INSECT PESTS 229 



interests of the country. The perfect insect is a minute 

 circular scale varying from one-thirty-second to one- 

 sixteenth of an inch in diameter, which, unlike the 

 oyster shell scale, brings forth its young alive, and pro- 

 duces many broods each season, increasing so rapidly 

 that in a single season entire trees may be destroyed. 



There are several other scales that resemble this 

 pest so closely that it requires an expert to determine 

 the species, but the others do not increase so rapidly, 

 and when trees are thickly covered with small scale 

 insects of a circular form, it may be safely concluded 

 that it is the San Jose pest. Most of the experiment 

 stations of the country have been at work to discover 

 a sure remedy for this pest, and many report satisfactory 

 results, but orchardists generally have not applied the 

 suggested remedies long enough to prove whether they 

 will be able to control the pest without the aid of the 

 State or government. In all such matters it is always 

 better that the grower protect his own crops than be 

 employed by the State to do the work, but it may be 

 wise for the State to aid in the work, either by furnish- 

 ing trained men to advise and assist, or to provide some 

 compensation where the grower has suffered serious loss 

 through no fault of his own. The salt, lime and sulphur 

 mixture has proved the most effectual remedy, and in its 

 modified simpler forms now used can be applied by the 

 orchardist at no very great expense. The use of hydro- 

 cyanic gas for fumigating trees infested has reached a 

 considerable extent in some States, and is reported as 

 effective, but the gas is such a deadly one that if any 

 other substance will be equally effectual this should not 

 be used. 



Remedy — Among the remedies which it is claimed 

 will destroy or control this pest are kerosene oil, linseed 

 oil, whale-oil soap, the lime, salt and sulphur mixture, 

 and hydrocyanic gas. The application of these insecti- 



