54 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST 



ings should be made either in December 

 and February or in January and March. 

 Under the action of the weather, the 

 flakes of lime will peel off, bringing the 

 scales with them. 



In San Jose scale-infected districts, 

 where the lime-sulphur application is 



The Oyster-shell Scale 



This cut illustrates a male scale (upper right corner) 

 and a female scale — both greatly enlarged. The various 

 molts in the development of the scale are. shown. 

 Cut loaned by the Department of Agriculture, 

 Toronto, 



used, there is no need of using the lime- 

 wash. The former treatment is quite 

 effective. 



The oyster-shell scale is single brooded. 

 It passes the winter in the egg state 

 beneath the scale. If a scale be turned 

 over carefully with a pen knife, from 

 40 to 60 minute, cream-colored eggs 

 will be found with the aid of a magnify- 

 ing glass. The eggs hatch about tlae 

 first of June, and yellowish, crawling 

 lice make their appearance. These may 

 be seen crawling about the limbs for 

 a few days; but they soon settle on the 

 bark, insert their tiny sucking beaks 

 into the tissues, and begin feeding and 

 making a scale to cover themselves. 

 They grow slowly; but in late Sep- 

 tember and early October they become 

 fully grown, when the females lay their 

 eggs. 



Kerosene emulsion solution, or some 

 good soap solution, (consult O.A.C. Bulle- 

 tin 144, pages 30 and 36, for preparation 

 of kerosene emulsions or soap solution) 

 is effective if applied when the lice have 

 just hatched from the eggs in early 

 June and are moving about in the limbs ; 



but most orchardists prefer the winter 

 treatment with lime wash. 



It is likely that these insects are car- 

 ried on the feet of birds from tree to 

 tree, and from orchard to orchard. It 

 should also be borne in mind that the 

 lilac, raspberry, rose, currant, spirsea, 

 cherry, pear, plum, hawthorn, ash, 

 maple, birch, poplar and other plants 

 may harbor this insect, and from these 

 it may spread to the apple. 



In any plan of treatment of an infested 

 apple orchard, therefore, it is advisable 

 to take into account the probable in- 

 festation of shrubs in the immediate 

 vicinity. On the other hand, there is 

 comfort in the thought that the orchard - 

 ist in his fight against this scale has 

 three or four able insect assistants; 

 namely, minute parasites, which usually 

 destroy a large percentage, but not 

 all, of the eggs that are lying under the 

 scale. We cannot, however, leave the 

 work of extermination entirely to the 

 parasites; we must do our share of the 

 work if we desire thrifty trees. 



Ten. Pointers on Pruning 



Prof. F. A. Waugh, Amherst, Mass. 



Pruning has various objects and is 

 practised on many diverse sorts of 

 plants ; therefore, the same rules cannot 

 apply in all cases. 



Pruning during the dormant season 

 tends to promote wood growth rather 

 than fruit bearing. 



Pruning during the growing season 

 — March, June and July — tends to 

 check wood growth and to promote 

 fruitfulness. The vegetative and the 

 reproductive functions, within certain 

 limits, are reciprocal. 



Root pruning (which is seldom prac- 

 tised) tends very strongly to promote 

 fruit bearing and conversely to check 

 wood growth. 



Pruning may be done during any 

 month of the year, but March and June 



bee if the principal pruning should be 

 given in June instead of March. 



Pruning should be methodical and 

 regular. A certain amount of work 

 should be done each year instead of 

 once in five years. This rule is very 

 important. 



The objects of pruning are (a) to 

 repair injuries,- (b) to correct faulty 

 growth, (c) to influence the bearing 

 habit of the tree. Pruning is not an 

 object in itself. Therefore unless there 



Apple Tree Before Pruning 



are the best months. It would prob- 

 ably be a distinct improvement in 

 most orchards in the province of Que- 



Same Tree After Pruning 



is some clear reason for it, do not prune. 



Each shoot or branch removed should 

 be cut off smoothly and as close to 

 the parent branch as possible. Large 

 wounds should be painted with white 

 lead. 



The best implements for pruning are 

 pruning shears. A sharp saw will some- 

 times be needed, but not often, except 1 

 on trees which have been neglected. ^ 

 An axe should never be used. 



Pruning will not give satisfactory 

 results by itself. It must be accom- 

 panied by good spraying, good feed- 

 ing and good management in other 

 respects. 



Repairing Girdled Trees 



Orchard trees are often girdled in 

 winter by mice and rabbits. When 

 the part girdled is small, cover with 

 grafting wax before the exposed wood 

 dries out. This usually will save the 

 tree. 



In cases where the girdle is entire and 

 the cambium or green layer beneath the 

 bark completely severed, the latter will 

 have to be connected by bridge-grafting. 

 Cut a number of scions, long enough to 

 bridge the girdled space and bevel the 

 ends. Insert them around the tree 

 spanning the injury, with the cut ends 

 in contact with the cambium above and 

 below. Cover with wax all cut surfaces 

 that are exposed. Badly girdled trees 

 usually die. It is well, therefore, to 

 use judgment before attempting a 

 remedy. 



Head back the peach trees each year. 



