MASSACHUSETTS APPLE INDUSTRY. 19 



.soiiiewliat slowed up by unfavorable weather conditions encountered in 

 April and May, yet this initial advance was not wholly lost throughout the 

 rest of the season. Sensitive as we have found insects to be to varying weath- 

 er conditions, it was but natural that we should expect them to commence 

 their activities at a correspondingly earlier date. This is what actually 

 happened. 



Orchard Plant Lice began hatching during the last week of March, the 

 earliest record since 192L Reports from all parts of the state showed 

 them present in unusual abundance. In some orchards they were out so 

 early that the dormant oil sprays nearly wiped them out. They remained 

 very abundant until the long-drawn-out period of cold, unfavorable weath- 

 er the latter part of April, after which they practically disappeared from 

 tlie orchards. Many growers found so few plant lice that they omitted 

 the nicotine from the pink and calyx sprays. There were occasional small 

 local outbreaks reported late in the season. These were confined chiefly 

 to young trees, and even then were not a serious factor. 



Leafhoppers, so prevalent in 1924, were practically absent from orchards 

 this season. In many cases, where a year ago it was possible to find 

 thirty or more young hoppers on a leaf, this season it was almost impossible 

 to find any. In some orchards w^here for years they have been considered 

 to be one of the worst pests, they were almost entirely absent this season. 



One pest which was still rampant, and offers as yet no sign of relief, 

 was the Apple Tent Caterpillar. From all parts of the state, it was re- 

 ported as at least as abundant as last year. It is certainly true that, from 

 Worcester County west, this insect is still on the increase. While it was 

 in great abundance on roadside trees and on uncared-for apples in pastures, 

 it also had worked into the orchards, and its control often became a real 

 factor to be considered. Careful attention to this pest in the pink spray 

 was found to control it. 



The European Red Mite, in the early part of the season, did not appear 

 to be very abundant. The widespread use of oils the previous spring had 

 apparently so reduced it in numbers that many growers did not give it 

 special attention. During the late summer, in the eastern part of the 

 state especiall.y, a rather heavj' infestation developed, which increased 

 rapidly so that, by the middle to last of August and into September, con- 

 siderable bronzing of foliage resulted. This appeared to some extent in 

 other parts of the state, especially where oil sprays had been omitted in 

 tlie spring. Some growers expressed the opinion that this heavy attack 

 of mites, late in the season, caused an early dropping of fruit. 



No reports of any serious abundance of Red Bugs were received, nor 

 did personal visits to the orchards bring to light any cases of severe injury. 

 Apparently, over the state as a whole, it was either considerably below- 

 normal in abundance, or else so well controlled by the spray program fol- 

 lowed that it was checked almost at the outset. 



The Round-headed Apple-tree Borer continued to be a very serious fac- 

 tor especially in some of the orchards in the western part of the state, 

 although found to be present to some extent in orchards in other sections. 

 This insect does not appear to fluctuate as do many of our pests, but holds 

 very regular in abundance year after year. When it offers any real prob- 

 lem, careful and repeated "worming" of the trees over a period of years 

 enables the grower to gradually bring it under control, or at least material- 

 \\ reduce its abundance. 



