October 1 
The Orchard. 
Trap-Lanterns and the Codlin 
Moth. 
To the Editor. 
Sir— Under the heading « Destroying 
the Codlin Moth,” a letter appeared in 
your August number by an alleged 
American fruitgrower, who puffs a certain 
kerosene lamp as effective in destroying 
that fruitgrowers’ bugbear. This however, 
Tam afraid, is nothing but a clever way 
to obtain a cheap advertisement for 
obsolete stock, for the subject has been 
definitely disposed of by extensive inves- 
tigations by several American Agricul- 
tural Experiment Stations. One, for 
example, is that connected with the 
Cornell University, Ithaca, N.Y., and 
their results were published in Bull. 202, 
June, 1902, by the Entomologist, M. V. 
Slingerland, under the title « ‘Trap- 
Lanterns or Moth-Catchers,” which may 
be inspected at my office, No. 3 Room, 
Public Library. In this it is shown that 
out of 13,000 tabulated insects thus caught 
in the midst of fruit trees, etc., only 13 
per cent. were often injurious, but these 
mostly males, and not a single Vodlin moth 
among them; 10 per cent. were decidedly 
beneficial, and the rest harmless! The 
good done was therefore insignificant—in 
respect of the Codlin moth wholly nega- 
tive—but the evil very great. 
Mr. F. L. Washburn, the Entomologist 
of the Minnesota University Experiment 
Station, expresses in Bull.77, November, 
1902, of the Division of Entomology, a 
similar conviction. He says (p. 48), in 
reference to a letter by an orchardist, Mr. 
Shugard, describing the results of that 
writer’s experiments 7e a species of very 
numerous injurious beetles : —“ Mr. Shu- 
gard’s experience with a Lantern-trap is 
interesting as showing the futility of such 
contrivances often advertised as a ‘sure 
cure’ for all sorts of insect pests. In four 
nights he secured only 68 specimens, 54 
of these were moths; the remainder, with 
one exception, were small insects, that 
exception being a beetle! Only one indi- 
dividual then of the larger number of 
beetles, which were flying in that vicinity, 
was caught in the trap.” ‘To persons only 
for whom all insects are alike in per- 
versely attacking man’s fruit, or all moths 
of same size as Coalin moths, can Lantern- 
traps seem effective, as they are for certain 
kinds for the collector. he latter cares 
not whether the insects are injurious or 
not, but only if they are new or rare for 
his collection. For only a limited number 
1907 
of kinds are drawn to light or to sugar, 
etc., and only in greater number during a 
few nights in the season, often only for a 
few hours in each, and those even of the 
injurious ones consist chiefly of males or 
females more or less exhausted of eggs. 
‘Their destruction therefore is not worth 
ithe trouble. My personal experience 
THE AUSTRALIAN GARDENER. 
agrees perfectly with that of my much 
more effectively equipped Americon col- 
leagues.—I #1n, Sir, etc , 
m8 J. G. O. TEPPER. 
Norwood, Sept. 3, 1907. 
Notes 
A good many growers have used the 
lime and sulphur spray this year, omit 
ting the salt, and those who have done so 
claim that it is not so severe on the hands, 
and in every respect a much easier spray 
to handle. Some have addel 2 to 3 Jb. of 
bluestone to each 50 gallons, in additicn 
to the 15 lb. each of lime and sulphur. 
It is well to make early arrange.nents for 
the fighting of the Codlin moth, and while 
arsenite of soda has proved to be mucn 
superior to the Paris green for fighting 
this pest, it is now claimed by many in 
America that the arsenate of lead is even 
much better than the arsenite of soda. 
First Svraying. — Use 3 lb. of arsenate 
of lead to 50 gallons of water, The appli- 
cation should be given just as soon as 
most of the petals have fallen. 
Second Spraying. —'To follow about 
three weeks after the first, using 2 lb. of 
‘arsenate of lead to 50 gallons of water. 
Subsequent sprayings may be given at 
intervals of every four weeks if the moth 
is bad, using about 1} Ib. of arsenate of 
lead to 50 gallons of water. This spray is 
recommended by G. W. H. Valsh (Cali- 
fornia fruit-grower). 
In spraying trees with this or any other 
spray, see that a good pressure is kept up, 
so that the pump will throw a good fine 
mist ; and be particular to cover the 
inside and outsids of the tree, as well as 
the whole of the fruit. 
If the spring proves to be a wet one, it 
is advisable to spray any trees which have 
in previous wet years shown signs of 
fungus diseases—such as Peach curl on 
the peach tree, Black spot or Scab of the 
apple, Black spot of the grape-vine—and 
growers of Gordo Blanco and Sultana will 
have to keep a sharp look-out and keep 
the spray pumps going, else the crops will 
be lost. 
Bordeaux mixture will be found the 
best spray at this time of the year for all 
fungus diseises. Should the San Jose scale 
put in an appearance after the leaves have 
started on the tree, the resin, soda, and 
fish-oil wash will be found the best to use 
on at this season of the year. Never spray 
either trees or vines while they are in 
bloom, else the chances are that the crop 
will be destroyed. They may be sprayed 
a week before coming into bloom, and 
a week after the fruit is set. 
Green crops should be turned under 
this month, in order that they may 
become well rotted while there is still 
considerable moisture in the soil. If such 
crops are allowed to remain in land until 
the land becomes dry, it will be found 
almost impossible to plough the soil, to 
say nothing of turning them under, and 
the chances are that in place of doing 
good the opposite effect will result, as the 
9 
moisture in place of baing conserved will 
have been taken up by the crop, in conse- 
quence of which the soil will have become 
hardened, .and when ploughing is—at- 
tempted the ground will break apart in 
lumps, and it will be found impossible to 
turn the crop under, which will thus dry 
up instead of rotting as it should. If 
rain should not fall it will be fouud im- 
possible to bring the land to a proper 
tilth, and owing to the absence of moisture 
in the soil the trees will in all probability 
suffer severely during the summer months, 
and the fruit will be of little value, as it 
will be undersized and flayorless. There- 
fore, in all dry districts, see the crops 
intended for turning under as a green 
manure are not allowed to stand tvo long 
before being ploughed under. 
In our coastal districts where rains are 
of frequent occurrence, there is not the 
same probability of dry weather oyer- 
taking the fruit-grower, consequently he 
can take more risks than his confrere in 
in the inferior. 
Citrus trees may be pruned now, and 
there are many orchards which would be 
greatly benefited by a thorough pruning, 
Do not permit the lemon-trees to grow 
high and willowy, but rather remove those 
weak limbs which are so often growing 
up through the top of all lemon-trees, 
and keep the trea lower, when it will bo 
found much easier to spray, fumigate, and 
pick the fruit fron it. Oran.es and man- 
darins are greatly benefited by a cleaning 
out from the centre of all superfluous and 
worthless limbs, twigs, ete. . 
In every case s3e that the orchard is 
in thorough condition in every respect, 
as the future crop depends so largely on 
the condition in which the trees and soil 
are kept during the spring and summer 
months. See to it, therefore, that no 
blame can attach to you if they do not 
make a good start. 
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Fireworks ! 
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The Caeapest and Bost Place in tho 
“State for Raliabls Fireworks of every 
description. 
NOTE THE ADDRESS— 
255 RUNDLE ST. EAST 
(Opposite Charlick Bros.) 
If you want a REALLY GOOD TEA 
direct from China and India, give us a 
trial, 1/3, 1/6, and 2/- per lb. 
