LOSSES FROM SCALE INSECTS PREVENTED. 
C)l 
grapefruit. All of the grapefruit and 300 boxes of the oranges were 
scraped by hand to remove the scale. 'Plus operation cost between s '-7.~> 
and $300. The loss to the selling value of the oranges was about $225 
and of the grapefruit about $1 ,000. Manj instances have come to the 
writer's attention of Losses from scale amounting to 5 per cent of the total 
value of the crop. In addition to direct losses of the kind noted above, 
frequently more serious Losses are suffered as a result of the complete 
destruction o( branches and weakening of the vitality of the trees by 
the 1 heavy incrustations of the scales upon the main branches or 
trunks. The total damage from scales in Florida is usually too 
small to make direct remedial measures profitable, but when this 
damage can be to a Large extent obviated at the same time with that 
of the white fly, the mat- 
ter demands careful con- 
sideration. It is the 
writer's conviction that 
in the cases of the ma- 
jority of groves the de- 
struction of the purple, 
long, Florida red, and 
other scale insects would 
represent an increase 
in profit which would 
by itself offset the cost 
of fumigation, leaving 
as clear gain the ben- 
efits derived from redu- 
cing the numbers of the 
white fly to a negligible 
quantity. 
The Florida n^\ scale 
(Chrysomphalus ficus Ashm.) (fig. 10) is destroyed with a thorough- 
ness near to absolute extermination by the same dosage which is 
required for the white fly. This has been conclusively proved by the 
experimental work conducted by the writer and Mr. W. W. Vothers 
in January of the present year. Not infrequently in Florida the scale 
insect referred to causes sufficient injury to make fumigation a very 
profitable procedure against this insect alone, leaving out of consid- 
eration the effect upon the other pests present. 
The purple scale (Lepidosa plies beckii Newm.) (fig. 11) sometimes 
called the "brown," '" oyster-shell/' or " hard " scale, is of greater eco- 
nomic importance than the Florida red scale on account of its more 
wide-spread distribution. The results in controlling this pest accom- 
plished incidentally to work against I he white fly are most encouraging. 
In the same grove where the effect of fumigation on the Florida red 
scale was observed, the purple scale has been so abundant for years 
Fig. 10.— Florida red scale (Chrysomphalus ficus): a, Leaves 
covered with the male and female scales, natural size; /), newly 
hatched insect with enlargements of ant enna and leg; <\d,e,f, 
different stages in the development of the female insect . drawn 
to the same scale; g, adult male scale, similarly enlarged. 
(After Marlatt.) 
