THE PEACH 



INSECT ENEMIES 



The San Jose Scale is one of the most destructive 

 enemies of the peach. Winter spraying with the Hme, 

 salt and sulphur wash seems to be the most efifective 

 remedy. 



The Plum Curculio, whose Hfe-history has 

 already been treated of on page 4, breeds in peaches, 

 as well as in plums, cherries, apples, and other fruits. 

 It is especially liable to injure peaches when there is a 

 failure of the apple crop. Some of the largest grow- 

 ers in America jar their peach trees systematically to 

 catch the curculios. Apparently it is still a question 

 whether the insect could be successfully fought by 

 spraying with arsenate of lead. Peach foliage is 

 especially liable to injury by some of the arsenites. 



Peach foliage is occasionally attacked by the Red- 

 legged Flea-beetle, a small jumping beetle which 

 may be destroyed by spraying with arsenate of lead. 



There are two distinct species of aphides or 

 plant-lice attacking the peach. One is called the 

 Peach Aphis, and the other the Black Peach Aphis. 

 The latter infests the roots and twigs as w^ell as the 

 leaves. Both species are soft, blackish little creatures 

 that crowd together on the foliage and twigs. During 

 the summer they reproduce viviparously. Spraying 

 with fish-oil soap, tobacco decoction, or kerosene emul- 

 sion, as early as possible after the pests appear in 

 spring, is the best remedy. The time to reach them 

 easiest is when the buds are swelling and the newly 

 hatched lice are on the bare twigs. 



