21 



BULLETIN OF 



Massachusetts Boakd of Agriculture. 



THE SAN JOSE SCALE IN MASSACHUSETTS. 



By A. H. KiKKLAND, M.S., Assistant Entomologist. 



The presence of the San Jose scale in Massachusetts was first recorded 

 by Prof C. H. Fernald, entomologist to the Board, in the Massachusetts 

 Crop Report for August. 1895. The insect had then been found colonized 

 in five localities in the State. At the present writing thirteen localities 

 are known to be infested, and from the recent rapid increase of the 

 known occurrences of the insect it is evident that we are just beginning 

 to realize the extent to whicih this pest has been disseminated through- 

 out the Commonwealth. During the past three years the writer has 

 had opportuuities to become familiar with several colonies of the scale 

 in eastern Massachusetts, and. at the request of Secretary Wm R. Ses- 

 sions, has attempted to combine the notes thus made, supplementing 

 them with extracts from the writings of others, particularly in those 

 portions relating to the life history of the insect and remedies available 

 for treating infested trees. It should be stated at the outset that the 

 study of this important insect has received the attention of our leading 

 economic entomologists ; and, as a result of the careful work of Messrs. 

 Howard Marlatt, Smith, Webster and others, we may now easily obtain 

 an accurate knowledge of the history and habits of the insect, its means 

 and routes of distribution and the remedies best adapted to destroy it. 

 Entomologists are especiall}^ indebted to Dr Howard and his assistants 

 for the exact information concerning the life history of the scale, as 

 published in Bulletin 3, Xew Series, Division of Entomology, 1896. a 

 work that has been the basis of the majority of the treatises on the sub- 

 ject appearing since that date. 



Distribution. 



The original home of the San Jose scale is yet a matter of conjecture. 

 It is known to occur in Chili. Hawaii, Australia and the United States, 

 while two varieties of the species have been found upon trees coming 

 from Japan. The occurrences of the scale in Chili and Hawaii have 

 been practically traced to the United States ; the Australian infestation 

 is thought to have been brought from Japan; and Professor C'ockerell, 

 our leading authority on this group of insects, is quite certain that the 

 latter country will ultimately prove to be the original home of the pest. 



In the vicinity of San Jose, California, from which place the insect takes 

 its common name, the scale was quite injurious as early as 1873; and, 

 when described by Pr>ifessor Comstock iri 1^80 as "the most pernicious 

 scale known in the country." it had become destructively abundant 

 throughout a considerable part of the fruit-growing region of that State. 

 Since the insect primarily appeared as a pest to fruit trees, its dissemi- 

 nation vipon nursery stock soon followed. According to the statement 

 of a member of the firm of Stark Brothers at the Indianapolis meeting 

 of the American Association of Nurserymen in 1895, the first consign- 

 ment of infested trees to reach the eastern United States was shipped in 



