75 



beetles cannot get inside and crawl down to where they desire to 

 lay their eggs. The paint or protectors should be put on by the 

 first of- June and kept in good condition until the end of August 

 at least. 



The Oyster-shell Scale. 



This common pest is found on the trunk where the bark is 



thin, and also on the branches and twigs. The animal itself 



is concealed during most of the year under a scale it forms, 



and it is the scale rather than the insect which is therefore 



Oyster-shell scale: a, under side of female scale, showing eggs: &, upper 

 side of same, both much enlarged: c, female scales on a branch, 

 natural size; d, male scale much enlarged; e, male scales on 

 branch, natural size. The fine lines to the right of n, b and d 

 show the real length of the scales. (Howard, United States 

 Department Agriculture, Yearbook, 1894.) 



familiar to most people. The scale is generally about a six- 

 teenth of an inch long, narrow at one end and rather broadly 

 rounded at the other. It may be quite straight, but is more 

 often somewhat curved, and resembles a tiny oyster shell in 

 form, whence its name. It may be brown or gray in color. 

 During the winter the dead insect may be found under the 



