Notes on Red Spider (Tetranychus bi- 
maculatus) 
1 am enclosing a duplicate sheet of notes I have re¬ 
cently written on the red spider, an insect which you 
no doubt realize is making the fruit grower sit up and 
take notice, by its manner of giving perfectly good apple 
trees a bad case of “yellows.” We find little data of 
any benefit on the subject, and that seems to advise 
lime-sulphur dormant spray as a remedy, which is prac¬ 
tically useless on these small eggs and mites. I would 
certainly be glad to read some more information on this 
subject, either in the columns of Tiie R. N.Y. or any 
other source you would suggest. 
W HILE pruning York Imperial apple trees (Inr¬ 
ing the early Spring of 1921 we noticed the 
eggs of the red spider were plastered 
very thickly on trees in certain sections 
of the seven-acre orchard. These eggs 
could he seen as small blotches of red, 
brick red, along the smaller twigs and 
branches. On closer inspection with a 
reading glass tiny eggs grouped in clus¬ 
ters could be seen in all the tiny wrin¬ 
kles and creases of the bark and buds. 
These presented a shiny red color about 
the size and color of a pin point. After 
looking ipi the little information that 
could be found on the subject of red 
spider control, we decided the dormant 
spray of lime-sulphur would take care 
of the eggs and no harm would be 
noticed. Really, though, we were a bit 
doubtful, for we had been spraying 
regularly with lime-sulphur, yet the 
numerous eggs were present. 
The dormant spray was applied, lime- 
sulphur 20 gallons to ISO gallons of 
water, adding three-fourths of a quart 
of nicotine sulphate. We put it on just 
as the buds were breaking open, so as 
to get the red bugs, too. The apple 
trees were struck by a heavy frost 
about the first of April, when the blos¬ 
soms buds were opening. Continued 
cool weather followed for a week, an¬ 
other freeze came after a week of warm 
weather, two weeks from the first 
freeze, at the time when the blossoms 
were in full bloom. 
During the warm days in the Spring, 
some of which reached 88 degrees Fahr¬ 
enheit, the red spiders had ample time 
to hatch from their eggs and get busy, 
provided they had survived the spray¬ 
ing. 
We are sorry to report the trees 
show practically no results of any con¬ 
sequence from the use of the lime-sul¬ 
phur and nicotine application as a de¬ 
layed dormant spray to destroy or 
check the red spider. Observing a twig 
which shows signs of a covering of the 
spray material over all the twigs, little 
bunches of glassy-looking eggs lie. 
where before were the red spider eggs. 
These are the empty eggshells: the 
spider mites themselves can easily be 
seen feeding and making miniature 
webs over the leaves. Of course all 
this can hardly he seen without the use 
of a good reading glass. The leaves 
themselves, when attacked by the spi¬ 
ders, curl slightly upwards, take on a 
more or less rusty color and are 
checked in their development according 
to the number of spiders they are sup¬ 
porting. Badly infested trees showed 
a leaf development only one-fifth ad¬ 
vanced as far as normal trees. Blos¬ 
soms are likewise infested and stunted, 
probably ruined. The harm done to the 
trees is caused by the sap-sucking habits 
of the mites. william d. clarke. 
Adams Co., Pa. 
The RURAL NEW-YORKER 
50 ft. long, thus making a trout pool which would 
rais?e many thousands of trout. If the pool were 
lined with boards it would keep the vertical banks 
in place; or, better, if it were cemented, as a per¬ 
manent pool. When stocked and cared for it should 
supply an abundance of trout a foot long in three 
years, many Bi-in. trout in four years. These would 
run from 4 lbs. upward. They are worth $1 per lb. 
They are hard to get at that price. 
These fish should be fed at least once a week to 
get vigorous growth. Curdled milk is as good as 
anything for feed. Beef liver is also good. These 
cost little, and are usually to be had on the farm. 
Possibilities in Farm Fish 
Culture 
A MAJORITY” of farmers persist¬ 
ently close their eyes to oppor¬ 
tunities which, if utilized, would bring 
large incomes. Almost all farms have 
Climbing Hoses on a House. Fig. 2G9. (See Page G71f) 
city clubs, stating that good trout fishing is to be 
had at a cost of $1 per lb. for the fish caught, would 
crowd the farm with auto parties, who would stay 
all day, and purchase milk, berries, fruit, pastry, 
etc. They would buy ice cream, too. Eggs, chickens 
and other farm produce would go for cash at the 
best prices. So the fish would really be then a side 
issue. 
What a relief this would be to the farm women if 
they were permitted to keep as their own a portion 
of this money. Farm women don't get the money 
they deserve: not that they are not appreciated, but 
the money does not come in freely. The farmer is 
the poorest-paid mortal on earth, unless 
it be the farmer's wife. As a gauge of 
what is possible, there is a record in 
New York State of one fisherman catch¬ 
ing with rod and line in a half day 400 
trout. Ts there any farmer too dull 
to calculate the money he is losing by 
neglect ? 
As trout require cool water to do 
well, say (!() degrees Fahrenheit in 
Summer, the pools would necessarily 
have to be deep to keep the water cool 
if the supply was not ample. But far 
farms where the water could not be 
that cold bass could be kept, and make 
a good fish for sport and for the table. 
They do not require water as cold as 
for trout. 
We have seen the possibilities. Now 
let us investigate the difficulties. The 
pools must be so placed that floods 
would not carry the fish away. Care 
also would he necessary that muskrats 
did not bore holes to allow the fish out. 
If pools are shallow, wading birds 
would get some. Water snakes are 
sometimes troublesome. Many breeders 
make several narrow pools in prefer¬ 
ence to one large one, because fish are 
cannibals and large ones eat smaller 
ones. By keeping the sizes apart this 
danger is avoided. Ducks, geese, etc., 
should not be allowed on the fish ponds. 
With ordinary care fish are a source of 
profit, but if not managed with some 
skill the profits would not so readily 
appear. One man has a pool with 9,000 
trout up to 20 in. long, and another 
pool with 20,000 trout in it running to 
a foot long. This shows the possibili¬ 
ties.of a pool 75x12x5 ft. 
Pennsylvania. .roiix gormly. 
Bunching Asparagus in South Jersey. Fig. 270. (See Page 67S) 
Paper Forcing Boxes. Fig. 271. (See Page 671 f ) 
one large spring of cold water. Many 
farms have several such springs. With little prepa- They should be fed cut into small pieces. The better 
ration these would breed trout. The farm table would the fish are fed, the more speedily they grow, 
have a luxury at cost which only the rich can now at'- Those who have locations which, by a few feet of 
ford. The demand for brook trout is never supplied, embankment, could be made into pools or lakes of 
In Wintei, when the farmer is not crowded with large extent, are missing a great opportunity. In a ut ,, v 
urgent work, he could enlarge the run from the few years they could have millions of large trout year, is badly infested with weed:. Being ratio 
spring by digging it 4 ft. wide, 4 ft. deep and 40 to and great values in such a pond. A letter to several high in fertility, they will grow quickly, and if tli 
Keeping Weed Growths Down 
W E find with alluvial soils, which 
are addicted to heavy growth 
of weeds with cultivated crops, such as 
corn, that the weeds can be controlled 
nicely by plowing the land just prior 
to the planting of the crop. Usually 
alluvial soils are loose and friable, and 
work down quickly, so that if is possi¬ 
ble to plow the land just before plant¬ 
ing the crop without hindering the final 
yield to much extent. In this manner 
the weeds are turned down, and the 
corn may be cultivated before the 
weeds get a very good start. Therefore 
with subsequent cultivations the weeds 
are kept down altogether. 
Usually the corn will grow in this 
soil as fast as or faster than weeds, so 
that it is ready to cultivate within two 
weeks after planting. Tf the ground is 
plowed early, however, the weeds will 
get a rather good start, and even 
though well worked down before the 
crop is planted they may easily get the 
best of the corn. A good plan some¬ 
times is to disk the land heavily before 
it is plowed, as this destroys weed 
seeds that have sprouted and makes it 
possible to turn then under deeply when 
the land is plowed. 
A weeder used soon after corn is 
planted helps to break up any crust 
that may have become established, and 
kills weeds that have already sprouted. 
Uusually in this type of soil deep cultivation is not 
required—simply a shallow scratching of the top 
layer of soil. 
Usually alluvial soil, particularly where some over¬ 
flow may get over the land at various times of the 
