are often found working in the axils of 

 the leaves and fruit early in the season. They develop into 

 minute, cicada-like jumping-lice. The young psyllas secrete 

 a large quantity of honey-dew, in which a peculiar black fungus 

 grows, giving the bark a characteristic sooty appearance. 

 There may be four broods annually, and the trees are often 

 seriously injured. 



CATALOGUE OF INSECTS, continued. 

 Treatment. Clean culture; remove rough bark from trunks 

 and larger branches to discourage adults from hibernating; 

 spray with "Black Leaf 40" tobacco extract, one pint in one 

 hundred gallons of water, adding four pounds soap, on warm 

 days in November or April to kill hibernating adults. Spray 

 with lime-sulfur, winter strength, when the blossom clusters 

 appear, to destroy eggs. 



Summer treatment. Spray with "Black Leaf 40" tobacco 

 extract just as the last of the petals are falling to kill young. 

 Repeat if necessary. 



PEAR THRIPS (Euthrips pyri). Minute insects one-twentieth 

 inch in length, dark brown when adult, white with red eyes 

 when young, that attack the opening buds and young fruits in 

 early spring. They suck the sap from the tender growth, and 

 the females lay eggs in the fruit-stems, causing a loss oi the 

 crop. The nymphs hibernate in the ground a few inches 

 from the surface. A serious pest in California and recently 

 introduced into New York. 



Treatment. Thorough cultivation during October, Novem- 

 ber, and December (in California). Make two applications 

 of "Black Leaf" tobacco extract, one gallon in sixty gallons 

 of 2 per cent distillate oil emulsion, the first just as the fruit- 

 buds begin to open, the second just after the petals fall. In 

 the East it may be controlled by timely applications of tobacco 

 extract and whale-oil soap. 



PEAR-TWIG BEETLE (Xyleborus pyri). Brownish or black beetle, 

 one-tenth inch long, boring in twigs, producing effect much 

 like pear blight, and hence often known as "pear-blight 

 beetle." It escapes from a minute perforation at base of bud; 

 probably two broods. 



Treatment. Burn twigs before the beetle escapes. 

 Pecan. BUD-MOTH (Proleopteryx deludana). A brownish cater- 

 pillar about % inch in length, feeding on the opening buds 

 in early spring and on the under side of the leaves in summer. 

 Treatment. Arsenate of lead in summer to kill larvae of 

 second brood. Lime-sulfur and arsenate of lead in dormant 

 season just before buds open, to destroy hibernating larvae. 

 CASE-BEARER (Acrobasis nebuletta). A small caterpillar living 

 inside a case which it carries with it. It attacks the opening 

 buds. 



Treatment. Arsenate of lead as soon as the buds begin to 

 open. Repeat if necessary. 



BORER (Sesia scitula). A wood-boring caterpillar working in 

 the sap-wood. 



Treatment. Digging out. 



PECAN WEEVIL (Balaninus caryas). A dull, dark brown beetle 

 with a long and slender snout with which it punctures the 

 husk and shell of the maturing nuts for oviposition. The grubs 

 live within the nut feeding on the kernel. 



Treatment. Destroy all infested nuts. This should be as 

 soon as they fall. 

 ROSE-CHAFER. See Grape. 

 ROUND-HEADED BORER. See Apple. 

 SLUG. See Cherry. 



TwiG-GiRDLEH (Oncideres cingulatus). A brownish gray beetle, 

 about l /i inch long, which girdles twigs in August and Sep- 

 tember. The female lays eggs above the girdle. The twigs 

 soon fall. 



Remedy. Burn the twigs, either cutting them off or gather- 

 ing them when they fall. 

 TWIG-PRUNER. See Apple. 

 Persimmon. TWIG-GIRDLERS. ^See Pecan. 

 WHITE PEACH-SCALE (Diaspis pentagona). 



Remedy. Lime-sulfur when the trees are thoroughly 

 dormant. 



Picea. SPRUCE BUD- WORM (Tortrixfumiferana). Small caterpillar 

 feeding on the young foliage, causing the tips of the twigs to 

 turn reddish, due to the dying of the foliage. Frequently 

 serious in forests. 



SPRUCE GALL APHID (Chermes abietis). Plant-lice causing cone- 

 shaped, many-celled galls at the bases of young shoots. _ 



Treatment. Spray with whale-oil soap, one pound in two 

 gallons of water, in early spring. Cut off all galls and burn 

 before the lice leave them. 



Pine. PINE LEAF-SCALE (Chionaspis pinifolise). Small white 

 scales frequently abundant on the foliage. 



Treatment. Kerosene emulsion or tobacco extracts when 

 the young are hatching. 



PINE WEEVIL (Pissodes strobi). Small grub working in the 

 terminal branch, which is killed, causing distorted trees. 



Treatment. Cut out and burn infested branches. 

 Pineapple. KATYDID (Acanthacara similis). A large katydid which 

 attacks, among other plants, the leaves of the pineapple. 



Remedy. Arsenicals, before the plants are mature. 

 MEALY-BUGS (several species). These mealy white insects 

 attack the plant at the base of the leaves, usually underground. 

 Treatment. Set only clean plants, or dip them in resin 

 wash or kerosene emulsion. In the field apply tobacco dust 

 freely in the bud before the bloom begins to appear, or spray 

 with kerosene emulsion. 



PINEAPPLE SCALE (Diaspis bromelix). Circular, thin, pure white 

 scales with yellow exuviae infesting leaves and fruit. 



Treatment. Kerosene emulsion and resin wash. 

 RED-SPIDER (Stigmseus floridanus). Minute mites occurring in 

 great number at the base of the leaf, where they induce rot. 

 Treatment. Tobacco dust applied to bud. 



