THE SAN JOSE SCALE 



561 



The Woolly Aphis. A louse of dark red color, occurring in 

 groups, covered with a woolly substance which exudes from the 

 bodies of the insects. The woolly aphis is an almost universal pest 

 of the apple, though as shown by experience, some varieties are 

 practically exempt from it. As the pest lives both upon root and 

 top, its annihilation is impossible, but it may be reduced so that 

 the fruitfulness and vigor of the tree are not impaired. The use 

 of wood ashes around the tree close to the trunk has been benefi- 

 cial. Removing the 'earth from the root-crown and applying from 

 two to five pounds of tobacco dust a refuse from cigar factories 

 destroys the insects at this point and prolongs the effective 'life of 

 the tree. The insect on the branches and twigs can be reduced by 

 spraying with the summer washes soon to be given for scale in- 

 sects, or the clusters of the insect can be touched with a swab 

 dipped in gasoline or benzine, but the oil should not be allowed to 

 spread upon the bark. Lady-birds often clear away the woolly 

 aphis, after reproduction has fallen below the normal, from the tree 

 above ground. Some attention is being given to trial of resistant 

 roots and it is likely that such roots will be generally used 

 here as in Australia. How such trees are grown is described on 

 page 226. 



Scale Insects. This is a large group of pests which occasion 

 greater loss and trouble to our fruit growers than all other pests 

 combined. There* are many species, and no orchard tree is exempt 

 from the attacks of one or more of them, though some trees are 

 apparently more popular with the pests than others. The fruit 

 grower should study their life history and classification as laid 

 down in the works on entomology. It will only be possible in this 

 connection to introduce a few engravings, by which some of the 

 most prominent pests can be recognized, and to give some of the 

 remedies which are now being most successfully employed against 

 them. 



San Jose Scale (Aspidiotus perniciosus). This was formerly one 

 of the worst and most widespread of the species of scales preying 

 on deciduous fruit trees in California, but at present, owing to the 

 energetic war that fruit growers have had to wage against it, has 

 become of minor importance, and, in fact, has practically disap- 

 peared from some regions where it was formerly most injurious. 

 The work of this species is generally readily distinguished from 

 other species of scale by the red blotches which are formed wher- 

 ever it stings any part of the tree either, branch, leaf or fruit. 

 These red blotches are more pronounced in some varieties than in 

 others. When the scales are present in large numbers, it causes 

 a complete discoloration of the bark clear to the sap-wood. This 

 scale has its preference among the deciduous fruits. The apricot 

 and certain varieties of cherries and plums are but little affected. 



