14-2 
FLORIDA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY 
Many trees in this state give evidence 
of having their roots attacked by aphis. 
The trees take on an unthrifty appear¬ 
ance, the leaves turn yellow, droop and 
curl somewhat, and if no treatment is 
given often succumb. Soft soap, the old 
time remedy, is applied by drawing the 
soil back from around the body and main 
roots of the tree, pouring in the material 
and replacing the soil. Ground tobacco 
stems and ashes are also beneficial when 
used in the same way. Kainit, used at 
the rate of about ten (io) pounds for a 
five or six-year old tree is about right, and 
this material should be distributed even¬ 
ly over the ground as far out as the roots 
are likely to extend. 
As San Jose scale is widely dissemi¬ 
nated and can be found on nearly every 
farm in many communities of the state, 
it is likely sooner or later to find its way 
into the newly planted orchard. Spray 
in the winter with lime and sulphur, or 
one of the oil preparations diluted one 
part to fifteen or twenty parts of water, 
and with Whale Oil Soap or an oil pre¬ 
paration diluted one part to twenty-five 
or thirty parts of water in the summer. 
Where no fungicide is used some of the 
beneficial fungi can be introduced. They 
help materially in controlling the scale 
during the wet season. 
Those who are at all familiar with 
peach culture have seen the “peach-bor¬ 
er.” It is a Lepidopteran larva that lives 
between the bark and wood just below 
the surface of the ground and causes an 
exudation of gum and woody material. 
In Florida the eggs are deposited a num¬ 
ber of times during the year and are 
placed a little above the surface of the 
soil. These eggs hatch and the larvae 
burrow between the bark and wood. They 
attain a size of three-fourths to one inch 
in length, then spin a cocoon of silk, 
chips and gum, and in a few days emerge 
into the adult stage, resembling a wasp 
somewhat. Many trees are destroyed by 
girdling if the larvae are not removed. 
This is usually done with a knife or wire 
and is called “worming.” It is important 
to remove all borers, as those left not only 
continue to girdle the tree, but will soon 
emerge to raise another brood. 
“Gumosis” is a fungus disease that us¬ 
ually attacks the trees among the limbs, 
but is sometimes found at their base. It 
is caused by the same fungus that pro¬ 
duces “gumosis” of citrus trees. When 
at the surface of the ground it is some¬ 
times mistaken for the “peach-borer” but 
can be distinguished by the fact that no 
woody material is present in the mass of 
gum exuded. The bark should be re¬ 
moved over the affected area and carbol- 
enium applied, when the disease has at¬ 
tacked the body or large limbs. Where 
it is confined to the smaller branches they 
may be removed in pruning. 
Did you ever see peach, pear and plum 
blooms wither and fall? This was the 
work of thrips. They also attack orange 
and grapefruit bloom, vegetables and 
flowers. It is not easy to estimate the 
amount of damage these insects do in 
Florida, but it must total many thousand 
dollars annually. They are small, usually 
less than one-twentieth of an inch in 
length, and very slender, The eggs hatch 
in three days into wingless yellow larvae, 
and in twelve days reach the adult stage. 
They run and fly readily and some of 
