104 
FLORIDA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY 
quite, as serious as San Jose scale. Pe¬ 
troleum, kerosene or whale oil soaps are 
the proper remedies. 
Two severe cases of infestation with 
gopher scale, Aspidiotus juglans-regiae, 
have come to our notice during the past 
year; one at Lake City, the other at 
Lady Lake. The latter example was re¬ 
markably well parasitized. This is the 
largest of the Aspidiotus scales and at 
times needs' the same treatment that 
has been suggested for the species pre¬ 
ceding, though it is very subject to par¬ 
asitic attack. 
MISCELLANEOUS INSECTS. 
The pineapple scale, Diaspis brome- 
liae, is of frequent occurrence and 
seems to be widely distributed. It is at 
times a scourge. We usually recom¬ 
mend tobacco extract or Rose Leaf in¬ 
secticide for it, as these substances do 
not injure the plants like kerosene emul¬ 
sions or resin wash by destroying the 
crown. One correspondent reported 
that he had poor success with resin 
wash, but almost exterminated the scale 
by using strong kerosene emulsion. 
Care must be used with both the latter 
insecticides that they do not reach the 
crown of the plants. 
The mealy bug is the commonest 
pineappple pest, and like the scale, is 
best reached by tobacco preparations. 
We feel sure that tobacco dust used free¬ 
ly as a fertilizer upon pineapple planta¬ 
tions will act as a preventive against 
mealy bug infestation. Its value when 
so applied against the woolly aphis or 
root louse of the appple, Schizoneura, 
has been experimentally proven and the 
mealy bug will hardly prove more diffi¬ 
cult to reach in the same way. When the 
insects are noticed on ground that has 
been so treated, an application of tobac¬ 
co extract or tobacco dust sifted into 
their hiding places is recommmended. 
More than one dusting may be neces¬ 
sary. 
We found the cabbage Plutella, Plu- 
tella maculicollis, quite destructive in 
South Florida in February and March. 
The larva is a small greenish caterpillar 
easily controlled by arsenical prepara¬ 
tions. 
Several different species of pecan cat¬ 
erpillars have been received. Most of 
them were case-bearers belonging in the 
family Tineidae; others were leaf-roll¬ 
ers belonging in the family Tortricidae. 
Others probably the large larvae of the 
Catocolas or under-winged moths. 
For all of these leaf-eating insecte 
there is no more satisfactory application 
than arsenate of lead. This insecticide 
can now be procured upon the market 
already prepared or it may be made as 
folows: 
Take eleven ounces of acetate of lead 
and four ounces of arsenate of soda, or in 
this relative proportion for a greater or 
smaller quantity, and dissolve together 
in one gallon of water to be kept as a 
stock preparation, or in ioo gallons for 
immediate use. This spray is more 
adhesive than Paris green, costs rather 
less, and will not scald or burn the ten- 
derest foliage as most of the arsenicals 
do. It can be used at ten times the 
strength given upon the tenderest foli¬ 
age, such as that of the peach, without 
injury. In a few years it will probably 
supplant all other arsenical sprays at 
present used. 
The strawberry flea beetle, Haltica ig- 
nita, was reported from Daytona re¬ 
cently. Arsenate of lead or Paris green 
