MASSACHUSETTS APPLE INDUSTRY. 21 



very great extent to tlie fact tliat the first brood larvae matured and 

 began leaving the fruit to spin cocoons, earlier than usual. Consequently 

 a larger percentage pupated and formed second brood moths. It should 

 be noted that growers who made one or two post-calyx applications of 

 spray or dust, and followed these with an application early in August, 

 suffered very slight loss from "side worms," either early or late. It is in- 

 creasingly evident that, for the control of this pest, attention to the post- 

 calyx applications is as necessary as to the calyx spray itself. 



In late summer there appeared in all parts of the state an unusually 

 heavy attack of the Apple Maggot or Railroad Worm. Others of the 

 northern fruit growing states encountered a similar outbreak. The attack 

 was somewhat uneven in its intensity^ although no particular region of the 

 state entirely escaped. It developed to serious proportions rather late 

 in the sunmier, and, of the chief commercial varieties, the Wealthy ap- 

 peared to suifer the worst, while Mcintosh and even Baldwin in some cases 

 were severely attacked, and one case of severe injury to Ben Davis was 

 reported. This outbreak appeared so suddenly that many growers were 

 unaware of its serious nature until the fruit began to be harvested and 

 moved into the market; one result of which was that the market becam.? 

 rather suspicious, particularly of Wealthies. Whether this insect will be 

 jjresent in such numbers another season, it is impossible at this time to 

 forecast. Growers should keep a sharp lookout in their orchards next 

 season for the appearance of the adults, to determine the danger of attack. 

 Careful disposal of cull fruit after a season of such unusual abundance is 

 particularly stressed, to offer the least opportunity for the concentration 

 of maggots in or near orchards. 



The season was not marked by any serious outbreak of what may be 

 classed as lesser fruit pests. Pear Psylla was present to the usual extent, 

 but rareh" in serious numbers. The Peach Tree Borer, largely because of 

 the success of the Paradichlorobenzine treatment, has been reduced to a 

 pest of but secondary importance. Fall Webworm was present in about 

 normal abundance. When the fruit came to be harvested and graded, 

 there was found to be an unusual amount of late injury by the Lesser 

 Apple Worm and Red-banded Leaf Roller. Tliis was noticeable on Bald- 

 wins especially. 



The season was marked, however, by local outbreaks of some insects 

 not usually found in abundance. 



Early in the season, from several points in northwestern Worcester 

 County, Climbing Cutworms were found to have been unusually abundant. 

 On young trees especially, their injury was often severe. Young opening 

 buds were devoured by these larvae, which from their habit of feeding at 

 night and hiding by day gave no inkling of their presence until much oi 

 their damage was done. Manj' small, recently set trees were completely 

 denuded of buds; others, not so severely attacked, lost such a proportion 

 of buds that they were able to make but a feeble start, and were checked 

 more or less through the season. Less severely injured trees were usually 

 able to overcome this early setback and make a fairly normal growth. In 

 some cases, not only were the buds completely devoured, but the hungry 

 cutworms gnawed the tender bark just around them, clear in to the wood. 



Somewhat later in the season, a few cases were noted of Click Beetles 

 also gouging into buds and opening flowers. This injury, too, was most 

 noticeable on young trees, but in no case as severe as that noted above, 

 caused bv Cutworms. . 



