-iPPLE 



HABDY FBUIT GARDEN 



APPLE 1047 



of paper may be spread beneath the trees 

 to catch them as they fall by shaking the 

 branches. 



3. CodUn Moth (Carpooapsa pomo- 

 nana). — This small and very destructive 

 moth has a dark brovra body and greenish- 

 brown or grey forewings transversely 

 marked with darker lines, and streaked 

 with brownish-yellow on the hinder 

 portion. During May the female lays a 

 single egg in the calyx of each young 

 fruit, attaching it by means of a sticky 

 secretion. In about a week the whitish 

 caterpillars or grubs, with black head and 

 neck and four rows of black marks along 

 the body, appear, and begin to tunnel 

 their way through the swelling fruit 

 towards the rind, in which they make a 

 hole. When almost fully grown, and 

 having changed to a brownish or greyish 

 hue, they attack the core of the fruit and 

 feed upon the pips, with the result that 

 the fruit drops. The grubs then leave 

 the fruit and seek shelter in the bark, 

 where they spin cocoons and pass into 

 the chrysalis stage for the winter months. 

 In spring the new perfect moths appear 

 and proceed with the destructive opera- 

 tions of their predecessors. 



It is difficult to remedy the attacks of 

 the Codlin Moth. One of the most effec- 

 tive remedies is to spray the trees as the 

 fruits are setting with 1 oz. of Paris 

 green dissolved in 20-25 gallons of water. 

 This is a dangerous insecticide and 

 requires to be used with care, especially 

 when the hands are cut or bruised in any 

 way. Where large numibers of trees are 

 to be sprayed it is advisable to use one of 

 the several spraying machines now on 

 the market. Paris green being insoluble 

 in water requires to be constantly stirred, 

 and it should be applied in a very fine 

 spray. It should never be used on trees 

 having fruits almost ripe. 



When Apples fall owing to the attacks 

 of the Codlin Moth they should be imme- 

 diately picked up and burned or given to 

 pigs or cattle. In this way grubs which 

 have not yet left the fruit will be effec- 

 tually destroyed. Hay bands are some- 

 times placed round the stems about 1 ft. 

 from the ground for them to nest in, and 

 at the end of the season are detached and 

 burnt. Washing the bark as for American 

 Blight is also useful. 



4. Apple Mussel Scale (Aspidiotus 

 conchiformis). — These small scaly in- 

 sects, resembling the half of a mussel 



shell in appearance, attack the bark of 

 Apple and Pear trees. The scales are 

 about ^ in. long, brownish in colour, and 

 serve as shields to the sucking insects 

 beneath. The female is a green fleshy 

 maggot which does not lay its eggs, but 

 retains them until she dies. The larv» 

 when hatched issue from the protecting 

 shield and begin the cycle of reproduction 

 again. 



A strong wash of soft soap and petro- 

 leum seems to be the most effective 

 remedy against this tiresome insect. It 

 should be rubbed in well with a, stiff 

 brush, removing all the scales. The 

 latter are too hard for any spraying to be 

 effective. 



5. Canker. — This baneful disease, 

 which attacks some of our finest Apples 

 and renders them useless in some districts, 

 is brought about by the presence of a 

 fungus called Neciria Aitissi/ma. The 

 chief causes of it appear to be cold, wet 

 soils, severe pruning, and the develop- 

 ment of the roots downwards into a 

 sterile subsoil. Great variations in tem- 

 perature, unfavourable seasons when the 

 wood does not properly ripen, and various 

 other causes are no doubt also in a 

 measure accountable for the canker in 

 fruit trees, as well as placing rank ma- 

 nure in direct contact with the roots. 



The best remedies for it appear to be 

 a warm and thoroughly well-drained and 

 cultivated soil, and attention to root pru- 

 ning to prevent the development of tap- 

 roots. By keeping the roots near the 

 surface of the soil canker would to a 

 great extent be prevented. The following 

 mixture, appUed as a dressing in autumn 

 and spring and hoed in, has been recom- 

 mended as a most successful preventive 

 of canker by the late Mr. T. P. Rivers, 

 viz. superphosphate of lime 35 lbs., 

 nitrate of potash 21 lbs., nitrate of soda 

 28 lbs., and sulphate of hme 28 lbs. A 

 I lb. to the square yard, or about 10-11 

 cwts. per acre, is the amount recommends 1 

 for each dressing. It is not only a pre- 

 ventive but an excellent manure for the . 

 trees. When trees are very badly injured 

 by canker it is scarcely worth while trying 

 to patch them up by washes and insecti- 

 cides. They are better rooted up and 

 burned, unless the trmiks are sound and 

 may be regrafted vrith a variety other 

 than the diseased one. If the trees are 

 not seriously injured the diseased parts 

 rnay be washed with a solution made up 



