66 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



was sent to several hundred representative fniit growers in different 

 sections of the State, requesting their cooperation in securing data 

 relative to the prolificacy of the San Jose scale and the evidences 

 of parasitic control, attention being particularly directed to the 

 condition of unsprayed orchards and the relative abundance of the 

 pest as compared with earlier years. Reports from residents of the 

 Hudson valley, especially that portion south of Albany and north 

 of Newburg, resulted in our learning of a number of unsprayed 

 orchards which had not been seriously injured by San Jose scale. A 

 few similar reports, though relatively by no means so many, were 

 received from the western part of the State. The reason for this 

 discrepancy is probably due to the fact that in these larger orchard 

 areas it was easier to prevent San Jose scale becoming well established 

 and, as a consequence, general conditions were not so favorable for 

 the establishment of the parasites. There are probably several 

 factors involved in the comparative immunity from this pest. The 

 scale does not thrive so well on trees in a relatively poor condition, 

 as they usually are in unsprayed orchards. Nevertheless, observa- 

 tions in the towns of Schodack and Stuyvesant and in the vicinity 

 of Poughkeepsie resulted in our finding orchards where the parasites 

 had evidently been nimierous and important factors in checking the 

 pest in 1 9 13 and were continuing their beneficial work to some extent, 

 at least, the past season. Dr Harvey Losee of Upper Red Hook 

 reported under date of July 2 2d, to the effect that the scale had been 

 diminishing for the past three years to such an extent that it could 

 now be scarcely found on unsprayed trees. He referred to some young 

 Ben Davis trees, a variety particularly subject to attack, and stated 

 that five years ago they were badly infested while at the present 

 time they are as clean and thrifty as well-sprayed trees. It is 

 possible that some other factor besides parasitic activity has been 

 important in checking the pest in this particular case. 



It is yet early to estimate the true value of these small parasites, 

 since in order to be effective they must be niunerous for a series 

 of years and demonstrate their capability, in orchards in first-class 

 condition, of keeping the San Jose scale within reasonable bounds. 

 Spraying with a hme-sulphur wash has become so habitual with most 

 progressive fruit growers, and the benefits from this operation have 

 been so manifest, that there is little likelihood of there being a sus- 

 pension in this practice for the purpose of giving the natural enemies 

 a chance, and until this is done it will be nearly impossible to 

 approximate the full value of these tiny allies. The incidental 

 benefits resulting from the lime-sulphur application are, in our esti- 



