436 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



be adapted to the })articular kind of soft scale concerned, as 

 the best treatment for one species might not prove success- 

 ful for another. In such a case, therefore, the particular 

 kind to be treated and the best application to use should be 

 learned hy sending specimens to the experiment station of 

 the State. 



These scales, like the })lant lice, produce a sweetish liquid, 

 which falls from their bodies to the leaves, stems and 

 ground, where it dries somewhat, becoming sticky. Of 

 this "honey dew" ants are very fond, and often visit in- 

 fested trees in large numbers to feed u})on it. It also forms 

 a good place for the growth of a fungus, which turns it 

 black, giving to the leaves and stems it is on a smutty 



appearance. 



Summary. 



The San Jose scale is now generally distributed through- 

 out the United States. 



It feeds upon nearly all kinds of plants, but appears to be 

 most destructive to those of the family Rosacea' and a f(Mv 

 others. 



Those individuals which are alive in the spring become 

 adult and begin to produce young about the middle of June, 

 and young are continually being produced from that time 

 till after frosts come late in the fall. 



The enormous number of young produced ((uickly causes 

 severe injury or even death to infested trees. 



The crawling young are distributed b}' birds, insects and 

 winds. Scales in all stages are distributed on infested nui-s- 

 ery stock. 



Though this pest has a number of enemies, none have as 

 yet shown themselves able to keep it under control. 



Treatment of small plants and trees is most successful by 

 fumigation. This is not })racticable for large trees on ac- 

 count of the cost, and spraying must be resorted to. This 

 should be done between the first of February and the time 

 the buds open. 



The best spraying material for use on a small number of 

 plants is probably Bowker's tree soa}), because it is easy to 

 l)re])are and needs no special kind of apparatus. 



