68 BIGGIE ORCHARD BOOK 



Now search all of your sick trees, and here is a 

 description that will help you : The San Jose scale 

 is rather flat, round, pressed close to the bark, and 

 often is grayish, or resembles the bark of the twig in 

 color ; when fully grown is about one-eighth of an 

 inch in diameter. At or near the middle of each scale 

 is a small, round, slightly elongated, black point 

 or nipple. Badly infected trees are covered so 

 thickly that the bark is completely hidden. Such 

 trees must be destroyed or severely pruned and 

 thoroughly sprayed. A magnifying glass (the Farm 

 Journal folks sell a good one for fifty cents) should be 

 a part of every modern orchardist's equipment. Now 

 remember : A round^ dark scale with a central dot or 

 nipple. That's the idea, in a nutshell. (When found 

 on the fruit, each scale is usually surrounded by a 

 reddish ring. See colored plate VII.) 



The best time to fight the San Jose is in the early 

 spring while the leaves are off and before the buds 

 swell, but if your trees are badly scaled over, and 

 half dead, it will never pay to try to save such trees ; 

 dig them up at once and burn every vestige of them. 

 Do not lose a day in this ; now is the word. Near 

 every badly affected tree will be found other trees that 

 show the scale to the close observer ; these may be 

 left standing until winter. Then, soon after the 

 leaves drop, spray the trees ; and, if you wish to be 

 thorough, follow this with a second spraying in early 

 spring before the buds open. 



Since the Farm Journal, a number of years ago, 

 brought the lime-sulphur spray to the attention 

 of fruit-growers east of the Rocky mountains, many 



