68 
FLORIDA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY 
PYRIFORM SCALE. 
A scale which seriously attacks the 
Avocado in a number of localities is the 
Pyriform Scale, Protopulvinaria pyrif- 
ormis Ckll. In appearance this scale is 
somewhat convex, pyriform in shape and 
of a reddish brown color. In the adult 
stage it possesses a cottony matter which 
projects about the margins of the scale. 
The scale attacks the foliage. The im¬ 
mature scales migrate in the spring to 
the new growth as they hatch from the 
mature scales on the older growth of foli¬ 
age. In the process of development on 
the foliage honey dew is produced in 
practically the same manner as when 
white flies are present and eventually 
sooty mold covers the foliage and fruit. 
Control. 
It is controlled by using an oil emulsion 
spray as recommended for the Dictyos- 
permum scale. However, in this case the 
spray should be directed toward the lower 
surface of the foliage where the scales 
are found. 
This in a general way gives briefly 
some information concerning some of the 
more important Avocado pests. There 
are, however, still others of importance 
about which little is as yet known, while 
there are still others of less importance. 
As our investigations along this line con¬ 
tinue, information concerning these will 
be available. 
Lastly, I wish to mention, that it be¬ 
hooves us in this early stage of the Avo¬ 
cado industry, to take full account of all 
Avocado pests and strive in every way 
to do our part toward controlling and 
eradicating such pests as we now have 
and to prevent the importation of those 
that exist in other places. Stop and con¬ 
sider what saving would have been ac¬ 
complished in our various fruit industries, 
if the various destructive pests had not 
been introduced or had been eradicated 
when first introduced. In Hawaii the 
Avocados are badly infested with a fruit 
fly, and the commercial growing of Avo¬ 
cados, which otherwise would have be¬ 
come important, has been ruined. Such 
pests as the Mediterranean fruit fly, the 
West Indian fruit fly and others, as well 
as a number of very dangerous Avocado 
weevils, occur in a number of places 
where Avocados grow and we do not 
want in Florida. Every traveler coming 
from some foreign land is tempted at 
times to bring along some of the rare 
tropical fruits attacked by these various 
dangerous pests. Our laws are stringent 
on this point, but people are ignorant and 
we are consantly threatened with the pos¬ 
sibility of the importation of dangerous 
pests. We should all be alert and watch¬ 
ful to aid so far as we can in preventing 
any such pests that threaten our various 
fruit industries from becoming estab¬ 
lished. 
