March, 1910 
quite black, with a central nipple, and 
the rings more or less indistinguishable 
in colour from the rest of the scale. “he 
larger scales are about the size of a pin’s 
head, while the smaller ones are mere 
black dots. 
The winter is passed by. this insect in 
a partly grown semi-dormant condition. 
In the early spring. the scales become fall 
grown and give birth to living young. 
These young insects rapidly attain 
maturity, and in about thirty-five days 
begin in their turn to produce young. 
This breeding contizues throughout the 
summer, and does not cease till the late 
autumn. As each female is capable of 
producing cométhing like four hundred 
young, the rapidity with which a tree 
may become covered with scales is easily 
imagined, 
The San Jose scale is liable to attack 
nearly all cultivated trees, and has been 
noticed in New Zealand on the following : 
Apples, pears, plums, peaches, nectarines, 
currants gooseberrieg, and apricots. 
How this pest originally came to New 
Zealand is not positively known, but it is 
almost certain that it has been present in 
certain parts for several years. Thus its 
spread here has not been anything like 
so rapid as in other countries, for it was 
not till April, 1908, that any serious 
damage was noted. Since that time, 
especially in the Nelson District, @ 
strenuous effort to hold it in check has 
been made, both with winter and with 
summer spraying, and the results 80 far 
have been most encouraging, There 
seems little doubt that in New Zealand, 
as in Australia, it is by no means 80 
formidable a foe to. the fruit-grower as 
the oyster- shell scale. Of course if 
neglected il is likely to cause great damage 
but in those archards where systematic 
spraying for scale insects is carried out 
it will never bea pest of much moment. 
The Frimley canning factory, New 
Zealand, shelled in one day recently with 
its machinery six tons uf peas, which 
were all canned and put through the 
various process and made ready for the 
market. At present 650 pickers are 
employed, and this number is expected 
shortly to be doubled. 
THE AUSTRALIAN GARDENER. 
W. GIL, | 
View near Saw Mill, Wirrabarra. 
[PHOTO 
Local vignerons report a better grape 
crop than lastyear: It is considered that 
a three-million gallon vintage may yet be 
obtained. ‘ 
The 
appearance in fruit and vegetable gardens 
at Maryborough, Victoria. It is a red 
and black insect, which attacks apples, 
plums, pears'and tomatoes. The district 
orchard inspector (Mr. W. P, Chalmers) 
harlequin bug has made its 
recommends the spraying of lysol~a 
tablespoonful to every gallon of water—on 
the affected trees and plants. 
sary to clear away rubbish, as the bug 
It is neces 
finds shelter under debris. 
* kK KK *¥ 
ee He KH « 
The absence of the fruit fly pest from 
New South Wales orchards (writes the. 
Syd ney Mail’) has made the life of the 
fruitgrower much easier. The fly has: 
Tn order how- 
ever, to prevent its appearance, growers 
must continue the work of ; picking up 
and destroying (by boiling or burning) of 
all fallen or infested fruit. If this pre- 
caution is strictly carried out, Mr. W. J. 
Allen, the fruit expert, does not anticipate 
practically disappeared. 
much (rouble. 
