First Aid to the Orchard 
INSECT EPIDEMICS—HOW TO DIAGNOSE AND PRESCRIBE 
FOR THEM—SOME PREVENTIVE AND CURATIVE MEASURES 
by Walter C. O’Kane 
New Hampshire Agricultural Experiment Station 
taking the trouble to stop up the crack in the chimney- 
There are some of the early comers that cannot be counted in,, 
for they are hidden away where no feasible search can reveal 
them; for instance, those that enter the ground to hibernate. But 
the rest are on or about the 
trees that they will infest- 
No other trees except those 
on which they are now at 
rest will be attacked in the 
beginning of the season; 
conversely, any trees on 
which they are now found 
will certainly be invaded 
more or less seriously. It is 
a definite proposition either 
way. 
The twigs of the trees tell 
half the story. Eight or ten 
of the common orchard pests 
habitually stay there in win¬ 
ter, and two or three others 
are likely to be near by. 
On apple twigs, out to¬ 
ward the end, are the winter 
eggs of plant lice. Shiny, 
black, oval, just large enough 
to be seen easilv with the 
naked eye, they are scattered 
thickly in the fuzzy hairs that cover the ends of young shoots, or 
tucked away in crevices around bud scales. If abundant they mean 
that thousands of greenish lice will soon be clustered on the open¬ 
ing buds and foliage. A thorough spraying with tobacco extract, 
or with lime-sulphur, one to seventy, will be needed promptly. 
Close by, the egg-masses of the Tent Caterpillar encircle the 
twig, like a brownish- 
black swelling, half an 
inch long and covered 
with a glistening var¬ 
nish. Within each egg- 
The Wooly Aphis causes characteristic 
swellings of the twigs. Tobacco dust 
applied to the roots is a good remedy 
L IKE the ice man, the July sun and hay fever, most bugs take 
a vacation in winter. Swelling spring and full-blown sum¬ 
mer are the heyday of their prosperity. 
So be it. We can spare them without greatly stretching our 
heart-strings. Out of sight is 
pleasantly out of mind. 
The trouble is that sum¬ 
mer is coming again, and so 
are the tribe of insects. 
Moreover, at this time of 
year it seems to be their 
habit to show up without 
warning and in astonishing 
numbers, and to get in a lot 
of damage before we can 
take them in hand. 
We find some morning that 
half the leaf clusters on our 
apple trees are turning 
brown, and thereupon we 
learn that an invasion of the 
Bud Moth is in progress — 
for which we should have 
sprayed two weeks before. 
Plant lice curl up the leaves, 
and can no longer be reached 
because now hidden in their 
self-made shelters. 
Yet the very reason why some of these hungry fellows catch us 
napping is because they are here right now — on or about our trees, 
ready to jump into life with the coming of spring. They may not 
look much like the lively worm or bug that will be on the job a 
month from now, but they can be found and recognized. In fact, 
by the abundance of a species it is entirely possible to judge 
whether an outbreak is 
on the way, and to pre¬ 
pare for it. It is not 
necessary to wait until 
the house is afire before 
In early April Tent Caterpillars are still 
in the egg stage. Now is the time to de¬ 
stroy them 
The San Jose Scale is a most destructive 
growth, and it requires close scrutiny to 
detect it 
The Rusty Tussock Moth usually fastens a leaf to a twig. Arsenate 
of lead will kill the egg masses 
The Oyster Shell Scale thickly encrusts the 
bark. Prompt action is necessary to pre¬ 
serve the tender growth 
(278) 
