INSECT PESTS 



239 



out, the soil should be put back to protect the collar 

 of the tree from the weather. 



Peach Aphis {Myzus Persicae) — The aphis or green 

 louse, similar to that attacking the apple, is also 

 troublesome in some seasons, but in others it does little 

 or no harm. When the trees are attacked the leaves 

 curl up and the lice are to be found inside of these 

 curled leaves. 



Remedy — Spraying with twenty per cent of kero- 

 sene before the buds start in the spring will destroy most 

 of the hibernating insects or their eggs, and if ten per 

 cent is used a few times 

 in May and June before 

 they become abundant, 

 they may be kept from 

 doing much harm. It is 

 the 2^ractice of some of 

 the most careful peach 

 growers to spray as above 

 before the leaves open 

 and then as soon as the 

 insects begin to appear 

 make a thorough exam- 

 ination and pick off the first leaves infested, mark the 

 tree on which it is found, and then spray with whale- 

 oil soap, one pound to four gallons of water. In this 

 way the insects never get very numerous, the leaves do 

 not curl and the few remaining aphides are easily 

 destroyed. 



Plum Curculio — See under the plum. 



INSECTS ATTACKING THE PLUM 



Plum, Curculio (Conotrachelus nenuphar) — A 

 small brown beetle with projecting mouth parts or 

 proboscis as shown in Figure 126, appears in the early 

 summer when the plums are from one-eighth to one- 



Fig. 126— The Plum Curculio 



