No. 4.] FRUIT TREES AND INSECT FOES. 117 



which to spend the winter. How important this second brood 

 is in Massachusetts is not known, and the subject is now being 

 investigated. 



The entire amount of loss caused by this pest is seldom ap- 

 preciated, as many of the apples attacked by the first brood fall 

 off early, not remaining long enough on the tree to show what 

 the crop would be. But even of those which remain to be 

 gathered nearly 40 per cent on an average are wormy, reducing 

 their value at least one-third. Pears, too, are attacked by this 

 pest, so that in the aggregate the loss is very great. 



To prevent much of this loss, spraying may be made use of, 

 and at the same time secure protection from various fungous 

 diseases, such as scab and fruit spot. But, in order to be a 

 success, the proper time must be chosen for the treatment. It 

 has already been stated that a large majority of the caterpillars 

 of the first brood enter the fruit at the blossom end, where 

 nature has provided a little cup in and around which to place 

 a supply of poison. For about a week after the petals have 

 fallen the sepals which form the walls of this cup remain open, 

 but after that time they draw together, thus closing the open- 

 ing. Before this happens, the tree should be thoroughly 

 sprayed in such a maimer that as much of the spray as possi- 

 ble shall fall into and around this place, so that when the cat- 

 erpillar comes, its first meal may be a poisoned one. The 

 best spray to use for this purpose is Bordeaux mixture, to 

 every barrel of which two pounds of arsenate of lead have 

 been added, thus treating both insects and fungi at the same 

 time. Repeating this treatment about twenty days after the 

 blossoms have fallen is also of much assistance, and should 

 not be omitted. 



In this way most of the caterpillars entering the fruit through 

 the blossom end can be destroyed. But about 20 per cent 

 enter elsewhere, and for these other methods must be employed. 



As a large number of the small apples which fall are infested, 

 and once on the ground will soon be left by the caterpillars, it 

 is important that these apples be picked up and destroyed, 

 either by hand or by letting fowls or hogs run freely under the 

 trees. For those caterpillars which leave the fruit before it 

 falls it is well to scrape the trunks and large limbs of the trees 



