56 



CHAPTER XV. 



THE INSECTS DAMAGING THE ORANGE TREE. THE NATURAL ENEMIES 

 OF SUCH INSECTS AND THE REMEDIES TO BE APPLIED. 



But few insects injurious to the orange tree have appeared, but their 

 ravages have now and then done considerable mischief, and awakened 

 still greater apprehension. The insect, which at one time was consid- 

 ei;ed the most injurious, was the long scale insect, resembling one side 

 of a distorted muscle shell, and was called by Packard, aspidiotus 

 gloverii. When it first made its appearance in Florida, it threatened 

 universal destruction of the orange groves. It first made its appear- 

 ance at Mandarin, Florida, about twenty years ago, to which place it 

 was brought on some China orange plants freshly imported from China. 

 The insect is very diminutive, and under a glass of strong power, has 

 the appearance of a white louse. It is very quick in its motions, (its 

 movements resembling those of the chicken rnite), and conceals itself, 

 during the presence of an enemy, under the scale erected for the shel- 

 ter, first of the egg and then for the young insect. The eggs are pur- 

 ple and laid in two parallel rows. The insect when hatched, at once 

 begins to suck the sap like the aphis from the bark and leaf of the 

 tree wherever the scale happens to be fastened. It finally develops 

 into a diminutive fly undiscoverable with the natural eye, except when 

 late in the afternoon they can be seen between the observer and the 

 declining sun when the tree infested is suddenly jarred. The effect 

 produced by their sucking is first to deplete, and finally to exhaust and 

 kill the branch and leaf to which they cling. Several remedies have 

 been found effectual. The most effective yet known to the writer is a 

 decoction of tobacco with sufficient carbolic soap to make a strong suds. 

 Apply .with a garden syringe or pump, through a perforated nozzle. 

 Kerosene, in the proportion of one part of kerosene to eleven of water, 

 applied in the same manner is effective. But there is danger if too 

 much be used. A moderate amount is a good fertilizer and stimulant 

 to the tree As there is no chemical affinity between the kerosene and 

 water, the mixture has to be kept vigorously stirred during the time of 

 applying it. Either of these applications have to be repeated two or 

 three times at intervals of ten or twelve days. 



