230 Insect Pests. 



I have seen the Long-tailed Tit and also the Golden Crested Wren 

 eating them. Natural enemies in this country are of very little use, 

 and in the case of the Currant Scales seem to do little or no good. 



Teeatment of Cqekaxt Scales. 



A hundred and one remedies have been advocated for scale insects, 

 some more or less successful if properly applied. Of patent com- 

 pounds one need say little, they are too expensive for outdoor use, 

 and often not of much value except on the larvae. But for private 

 greenhouse use no doubt some may be of value, and when used in 

 small quantities will save trouble where money is no object. Three 

 remedies only are of any real service in Scale attack on fruit trees 

 out of doors, namely, (1) caustic alkali wash, (2) Woburn wash, 

 and (3) paraffin emulsions. Fumigation with hydrocyanic acid gas 

 is most successful, but is troublesome to apply out of doors, never- 

 theless, it might be advisable for Currant and Gooseberry Scales 

 when the attack is very severe (vide Fig. 17-4). 



Of the three washes the former is quite successful, clearing the trees 

 and bushes entirely of these two Coccid pests; This wa.sh, which has 

 to be applied in the winter, removes all foreign bodies from the plant. 

 For such scales as the one just mentioned and the White "Woolly 

 Currant Scale, no better treatment can be recommended. This wash 

 should be well sprayed over the bushes early in January in currant 

 and gooseberry plantations. 



Mr. John Eiley of Putley Court found this most effective for the 

 Brown Gooseberry Sfcale. 



Paraffin emulsion should contain up to 6 gallons of the best 

 paraffin per 100 gallons of wash to have much effect. The paraffin 

 jelly recommended for Eed Spider on gooseberry may also be used 

 for these insects ; so far the best results have been obtained with 

 it and caustic alkali wash. 



References. 



(1) Newstead, R. ' Monograph of the British CoccidEe,' vol. II., pp. 94-96 



(1903). [Lecaniuvi persica- var. coryli). 



(2) Theobald, F. V. Journal S. E. Agricultural College, No. 11, p. 23 (1902). 



{Lecanium coryli). 



(3) Ormerod, E. A. ' Handbook of Insects Injurious to Orchard and Bush 



Fruit,' p. 109 (1898). {Lecanium ribis. Fitoh). 



(4) Curtis, J. Gardeners' Chronicle, p. 516, figs. 1-6 (1843). {Lecanium 



hesperidum). 



(5) Theobald, F. V. Eeport on Economic Zoology for the year ending 



April 1st, 1907, p. 50 (1907). 



(6) Theobald, F. V. Eeport on Economic Zoology for year ending April 1st, 



1906, p. 47 (1906). 



