PEACH GROWING 11 



Second — apply iIk- crx'stals in a complete, compact ring around the tree one 

 to two inches from the trunk. Do not allow the crystals to come in contact with 

 the bark, as injury maj- result. Be sure also not to place the crystals more than 

 two inches from the trunk or their effectiveness is decreased. It is dangerous 

 to use paradichlorobenzene on trees less than three years of age. Trees three 

 tc five >-ears old require one-half to three-quarters of an ounce for each tree. 

 Trees six years old or older require one ounce. Exceptionally large trees ma^' 

 require IJi to \}4 ounces. Never use more than IJ^ ounces. 



Third — place three to five shovelfuls of fine earth, from which all weeds and 

 other debris have been removed, over the cr^-stals around the tree, making a 

 small mound 12 to 18 inches high. Place the first shovelful or two carefully over 

 the crystals, so as not to knock them against the bark. Pack the mounds down 

 well with the back of a shovel or some similar tool. 



Fourth — • after four to six weeks remove the mound. See Figure 8. 



Paradichlorobenzene treatment should be applied In late August or early Sep- 

 tember, and repeated each year, as the gas kills only the borers present in the 

 tree at the time of treatment. 



RecentU- ethylene dichloride emulsion has been tried as a control for peach 

 tree borers, and is reported to be more effective than paradichlorobenzene. It 

 has been used in the college and experiment station orchards in Amherst on a 

 fairly large scale for the last three years. Borer control has been excellent. 

 Injury to trees has occurred only where the emulsion was poured on the trunks 

 of young trees or where the amount applied was increased considerably over 

 recommended dosage. However, reports of severe injury to trees following its 

 use have come from several states outside Massachusetts. Until the reasons for 

 the injur\- are more fully understood and ways of preventing it are worked out 

 in detail, ethylene dichloride emulsion should be used cautiously. Stock emul- 

 sion of ethylene dichloride is available commercially. Directions for its applica- 

 tion and proper dosage are usually on the container and should be followed care- 

 fully. Broken stock emulsion should not be used until it has been reemulsified 

 by pumping through a spray pump and nozzle. The emulsion should be kept 

 off the trunks of the trees and overdosing should be avoided. In spite of some 

 adverse reports, this treatment looks very promising, but it cannot be recom- 

 mended unconditionally without further experim,ental work. 



The Plum Curculio is often very troublesome on peaches. It injures the fruit 

 by puncturing the skin and laying its eggs underneath, and by feeding on the 

 surface. These injuries may cause immature peaches to drop, disfigure and re- 

 duce the market value of mature fruits, and offer an opportunity for the spores 

 of the brown rot fungus to enter. 



The plum curculio winters in stone walls, hedge rows, or any trash in oi about 

 the orchard. The destruction of such hibernating quarters aids greatly in its 

 control. 



Since it is a chewing insect, curculio can be controlled by spraying with lead 

 arsenate in the "shuck" spray. See Spray Program. 



The Oriental Fruit Moth probably is the most serious insect pest of peaches 

 at the present time. It has spread along the Atlantic seaboard and is now gen- 

 erally distributed through all the peach growing sections of Massachusetts. In 

 the form of a sma'l larva, it enters new tender shoots and bores into developing 



