62 



CIRCULAR 270, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



the pink stage of the blossom buds. Oil sprays are much less effective 

 and should not be used if the twig borer is at all serious. Sprays con- 

 taining 3 pounds of lead arsenate to 100 gallons of water, or nicotine 

 sulphate (40 percent nicotine) in the proportion of three fourths of a 

 pint to 100 gallons of water, with soap or casein spreader, are also 

 effective if used just before full bloom, but ordinarily the dormant- 

 season application 

 mentioned above con- 

 stitutes a cheaper and 

 more satisfactory 

 control. 



SAN JOSE SCALE 



The San Jose scale 

 is not so serious on 

 peach as on apple 

 and pear, and it sel- 

 dom injures apricot. 

 For a description of 

 this insect and meth- 

 ods of control, see 

 page 10. Other in- 

 sects that may be on 

 the trees at the same 

 time should be taken 

 into consideration, as 

 the lime-sulphur solu- 

 tion is almost neces- 

 sary if the peach twig 

 borer is to be com- 

 bated, whereas control 

 of the green peach 

 aphid requires an oil 

 spray or a spray con- 

 taining nicotine. 



EUROPEAN FRUIT 

 LECANIUM 



The European fruit 

 lecanium attacks 

 peach and apricot trees, as well as prunes and other deciduous fruits. 

 For a discussion of the life history and control of this insect, see 

 page 49. 



CLIMBING CUTWORMS 



Climbing cutworms often destroy many of the opening buds on 

 peach and apricot trees in the spring (fig. 73). The injury is more 

 apparent than the insects, since the latter feed only at night and hide 

 at the bases of the trees during the day. See page 29 for more infor- 

 mation about the insects and their control. 



Figure 73.— Peach buds showing holes made by climbing cutworms. 



PEACH BORER 



Although the peach borer is a serious pest of peach trees in Califor- 

 nia and the Eastern States, it does more injury to prune trees than to 



