SPRING PRACTICE IN ECONOMIC ZOOLOGY. 



39 



ORCHARD TREATMENT. 

 APPLE INSECTS. 



MARCH. 



About the first of March in ordinary seasons, or a trifle earlier 

 In forward ones, the female moths of the Spring Canker Worm, 

 Paleacrita vernata, issue from the ground and crawl up the trees to 

 deposit their eggs. These females are wingless and may be inter- 

 cepted in their ascent of the trunks and destroyed by tens of thous- 

 ands by placing a sticky girdle around the trees from one to three 

 feet above the ground. Bands of burlap painted over with coal tar, 

 or printers ink, will serve the purpose, if painting is renewed often 

 enough to keep the bands sticky. Tree tanglefoot, made by the 

 O. & W. Thum Co., Grand Rapids, Mich., is a preparation designed 

 especially for banding trees, and is applied directly to the bark with a 

 brush. It remains sticky for months. Or strips of wire screening, 

 four inches wide and of sufScient length to overlap a few inches 

 after encircling the tree, may be used. A girdle of cotton batting is 

 put around the tree, and the bottom of the band of wire netting is 

 then tied tightly over the cotton ring by means of baling wire or stout 

 cord. The top of the wire collar is now bent down over its fastening 

 so as to give a downward and outward flare. But few of the moths 

 will succeed in passing this collar. Orchards that are regularly 

 sprayed for codling worm rarely, if ever, need banding. Directions 

 for spraying for canker worm are given in operations for April. 



San Jose Scale, Aspidiotus perniciosus, may be treated with the 

 lime-sulphur spray up to the time the buds are unfolding in March 

 and April. It is often impracticable to make an application earlier 

 than late March because of freezing weather. In our practice, thus 

 far, we have secured somewhat better results with spring applica- 

 tions than with those given at other periods. Sometimes it happens 

 that the insect is present in an orchard but remains undiscovered or 

 unrecognized until after the trees are in full leaf. In such case, 

 probably the best course to pursue is to paint the trunks and as 

 much as possible of the larger limbs with hme-sulphur spray, using 

 a brush. The tops may be sprayed in June, at hatching time, with 

 soluble oil or kerosene emulsion. By this means the trees may be 

 enabled to withstand injuries which might otherwise prove fatal, 

 until the following winter and spring, when they can be properly 



sP^^y^^- APRIL. 



The Bud Worm, Tmetocera ocellana, enters the buds of apples 

 and other fruit trees in early spring, just when they begin to swell 

 and open, frequently cutting off terminal growth and injuring the 



